“Access to veterinary care is not just an animal welfare issue — it’s a public health and family well-being issue,” says Dr. Michael Blackwell, lead author of the 2025 Access to Care report. “When pets don’t get the care they need, families face emotional distress, financial hardship, and difficult decisions no one should have to make.”

Dr. Blackwell and his team at the Program for Pet Health Equity, University of Tennessee, Knoxville released a new report that builds on the 2018 Access to Veterinary Care Coalition study, both funded by Maddie’s Fund^®. The updated report provides a fresh look at the state of pet health access in the United States. While there have been important gains, the report reveals that significant gaps persist — and in some areas unmet need is growing.

The study surveyed over 5,000 pet-owning households across the U.S. and found that single-pet households are now nearly half of all pet families, up from 41% in 2017.

Yet, the data show that:

• 27% of dogs and 16% of cats are still not spayed or neutered.

• Unmet need is increasing: 26% of families reported challenges accessing preventative care (up from 23% in 2017), and unmet need for emergency care rose from 8% to 12%.

• Cost remains the leading barrier, with appointment availability and transportation issues emerging as additional major challenges since the pandemic.

The report goes beyond numbers to examine how these barriers affect families. One in four families facing barriers reported negative outcomes such as relinquishment or euthanasia and nearly half reported higher levels of stress compared to those without barriers.

Younger caregivers (ages 18-34) were the most likely to lack an established veterinary care provider. This underscores the need for early engagement and education. More than half of all respondents said they wanted better access to local pet care resources, behavior advice and information about affordable clinics.

Dr. Blackwell and his team emphasize that addressing these challenges requires a multi-pronged approach, including:

• Affordable and mobile clinics to reach underserved communities.

• Clearer communication and cost transparency between veterinarians and clients.

• Educational outreach to equip pet owners with the knowledge and confidence to seek care before problems escalate.

“The data tells a clear story: cost and convenience barriers are preventable,” says Dr. Blackwell, “By creating innovative, community-centered solutions, we can keep more pets healthy and more families whole.”

Interested in learning more, including regional data, which services pet families are struggling to access most and how to close the gap? View the full study results.