Vancouver, Wash. — Banfield Pet Hospital on June 4 rolled out a 24-hour, one-on-one video chat service, Vet Chat, designed to provide pet owners on its Optimum Wellness Plan in the US and Puerto Rico with on-demand access to veterinarians and triage support services.
This comes after Banfield commissioned surveys of both pet owners and veterinarians in the US, which revealed 71% of pet owners use the internet for veterinary advice rather than their veterinarian, and 90% of veterinarians are worried that pet owners are putting their pets at risk by taking misinformed advice from internet sources.
“At Banfield, we never take for granted that being entrusted with the care of a beloved pet is to be invited into the emotional center of a person’s life,” said Brian Garish, president of Banfield Pet Hospital. “To us, that means not only being with you throughout your pet’s life, from puppyhood through the golden years–– it also means being there during those unexpected, sometimes anxiety-ridden moments between visits. Vet Chat marks the next chapter in the future of pet care, and we’re thrilled to offer a service that benefits our clients, their pets, and our veterinary teams.”
Vet Chat is run through the Banfield mobile app.
Both surveys commissioned by Banfield were fielded between February and March 2019 and included 1,029 US pet owners at least 18 years old, as well as 204 US veterinarians.