Veterinary teams witness it every day: the strong connection between people and their pets. Now, new data is shedding light on just how strong the human-animal bond has become and how it is increasingly driving expectations and behavior related to veterinary care. These insights also point to a meaningful opportunity for the veterinary profession to take a closer look at how to deliver care, communicate with clients, incorporate technology and provide overall support to pet owners throughout the pet health journey.
In a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 U.S. pet owners, the Human Animal Bond Research Institute and Chewy Health found that 97% of respondents consider their pet a member of the family. Seventy-seven percent say their pet is their best friend, and 90% report mental or physical health benefits from the relationship with their pet. These sentiments were reflected in the study’s findings on the human-animal bond score, which reached the highest-ever recorded average (60), based on HABRI’s detailed 70-point index.
And yet, the same data reveals a frequent disconnect between how much pet owners want to do for their pets and the real-world challenges they face. For example, while 83% of pet owners told us they would pay whatever it takes if their pet needed extensive veterinary care, 84% said they had experienced challenges related to finding, affording and managing their pets’ veterinary care.
Looking for a Deeper Understanding of Pet Health
Pet owners are clearly interested in better financial tools and solutions for affording and managing veterinary care — from pet health insurance policies to financing and payment options. However, while financial constraints emerged as a challenge across the board, our research uncovered an equally challenging issue: Many pet owners are unable to interpret pet health and behavior, leading to uncertainty about needed veterinary care. Eighty-five percent reported some difficulty interpreting their pets’ behavior, and 81% were challenged to interpret their pets’ health needs. When pet owners don’t feel equipped to identify potential problems or know when to seek care, the result can be increased stress and potentially harmful delays in treatment.
This uncertainty should serve as a call to the veterinary profession. We must strengthen communication and education around pet health with a new urgency. Veterinary teams belong at the center of these conversations, and our data clearly points to specific ways veterinary professionals can be more effective in strengthening both the human-animal bond and the veterinary-client relationship.
If we look under the hood of the veterinary-client relationship, the good news is that 98% of clients are satisfied with their veterinarian. But a few cracks in the armor appear, with only 36% saying they are “extremely” satisfied, 44% being “very” satisfied, and 18% being “somewhat” satisfied. The numbers show plenty of room for improvement and that veterinary teams need to examine all the factors influencing client satisfaction.
Not surprisingly, communication emerged as the most impactful factor in boosting veterinary satisfaction. Personal interactions, specifically in-person visits (82%) and phone calls (75%), are most strongly associated with increased satisfaction. However, clients reporting the highest satisfaction have veterinarians who added a technology-forward mode of communication to traditional means of client interaction. These additional channels can include telehealth and apps, as well as email and text messages. The positive impact of digital platforms on veterinary satisfaction is especially clear for Gen Z and millennial pet owners.
Surprisingly, the factors most likely to negatively impact veterinary satisfaction were not financial. Instead, clients focused on issues of trust and understanding, including “Finding a vet I like,” “Trusting the vet’s recommendations” and “Finding a vet that understands me and my pet’s needs.”
How Technology Can Strengthen the Bond
Pet owners are increasingly receptive to digital tools, especially those that help fill the gap in understanding pet health. This was calculated using a MaxDiff analysis, which measures how pet owners rank the usefulness of each tool relative to others, with the average “Helpfulness Score” sitting at 100. Solutions that support proactive and preventive pet health were consistently rated as the most helpful, with symptom checkers topping the list at 164, followed by GPS trackers (156) and pet health apps (134).
Notably, the emotional toll of leaving a pet behind ranked as the top challenge across all demographics, underscoring the growing demand for solutions, like trusted pet sitters, cameras and web-enabled monitoring tools that offer peace of mind and a sense of connection when pets and owners are unable to be together.
Such tools aren’t just about convenience; they’re also responding to the strengthening of the human-animal bond. For many pet owners, having a sense of early detection, continuous connection and reassurance between veterinary visits is just as important as managing urgent health issues. Those with the strongest human-animal bond scores were more likely to visit their veterinarian and showed an increased willingness to adopt technology solutions across nearly all categories.
The study’s findings make clear that today’s pet owners are seeking more than medical expertise. They also value support to strengthen the relationship with their pets. For veterinary professionals, these facts create both a challenge and an opportunity: how to meet rising expectations while navigating time and resource constraints.
A Generational Shift in Expectations
The study also offers insight into a fast-changing client base. Gen Zers make up the generation most likely to say they find pet health tools helpful, with 64% rating them as “very” or “extremely” helpful, compared to 50% of millennials and 38% of baby boomers. Gen Zers often seek education, reassurance and emotional support from their veterinary teams.
Gen Z pet owners are especially engaged with technology, using an average of 3.6 digital pet care tools — more than any other generation. Their top interests include smart feeders to automate nutrition, wearable devices to monitor activity and health, and telehealth services to expand access to veterinary guidance. These findings signal that Gen Zers value effective real-time insights and are taking steps to support their pets between veterinary visits.
For veterinary teams, that knowledge opens the door to deeper engagement by helping clients understand what to track, why to track it and how to interpret the data the tools provide. Veterinary teams should consider providing educational resources and recommendations to help pet owners understand how technology tools can track pets’ daily lives and illuminate the animals’ overall health. Such technology can enhance the human-animal bond and ensure that pet owners provide relevant medical data to their veterinarians.
What It Means for the Veterinary Profession
Our research confirms what many veterinary professionals already feel: The needs of a new generation of pet owners are complex and evolving. Their need for a personal connection with the veterinary team and their deep desire to understand pet health and behavior are being driven by the strengthening human-animal bond and fueled by the deployment of emerging technologies.
For veterinary professionals, the data highlights meaningful opportunities to address those needs and build stronger client relationships. It means investing in:
- Systems that offer multiple ways for client communication.
- Leveraging digital tools that extend care beyond the exam room.
- Adopting pricing models, payment solutions and insurance guidance to ease cost-of-care conversations.
Most importantly, it also means never underestimating the power of connection. Veterinary care is most deeply influenced by clients feeling understood and supported. When we create space for conversation and proactive education, we strengthen the client relationship and human-animal bond.
A Shared Commitment
At HABRI and Chewy Health, we believe veterinary care is essential to nurturing the human-animal bond. That bond is stronger than ever, but it is complex and evolving as pet owners respond to the pressures of modern life and the promise of new technological solutions.
The path forward is clear. With the right tools and a continued focus on clarity and connection, we can help pet owners feel supported and confident in caring for their pets. By embracing innovation and leveraging technology to deliver care that is more accessible, personalized and responsive, we can better meet pet owners where they are, preserving the bond that lies at the heart of every veterinary visit.
WHAT NOW?
Chewy Health and HABRI created The Bond Factor, a guide for veterinary professionals that applies the insights from The Pet Health Challenges Survey and offers actionable next steps. Learn more at bit.ly/48jEzUv.