In this Q&A, Jaynes shares resources and strategies veterinary professionals can use to provide flexible and affordable care to clients, including adopting spectrum and incremental care models and improving operational efficiency. She also discusses the importance of understanding legal boundaries when offering care options to clients, such as state veterinary practice acts; and details what veterinary teams can do to support clients who are unable to afford necessary treatment for their pet.
Many pet owners cannot afford veterinary care, survey finds
Nearly 1 in 3 pet parents says they know someone whose pet passed away because the owner could not afford the necessary treatment.
Photo: Watcharin/Adobe Stock
Veterinary care is financially out of reach for many pet owners, a recent survey exploring pet owners’ experiences with veterinary care found. The same study found that more than half (52%) of US pet owners have skipped or declined necessary veterinary care for their pets despite 97% of pet parents considering their pets family.1
The survey, PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study: Pet Parents’ Assessment of American Veterinary Care, conducted by PetSmart Charities and Gallup, interviewed 2498 cat and dog owners across the US between November 13, 2024 and January 9, 2025, on topics that included how often they take their pets to the veterinarian, where they obtain pet health information, and how well veterinarians offer services that meet the needs of themselves and their pets. Both web-based and mailed surveys were used to ensure representation from a broad range of pet owners, including those without internet access. Gallup also weighted the sample to reflect national demographics of US dog and cat owners, including gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education, and region, according to PetSmart Charities.2
Veterinary care costs pose a concern for high- and low- income pet owners
In pet owners across different income levels, financial barriers were reported as a reason to forgo or decline veterinary care. The survey found pet owners in households with an income of less than $60,000 were most likely to avoid care due to affordability. Higher income earners, meanwhile, had a greater tendency of declining services they did not believe justified the cost. Still, in those earning $90,000 or more, a third reported skipping veterinary care due to financial constraints.1,2
At the time of the survey, 52% of pet parents reported having not taken their pets to the veterinarian within the past year, even when they felt their pet needed veterinary care, or declined care recommended by a veterinarian.1 The percentage of these pet owners were particularly high among1:
- 18- to 29-year-olds (59%)
- Black pet owners (58%)
- Hispanic pet owners (57%)
- Pet owners living in households earning less than $60,000 annually (55%)
Additionally, 57% of veterinarians said they were unable to provide patients with desired care due to client economic limitations, according to a 2017 survey on small animal veterinarians’ opinions and actions regarding costs of care, effects of economic limitations on patient care and outcome, and more.1,3
According to the State of Pet Care Study survey, the most declined veterinary services were diagnostic procedures, including blood tests (22%) and preventive care, such as yearly examinations and vaccinations (18%).
Pet owners are aware of the risks of skipping veterinary care
Fourteen percent of pet owners who skipped veterinary care said their pet’s condition worsened, or their pet died. Only a third of those who declined veterinary care saw an improvement in their pet’s condition after skipping care.1
According to the survey’s findings, 30% of pet owners said they knew a friend or family member whose pet passed away because the owner could not afford the necessary veterinary care. Seven percent of survey participants reported declining lifesaving surgeries for their pet. Additionally, 11% reported knowing someone who had to surrender a pet because veterinary care was too expensive.
A reported lack of care options
Seventy-three percent of survey participants who declined care due to cost indicated not being offered a more cost-effective option. Of the pet owners who declined care that was not practical for them or their pet, 46% said they were not offered an option that better fit their needs.1
“...While the most advanced care is an option that should be explored for pet parents, it should not be presented as the only option—or perhaps not even the first option—given the number of pet parents who have financial considerations and the robust research on first-recommendation bias,” wrote the authors of the State of Pet Care Study.1
Sixty-four percent of pet owners said payment plans would make it possible for them to afford to pay at least twice the amount for lifesaving treatment for their pet. Still, less than 1 in 4 owners has ever been offered a payment plan, according to the survey’s findings.
Approximately 4 in 10 pet owners were interested in alternative veterinary care methods for their pets, such as community clinics (38%), home visits from a veterinarian (38%), or telemedicine (37%). Black pet owners (54%), 18- to 29-year-olds (48%), and those living in households earning less than $60,000 annually (47%) reported the highest interest in community clinics.1
"The data show that many pet parents are not being presented with alternative care options that could make veterinary services more accessible, despite interest in such options," Zach Hrynowski, a senior researcher at Gallup, said in a news release.2 "Our analysis of the data points to a clear opportunity for the veterinary industry to expand affordable, flexible solutions that meet pet parents' needs."
A need for more affordable care
Pet companionship offers extensive mental and physical health benefits, with the Human Animal Bond Research Institute estimating that pet ownership saves the US healthcare system nearly $23 billion annually.1 Yet, approximately 50 million pets in the US lack access to appropriate veterinary care, ie., care that meets the basic standards, according to PetSmart Charities.1
“The hope is the findings in [the]...State of Pet Care Study... will influence the evolution of veterinary care to include more affordable, flexible, and accessible models,” wrote Aimee Gilbreath, MBA, president of PetSmart Charities, in the study’s foreword.1
In an email correspondence with dvm360, Robyn Jaynes, DVM, director of veterinary affairs at PetSmart Charities, stressed the urgent need for collaboration across the veterinary field to improve access to care, noting that change will require efforts from clinics, schools, and leaders alike. "The veterinary industry must unite to ensure every pet has access to care, as the magnitude of the problem is such that no one entity can solve this on their own," she said.
"Clinics should practice flexibility and focus on providing options that work for each pet family’s needs. Veterinary schools must train vets in spectrum-of-care practice and continue research supporting lower-cost models, and industry leaders need to drive innovation that also reduces costs. Together, we can build a system that meets families where they are, because access to veterinary care shouldn’t be a privilege," Jaynes continued.
According to PetSmart Charities, the organization has committed to $100 million to improving access to veterinary care. The charity is offering grant funding to expand affordable veterinary care clinics, support research on affordable payment options, investigate single-service models to help lower costs for pet owners, and more.2
"We estimate the cost to ensure adequate care for all pets currently going without it is over $20 billion annually using traditional care delivery models," said Gilbreath.2 "Systematic solutions to this crisis go well beyond what 1 organization can provide—we need a united front from veterinary industry leaders, schools, practices and nonprofit animal welfare leaders to produce sustainable change."
References
- PetSmart Charitites-Gallup State of Pet Care Study: Pet Parents’ Assessment of American Veterinary Care. Gallup, PetSmart Charities. Accessed April 17, 2025. https://www.gallup.com/analytics/659123/gallup-petsmart-charities.aspx
- New study finds more than half of U.S. pet parents skip or decline needed veterinary care. News release. PetSmart Charities. April 16, 2025. Accessed April 17, 2025. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-finds-more-than-half-of-us-pet-parents-skip-or-decline-needed-veterinary-care-302429953.html
- Kipperman BS, Kass PH, Rishniw M. Factors that influence small animal veterinarians’ opinions and actions regarding cost of care and effects of economic limitations on patient care and outcome and professional career satisfaction and Burnout. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2017;250(7):785-794. doi:10.2460/javma.250.7.785
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