Half of Canadian pet owners are not keeping up with routine veterinary visits, primarily due to affordability concerns, a recent study has found.
Fifty percent of pet owners have either skipped or declined veterinary services for their cats or dogs within the past year, according to the survey conducted by Gallup and commissioned by PetSmart Charities of Canada. Affordability was the primary reason Canadians chose not to seek vet services for their pets, while the distance travelled to vet clinics was another influential factor, the study found.
Only 41 percent of cat and dog owners reported taking their pet to a veterinarian and accepting the recommended services within the past year. The study found that pet owners aged 18 to 29 are most likely to skip vet visits, and that this likelihood decreases with age. Income did not appear to be a factor in pet owners’ likelihood to skip recommended services, the report says.
“We were surprised to discover veterinary care is slipping out of reach for people across a broad spectrum of income levels and the consequences of skipping care can be dire,” PetSmart Charities of Canada President Aimee Gilbreath said in a June 9 statement.
Among pet owners who skipped or declined veterinary services, 67 percent said they did so because of financial considerations or that they felt the services were “not worth the cost.” Meanwhile, 28 percent of those who declined services said they were offered a more affordable option. Approximately two-thirds of Canadian pet owners said an interest-free payment plan would double their spending at veterinary clinics, while less than one-quarter were provided this option, the study indicated.
While 46 percent of pet owners said their pet’s condition improved within three months of declining services, 42 percent said the condition worsened, four percent said the condition did not change, and 8 percent said their pet died, according to the report. Nearly three-in-10 Canadian pet owners said they had a friend or family member whose pet died because they could not afford the recommended treatment.
The distance Canadians travel to vet clinics is another barrier to bringing pets for annual visits, the report says. The study found that 46 percent of pet owners who live less than 10 kilometres from a veterinary clinic did not seek out services, while this figure rose to 52 percent among those who travel between 10 km and 25 km, and jumped to 60 percent for those travelling 25 km to 50 km.
Most pet owners, nearly 80 percent, said they consult a vet either in person or remotely when their pet is sick, despite the barriers. Forty-three percent also said they pursue additional information from the internet, 30 percent reported consulting family and friends, and 22 percent have sought input from pet trainers or groomers, the survey found. One-in-five Canadians reported exclusively relying on non-veterinary sources.
“This suggests that while veterinary care is valued, pet parents may rely on a broader support network when making decisions about their pets’ health,” the report says.
Despite few people in Canada reporting having used telemedicine or home veterinary services, the survey indicated that roughly 40 percent of pet owners said they would make use of these alternatives if they were available.
PetSmart Charities of Canada partnered with Gallup to conduct the study from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, 2024, and interviewed more than 2,000 Canadian cat and dog owners.
