How Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping vet care

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This week, our lead story takes a look at how soaring veterinary costs are driving Gen Z and Millennial pet parents to rethink traditional veterinary care.

Rather than taking their dogs (or luring their cats) to the vet clinic, younger pet parents are prioritising convenience and affordability by choosing telehealth, mobile clinics and subscriptions. We take a look at how smart brands are stepping in.

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Soaring veterinary prices and a lack of accessible options are prompting Gen Z and Millennial pet parents to seek alternative forms of pet care.

At first glance, the traditional veterinary clinic-based model seems protected from disruption. Not only are Generation Z (ages 18-29) and Millennials (ages 30-44) the most pet-centric generations to date, they are also willing to spend the most to save their pets.

That said, Millennials and Gen Z are also the most financially vulnerable generations, and struggling with rising prices.

Gen Z and Millennials make up the largest group, by far, of pet owners who have skipped the vet due to cost. According to a recent survey, a substantial 73% of Gen Z pet parents, and 74% of Millennials have declined or not sought care because they could not afford it (or said it was not worth the cost). This compares to 69% for pet parents aged 45-59 and 68% aged 60+.

Pet owners’ concerns over rising costs echo loudly across social media.

“Pets are almost too expensive now, with veterinarian care,” said one pet parent on Reddit.

“It now costs more for me to take my dog to the vet than it costs me to go to a Dr., if you can even find a vet taking new patients,” said another.

Unsurprisingly, visits to veterinary clinics have been falling since September 2023. In 2024, they fell by 2.3% compared to the previous year. This is a particularly concerning signal for a sector that was once seen as recession-proof.

RISING COSTS & ANXIETY

Meanwhile, as any pet parent will tell you, the cost of keeping furry family members healthy is climbing fast (and showing no signs of slowing down):

• U.S. petflation reached a two-year high in May 2025 at 2.2%, with services outpacing product inflation;

• U.S. veterinary services inflation was 5.6% from May 2024-25;

• U.S. veterinary services inflation was a whopping 47.4% from May 2019-2025, compared to consumer price inflation of 25.5% in the same period. [Source: Pet Business Professor].

And looking ahead, the outlook isn’t getting any rosier. 

With ongoing inflation and newly enacted tariffs, pet parents can expect to spend about 11% more for veterinary fees this year, according to Rover.com.

Heartbreakingly, the consequences of this are negative impacts on animal welfare:

• An estimated 12% of U.S. pet owners have relinquished a pet due to cost, according to LendingTree’s 2024 Pet Debt Report.

• The rate more than doubles for Gen Z pet parents, with 1 in 4 (25%) saying they had surrendered a pet because they could no longer afford to take care of it.

• Worse, 14% of all pet parents who skipped veterinary care said their pet’s condition worsened, or their pet died, according to Gallup.

• Nearly one in three pet parents knew a friend or family member whose pet passed away because they could not afford necessary treatment.

CHANGING TASTES, NEW APPROACHES

Meanwhile, the traditional clinic-based delivery model for vet care just isn’t passing muster anymore for Gen Z and Millennials.

Rather than traipsing to the veterinary waiting room, younger pet parents are seeking out convenience, transparency, and on-demand support, such as:

• Pet wellness subscriptions

• Community clinics

• Bundled preventive care plans

• Mobile apps offering on-demand televet services.

Generally, about four in 10 pet parents express interest in non-traditional care delivery models, according to Gallup. This rate rises among Gen Z pet parents, with nearly half (48%) expressing interest in community clinics.

HOW PET AND VET BRANDS CAN ADAPT

As vet visits decline and affordability concerns grow, there’s clear opportunity for brands to re-think access, pricing, and engagement for younger pet parents in the U.S.. For example:

Consider subscription services: Bond Vet’s “Bond Wellness” plan, for example, offers unlimited exams, discounts on dental care and diagnostics, and virtual vet visits for about US$50 per month. Or EasyVet, which offers similar benefits.

Offer payment plans: Only 23% of pet owners who declined care had ever been offered a payment plan, according to Gallup. This represents a significant gap: nearly two-thirds of pet parents (64%) said that payment plans would enable them to at least double the amount they could afford to pay for life-saving care for their pet.

Other solutions could include vet clinics and brands partnering with payment platforms, or creating their own interest-free installment options. Another option is “micro-subscriptions” for specific services (e.g. US$10/month for dental checkups) to ease cost anxiety.

Bundle preventive care: Value-driven, bundled plans that combine vaccinations, annual exams, virtual vet access, and discounts on diagnostics can flatten costs and boost retention. Small Door, for example, offers tiered plans for both price-sensitive and premium clients.

Focus on telehealth and mobile clinics: Almost 40% of 18–29-year-olds said they’d use virtual vet services if more widely available. Brands can build or integrate with existing pet telehealth platforms; or offer mobile vet services to provide pet care services at home. These can target younger pet owners without transport or flexible schedules.

WHAT’S NEXT? 

Expect more vet and pet brands to embrace subscriptions, flexible payments, and digital-first care. Those that don’t risk losing out on young pet parents who love their pets, but just cannot afford the traditional model of care.

IN THE NEWS

🇺🇸 General Mills launches fresh Blue Buffalo pet food line, brings Edgard & Cooper to market ● General Mills announced two new launches with initiatives from Blue Buffalo and Edgard & Cooper. 

🇪🇺 European Parliament backs mandatory microchipping of all cats and dogs in the EU ● The European Parliament has backed the mandatory microchipping of all cats and dogs across the EU, in a bid to reduce fraud and improve the enforcement of animal welfare standards.

🇬🇧 Scrumpf launches freeze-dried food and treats range ● Natural pet food supplier Scrumpf has launched a range of freeze-dried raw dog food and treats.

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