Strong human-animal bonds may be accelerating vet tech adoption

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new HABRI-Chewy Health survey suggests the strength of the human-animal bond is shaping how pet parents engage with veterinary care, especially when it comes to technology. The research, based on an online survey of 2,005 U.S. dog and cat pet parents fielded February 6-13, 2025, found the average Human-Animal Bond score reached 60 out of 70, which HABRI described as its highest average yet. Pet parents with the strongest bonds were more likely to visit the veterinarian more often, spend more on care, and adopt tools that help them afford, find, and manage veterinary services. The study also found 82% of pet parents struggle to understand their pet’s health needs, while satisfaction with veterinary care rose when practices offered multiple communication channels beyond the exam room, including phone, email, texting, apps, or telehealth. The broader industry context supports that direction: veterinary companies are increasingly building around teletriage, teleconsulting, AI-enabled practice software, and virtual support roles that extend access and communication between visits rather than replace the clinic relationship. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway isn’t just that clients want more technology. It’s that highly bonded pet parents appear more willing to use technology when it reduces friction around access, communication, and cost. That has practical implications for how practices think about reminders, follow-up messaging, teletriage, payment tools, educational content, digital client communication, and even virtual staffing or specialist support. The findings also reinforce that client education remains a major gap: if most pet parents feel unsure about their pet’s health, practices that communicate clearly across several channels may be better positioned to improve adherence, trust, and satisfaction. (dvm360.com)

What to watch: Expect more veterinary companies and practice platforms to frame technology not as a replacement for relationships, but as infrastructure for stronger veterinary-client communication and easier access to care. That likely includes more AI in practice management, more teletriage and telementorship models, and more virtual support services designed to help clinics stay responsive without adding the full cost of in-person staffing. (petfoodindustry.com)