Something has shifted in how Americans think about their pets: two new consumer surveys released this month found that 92% of pet owners say their pet adds the most value to their life despite the financial cost, and the data is finally catching up to what veterinary professionals have been experiencing in the exam room for years.
Rover and Elanco Animal Health each put hard numbers on a trend that has been building quietly: pet owners are not cutting back on animal care, even when they are cutting back on almost everything else. For the people of vet med, that is meaningful news.
Pet Owners Are Cutting Everything Else Before They Cut Vet Care
Rover's seventh annual Cost of Pet Parenthood Report, drawn from 1,000 U.S. pet owners, and Elanco's survey of 1,409 U.S. pet owners both found the same thing from different angles: pet costs are the last expense households give up, and 38% of Elanco's respondents are spending even more on pet health than before.
Phil Tedeschi, a member of Rover's Pet People Panel, put it simply, and veterinary professionals will recognize the framing immediately. What's new is seeing it confirmed in survey data across thousands of households.
Committed Owners Still Hit Real Access Barriers
Here is the tension underneath those numbers: pet owners are committed, but access is still a real barrier.
While 95% say they will not cut pet health spending, the same Rover data shows that 38% would need to take on debt to cover an emergency veterinary expense. Only 10% have a dedicated savings fund for pet costs. As Most Pets Are One Vet Bill Away From No Care At All covers from the insurance side, that gap between intention and financial readiness is where pets fall through the cracks. It's not that owners don't care: the traditional model of care (drive to a clinic, wait, pay at checkout) simply doesn't always fit the reality of people's lives or budgets.
This is exactly the problem that at-home veterinary care models are built to address. When care comes to the pet, in a familiar environment, the experience is less stressful for the animal and often more accessible for the family. For seniors with mobility challenges, for pet parents in areas with long clinic wait times, for households where a clinic visit is a logistical stretch, bringing care home removes a meaningful barrier.
Steady Demand for Pet Care Is Good News for Caregivers Too
The surveys also signal something for the profession itself: demand for pet health services is durable. Even in an uncertain economy, practices that make care accessible and convenient are well-positioned. Pet owners are not looking for reasons to skip appointments. They are looking for ways to make them work.
For caregivers and vet techs considering mobile and at-home work, this data matters too. The families you would serve are motivated, committed, and increasingly seeking care options that fit their lives. The market for in-home vet tech visits is not a niche. It is meeting a genuine and growing need.
For practices and pet care professionals, the takeaway is that removing friction from the care experience is what keeps committed pet owners connected to the health system. Financial barriers are real even among owners this committed, so transparent pricing, payment options, and flexible care models matter for closing the distance between intention and action. At-home care helps here too: for the 38% who'd struggle with an unexpected clinic bill, regular in-home visits can catch problems early enough that the expensive emergency never happens. Taken together, the surveys describe a market with plenty of demand; the real question is whether care can meet pet owners in the ways their lives, and budgets, actually allow.