A new survey found that more than one-third of U.S. dog and cat owners use AI for pet care, with 80% reporting it helps them provide better care and 69% saying it improves their relationship with their veterinarian. Pet owners use AI to manage everyday care, understand symptoms and diagnoses, and prepare for vet visits, though they recognize AI works best as a complement to professional veterinary expertise.
- 36% of pet owners have used AI for pet care guidance, and 70% are open to using it in the future
- 80% of AI users report improved pet care, 77% say it makes them better pet owners, and 67% say it strengthens their bond with their pets
- 69% of AI users said it improved their relationship with their veterinarian, with 67% feeling more informed before vet visits
- Pet owners use AI for everyday care management, understanding symptoms, interpreting diagnoses, and preparing for veterinary appointments
- AI users are 3.7 times more likely to anticipate using AI more in the coming year and spend 34% more on pet care versus 23% of non-AI users
More than one-third of U.S. dog and cat owners have used artificial intelligence (AI) for pet care, according to research released Nov. 10 by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Chewy Health. Among pet owners who use AI for pet care, 69% said it improved their relationship with their veterinarian, and 80% said it helps them take better care of their pets.
“Pet parents have always looked for information to help them make the right decisions for their pets, and AI is becoming another part of that journey,” said Mita Malhotra, president of Chewy Health. “What’s encouraging is that pet parents who use AI are highly engaged with their veterinarians, using it to better understand their pet’s health and feel more prepared and confident along the way. That creates an opportunity for veterinary teams to help guide how these tools are used while providing the expertise, judgment and human connection that technology simply cannot replace.”
The Artificial Intelligence and Pet Health Study, based on a nationally representative survey of 2,008 U.S. dog and cat owners ages 18 to 70, found that pet owners who use AI for guidance also reported stronger human-animal bonds and higher engagement with their pets’ care. Among AI users who also have a veterinarian, 80% said it helped them take better care of their pets, 77% said it made them better pet owners and 67% said it strengthened the bond with their pet.
How pet owners use AI
Pet owners reported using AI to manage everyday care, make sense of unfamiliar symptoms, understand diagnoses or lab results and prepare for veterinary visits. Of pet owners who use AI and have a veterinarian, 67% said they felt more informed before a vet visit, 66% said AI increased how well they understood their veterinarian’s explanations and 62% said their conversations with their veterinarian had become more productive.
Respondents cited AI’s 24/7 availability, quick answers, reassurance and ease of use, but they also noted its limitations, including its inability to physically examine a pet or provide the human judgment, empathy and accountability that pet care requires. Pet owners rated veterinary teams far higher than AI on personalization, trustworthiness and accuracy of information. According to HABRI and Chewy Health, the findings suggest AI is best positioned to complement veterinary teams.
Additional findings
Most pet owners (81%) have used AI, and 36% have used it for pet care. Pet owners were 3.7 times as likely to anticipate using AI more, rather than less, in the coming year. Overall, 70% of pet owners said they are open to using AI for pet care, with the strongest interest among younger, more research-oriented pet owners.
Pet owners who use AI for pet care said they seek information to help them understand the urgency of a situation, citing quick answers (84%), reassurance and peace of mind (83%) and more confidence in the choices they make for their pets (82%).
AI users also reported a greater willingness to spend on their pets’ care: 34% said “money is no object,” compared with 23% of non-AI users.
“AI usage among pet parents is a clear expression of how much they care about their pets,” said Steven Feldman, president of HABRI. “HABRI’s partnership with Chewy Health allows us to use these important findings to support the veterinary profession and the strengthening of the human-animal bond through communication, understanding and trust.”
Chewy Health and HABRI also released The Bond Factor II, a guide for veterinary teams on applying the study’s findings in their practices, including how to discuss AI with clients and where the technology can be most useful. The white paper is available here.
Survey methodology
The 19-minute online survey was fielded between May 12 and May 20 among 2,008 U.S. pet owners ages 18 to 70 who own a dog or cat and are the primary decision-makers for their pet’s care. The sample was nationally representative by age and gender. The full study is available upon request.
