PetSmart Charities launches veterinary fellowship to expand access to pet care

PetSmart Charities recently announced The PetSmart Charities Veterinary Fellowship program, which combines financial support, mentorship, and long-term career guidance to help young veterinarians build careers focused on serving pet owners who face barriers to affordable care.

The fellowship grows out of the PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study, a research initiative focused on the state of pet care in America. That study found veterinarians overwhelmingly see financial constraints as a barrier to treatment with nearly all surveyed vets said client financial limitations affect their ability to recommend the right care for a pet, and cost outpaces every other reason pet owners cite for declining treatment.¹

A goal to make care accessible to all

The Veterinary Fellowship launches in partnership with 5 veterinary schools known for their commitment to making care more accessible: Colorado State University, Cornell University, the University of Arizona, UC Davis, and the University of Minnesota. Fifteen students make up the program's first cohort, which begins this fall and is expected to graduate in 2028.

Unlike a typical scholarship, the fellowship is designed to follow participants well past graduation. Fellows get financial support during veterinary school, plus structured mentorship connecting them to clinical partners, peers, and leaders in community medicine — support that continues through their first 4 years of practice. The goal is to smooth the often-difficult transition from classroom to clinic, and keep new veterinarians engaged in community-focused work to create more access to care

From students to veterinarians to mentors

Amy Salim, a Cornell University student selected for the inaugural cohort, said years spent working in clinics serving underserved communities shaped her interest in the fellowship. “I am grateful for the opportunity to join the PetSmart Charities Fellowship, where I can continue to grow my passion for community veterinary medicine while learning practical approaches to expanding access to compassionate, equitable care," she noted.¹

Robyn Jaynes, DVM, PetSmart Charities' director of veterinary affairs, framed the program as an effort to build a self-sustaining network — fellows who eventually mentor the fellows who come after them. “Our vision is to build a lasting collaborative network of community medicine veterinarians who learn from one another, mentor future fellows and strengthen access to care across the profession," she explained in the release.¹

Emily McCobb, DVM, who holds the PetSmart Charities Endowed Chair at UC Davis's veterinary school, said the partnership shows what's achievable when universities and mission-driven funders align around a common goal, producing veterinarians who are both clinically strong and prepared to meet real-world demand for affordable care.

PetSmart Charities projects that by spring 2032, as many as 115 veterinarians focused on community medicine will have graduated through the program. The organization estimates the investment will ultimately generate more than 550,000 additional community medicine veterinary visits each year.¹ New cohorts will be admitted annually going forward, giving the program a continuous pipeline of participants.

Reference

1. Preparing Future Veterinarians for Community Care: PetSmart Charities Veterinary Fellowship Program. Press release. PetSmart Charities. May 14, 2026. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://petsmartcharities.org/pro/resources/thought-starters/preparing-future-veterinarians-for-community-care-petsmart-charities-veterinary-fellowship-program