American Veterinary Medical Association sought to get an in-depth look at pet owners’ perception of veterinary care
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To better gauge owners’ thoughts on the current state of veterinary care in the United States, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) surveyed 1000 pet owners. The online survey, fielded by TRUE Global Intelligence, gathered information from September 8 to 14, 2023 and each participant had to live in the US, be between 18 and 99 years old, and own at least 1 cat or 1 dog.1
89% of participants have owned a pet or pets in the past, while the other 11% were first-time pet owners.1
The key findings from this survey are as following1:
“Pet owners want to feel confident that their animal companions are receiving the highest quality care. This new research shows that pet owners have a clear preference for in-person and veterinarian-led care, which we know is the best option for animal health,” said Rena Carlson, DVM, AVMA president, in an organizational release.2
“The in-person visit and physical examination is the most valuable tool a veterinarian has. It allows them to use sight, sound, touch, and smell to identify potential health issues, supports the collection of diagnostic samples necessary to develop a treatment plan, and helps avoid a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, which can lead to additional animal suffering and more cost for the pet owner.”
Some other results include1:
The AVMA also surveyed current wait times in veterinary care and found that 60% of pet owners waited three days or less to see a veterinarian; 76% waited less than a week. Only 6% waited 3 weeks or more. Additionally, for emergency services, the survey found that 78% of those whose pets needed emergency care received help in 2 hours or less.1
The full results of the survey are available on the AVMA website.
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