Dave Duffield, Oracle’s long‑time co‑founder, announced a $250 million donation to the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation on 27 September 2026, marking the largest private philanthropic investment in American community veterinary care. The pledge follows a $300 million commitment over the past decade and brings the foundation’s total contributions to $500 million, a figure that the organization says covers the needs of roughly 50 million dogs and cats across the country.
The ‘Big Bet for Pets’ program will launch 250 grants of $10 000 each to nonprofit community veterinary providers nationwide and establish a $10 million pool for multi‑year expansion grants to established clinics ready to scale up. The first 250 grants have already been awarded, and the expansion pool will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the largest underserved regions.
"The lack of access to affordable veterinary care is one of the most urgent and actionable challenges facing pets and the people who love them," said Amy Mills, vice president of access to care at the foundation. "Through Big Bet for Pets, we are investing in a future where every pet has access to the veterinary care they need, and every family can care for the animals they love."
Dave Duffield added, "Pets are members of our families, and they need veterinary care to live long, healthy lives. For too many families, that care is not easy to find or afford. Big Bet for Pets is our way of investing in a stronger, more accessible safety net for these special animals."
In a small veterinary clinic in Austin, Texas, owner Maria Lopez will use her $10,000 grant to purchase a state‑of‑the‑art diagnostic machine, allowing her to offer preventive screenings that previously cost her clients $300 each. Lopez, who adopted three rescue dogs last year, said the new equipment will help keep her patients healthy and her business thriving.
The foundation has scheduled the first tranche of disbursements for October 2026, with a public announcement of the expanded network expected in November. Stakeholders in the pet‑care sector are already lining up to apply for the next round of funding, anticipating a ripple effect across the country’s underserved communities.