Pandemic brings changes in human-animal bond, veterinarian-client relationship

Many people report having a stronger bond with their pets as a result of the pandemic, new research shows. The research, commissioned by the United Veterinary Services Association, also found that COVID-19 has changed the veterinarian-client relationship.

Pet owners reported a stronger human-animal bond and increased pampering behavior, especially among people who work from home and millennials. This growth brought significant increases in owner-pet play, grooming such as washing and dental care, and veterinary hospital purchase behavior, led by high-earning urban millennial males, according to the announcement.

The research was conducted by APG|O’Hara Research and Analytics in March 2021, based on a representative sample of about 2,000 U.S. pet owners. Follow-up interviews were also conducted with six general practice veterinarians and nine pet owners for qualitative evidence.

Millennials have emerged as the most engaged group of pet owners in the country, the research found. Notably, they showed particularly high engagement with digital services, such as general telemedicine, online chats with retailers and online information from their veterinarians. They said offering these types of digital services will play a greater role in how they choose and retain veterinary services moving forward.

This group of pet owners also demonstrated a more nuanced view of the veterinarian-client relationship than other groups. Trust in doctors remains high, but millennials as a group exhibit very high personal agency: They want to research and treat their pet’s needs where applicable, allowing for greater perceived efficiency, cost savings and convenience.

Personal agency among millennials is much higher than any other generation, and working with veterinarians who support their “do-it-yourself” attitude “is becoming a key point in veterinary differentiation,” according to the UVSA.