Walmart expands pet care services with new veterinary centers, telehealth service

Walmart recently announced major expansions to its pet care services that include opening five new Walmart Pet Services Centers in Georgia and Arizona, veterinary telehealth, and veterinary prescription drug delivery.

The multinational retailer explained its expansion plan in an October 8 announcement, saying it aligns with a projected 7% annual spending growth in the pet care industry by 2030 and household expenses expected to reach $1,445 per pet by 2026.

Chewy.com was the online shop with the highest e-commerce net sales selling pet supplies in the U.S., with a revenue of $11 billion in 2023, followed by petsmart.com with $1 billion. Third place was taken by walmart.com with $581 million. Shein.com was the fourth biggest pet supplies online store in the U.S. with $551 million in 2023, according to Statista.

Anticipating continued growth in pet owner spending in the near future, Walmart has increased its stake in the veterinary services market by opening five new Walmart-branded pet services centers in Georgia and Arizona. (Images courtesy of Walmart)

Veterinary services are now the second largest pet spending category after consumables and is expected to see continued growth as pet owners prioritize their pets' wellbeing, according to the company's announcement.

Kaitlyn Shadiow, vice president of merchandising, Pets, Walmart U.S. said in the announcement, "We're excited to bring Walmart Pet Service centers to more markets and help meet our customers' pet needs in one convenient destination."

The first Walmart-branded pet services center opened in 2023 in Dallas, Georgia, providing routine veterinary care, such as vaccinations, wellness examinations, and minor medical procedures, as well as grooming. The retailer is hoping to build on its success by opening additional pet service centers in Cumming and Alpharetta, Georgia, and in Glendale, Chandler, and Mesa, Arizona.

Walmart's goal is to replicate and scale the Walmart Pet Services model to other communities, the company said.

Also in October, Walmart officially launched a partnership with veterinary telehealth provider Pawp. The online platform gives Walmart+ members free, 24/7 access to Pawp's team of veterinary professionals with unlimited visits via text or video.

Walmart recently expanded its Pet Pharmacy Services and launched several new pet brands over the past year.

This is not Walmart's first foray into the veterinary space. In 2018, pet health and wellness company PetIQ partnered with Walmart to open more than a dozen VetIQ Petcare clinics within select Walmart stores. By 2019, Walmart announced plans to open 100 in-store veterinary clinics over the following year. However, in 2023, PetIQ began shuttering many of its in-store clinics, including those in Walmart locations.

Despite these closures, Walmart clearly continues to see potential in offering veterinary services at it stores.

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