The government is set to assist low-income families with expenses related to veterinary services and pet food, as applications for this support are now open.
This initiative covers the “subsidization of expenses concerning veterinary services and pet food for families in need, as well as support for the feeding of pets under the care of legally constituted animal welfare associations,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Sea.
Applications began on October 1, and the support will cover expenses incurred between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. Applications can be submitted through the SIAC platform, which can be accessed here.
“For those interested who do not yet have access [to the platform], they should navigate to the ‘DGAV Notices’ section and register. Manuals and videos about the procedure and platform usage will be published in due course,” reads the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary website.
What is at stake?
The measure is part of a 14.5 million euro package aimed at promoting animal welfare. According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Sea, 500,000 euros are allocated for veterinary service expenses, and another 500,000 euros for pet food expenses.
These funds are intended for low-income families as well as official collection centers or legally constituted animal welfare associations.
“For low-income families, the support is provided through the respective municipalities, where eligibility assessment of the family condition depends on the social services of the municipality, which should have already established socioeconomic criteria,” explains the ministry.
According to the ministry, this provision of pet food resembles an “animal food bank,” as “specific aids will be available to ensure the feeding of pets belonging to families in economic vulnerability situations.”
“This support does not foresee the creation of a physical food bank but rather the subsidization of expenses related to animal food,” it clarifies.
What does the support cover?
All veterinary services performed in duly licensed centers are eligible, as well as all products intended for animal feeding, whether physiological or for treatment, solid or wet.
According to the ministry, the maximum financial support for food is 5,000 euros per household for expenses made between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.
Meanwhile, financial support for veterinary services “will be subject to maximum limits per beneficiary, defined according to the resident population in the municipality.”
“The maximum subsidy limits progressively increase with the population size, ensuring that municipalities with a larger population can access support proportional to their needs,” the ministry adds.
In total, for the measures planned to promote animal welfare, the government intends to spend 14.5 million euros on the construction, requalification, and modernization of infrastructures, as well as veterinary support for treatments, sterilizations, and identification of dogs and cats, along with support for animal welfare associations.
