Aug 19, 2026
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Nearly all Canadian veterinarians (96%) say their clients' finances are sometimes or often keeping pets from getting the care they need, according to a new PetSmart Charities of Canada–Gallup survey of 369 practicing vets released in February 2026. It's the second half of a two-part study. The first half found that half of Canadian pet parents had skipped or declined vet care for their pet in the past year, mostly over cost. Now vets are confirming it from their side of the exam table, and adding a detail pet owners can't see from their end: 98% worry that untreated conditions will get worse, and 88% fear it will eventually mean euthanasia.
The vet visit isn't just getting harder to afford. For millions of Canadians, it's becoming out of reach entirely.
Financial factors the biggest obstacle to veterinary care
Why are Canadian pet parents skipping vet visits? For 67% of those who declined care, the answer comes down to money — either the price felt unaffordable, not worth it or both. Younger pet owners were the most likely to say no to care (59%), but the issue isn't limited to lower incomes. Even among households earning more than $90,000 a year, 27% admitted they've declined vet care because they simply couldn't afford it.
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Here's the tough reality: Fewer than 1 in 3 pet parents (28%) who said no to care because of cost were given a more affordable option. Even fewer — just 21% — were offered a payment plan. Yet two-thirds of pet owners say an interest-free plan could double what they'd be able to spend on life-saving treatment.
The veterinarian survey tells a different story. While 87% of vets say they often or always recommend an alternative treatment plan when care is declined for financial reasons, only 28% of pet parents report ever receiving one. That's a perception gap that has real consequences: among pet owners who declined care, 12% say their pet's condition worsened or their pet died, and 42% report no improvement three months later.
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Vet costs have been rising at a rate of 6% to 8% annually in recent years — well above general inflation, according to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). Today, a routine exam runs $55 to $150, annual wellness care for a dog can reach $450, and a single emergency can top $10,000. For the 53% of Canadian pet owners who say they couldn't afford an unexpected $1,000 vet bill, even a minor illness can trigger a financial crisis.
Part of what's driving those costs higher is a shift in who owns Canadian veterinary clinics. A CBC Marketplace investigation found that six corporations now own more than 20% of all general veterinary practices in Canada and over half of emergency and specialty hospitals. The three biggest players — VetStrategy, VCA Canada and NVA Canada — collectively own more than 600 Canadian clinics on their own. Workers at corporate-owned clinics reported as many as five fee increases within a single year, each between 3% and 6%. The Competition Bureau of Canada has flagged this consolidation as a concern for affordability and competition.
Pet insurance helps minimize the financial impact of a pet-health emergency. You can protect your furry family member with Fetch Pet Insurance — they offer comprehensive coverage for up to 90% of vet bills. With the right pet insurance policy in place — like a plan from Fetch Pet Insurance — you can focus on enjoying life with your furry best friend rather than worrying about potential medical expenses.
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Distance is a barrier, too — especially outside cities
Where you live has a significant impact on whether your pet gets to the vet. Nearly half (46%) of pet parents within 10 kilometres of a clinic say they've skipped or declined care — but that number climbs to 54% for those who have to travel farther. The gap is widest in rural areas: only 32% of pet owners in rural communities live within 10 kilometres of a vet, compared to 61% in cities.
The veterinarian shortage is making this worse. Canada has roughly 15,300 practicing vets and just five veterinary colleges graduating approximately 450 new veterinarians per year. The Canadian Occupational Projection System classifies the shortage as "critical," projecting at least 700 unfilled positions over the decade ahead. As of early 2025, Statistics Canada was already counting 750 job vacancies for veterinarians — a 32% jump from the year before.
Burnout is compounding the problem. An estimated 89% of Canadian vets report burnout symptoms, and 79% of those surveyed in the PetSmart–Gallup study say it is emotionally difficult watching their clients struggle to pay. Forty percent say their training didn't prepare them at all to have those conversations.
Provinces are investing to fill the gap. Ontario added 20 new vet medicine seats at a Guelph-Lakehead partnership starting in 2025, Alberta is doubling its University of Calgary veterinary school capacity from 50 to 100 seats, and a renewed $194-million interprovincial agreement supports the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan. But new graduates won't enter practice for several years — and they may not head to the communities that need them most.
Pet owners open to new models of care
When their pets get sick, most Canadians (79%) still go to the vet. But nearly 1 in 5 (18%) rely only on alternatives — like Google, friends or even pet professionals such as trainers and groomers. The farther the vet, the higher those odds: 28% of those who travel more than 50 kilometres turn to non-vet sources when something is wrong.
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Virtual care is filling some of that gap. Four in 10 pet owners say they would try telemedicine or in-home vet visits if given the chance — and those options are becoming more available. Vetster, Canada's largest veterinary telehealth platform, now connects pet owners with nearly 7,000 licensed veterinary professionals across Canada, with consultations starting at $55. TELUS Health MyPet offers full virtual consultations — including diagnosis and prescription — in British Columbia and Ontario for $95 per session, and vet technician consultations for $40 nationally.
Mobile vet services are also expanding in urban centres, with options like Toronto Mobile Veterinary Services and Calgary-based Vet at Home offering in-home exams and care. For pet owners dealing with mobility challenges, long distances, or simply the anxiety of a carrier-averse cat, these services can make the difference between getting care and going without.
Regulatory frameworks are evolving to support virtual care. Ontario legalized the creation of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) through telemedicine back in 2018 and passed the Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act in May 2024 to modernize the profession further. Quebec and Alberta have since loosened telemedicine rules as well. But access remains uneven across provinces, and the CVMA is clear that telemedicine works best as a complement to in-clinic care — not a permanent replacement.
What Canadians can do right now
Pet insurance is the most widely promoted safeguard — but it covers just 3.7% of Canadian pets as of 2025, placing Canada near the bottom of developed nations globally. Sweden insures about 90% of its dogs; even the U.K. covers roughly 25% of pets. Average annual premiums for accident-and-illness coverage now run $1,176 for dogs and $601 for cats, according to NAPHIA's 2026 State of the Industry Report — up from $1,070 and $550 the year before. For many pet owners, that added monthly cost is a barrier of its own.
For those who can't afford insurance or face a bill right now, financing options exist — but come with important caveats. Petcard by iFinance Canada, a CVMA-partnered lender, offers financing from $500 to $40,000 over up to 84 months, though interest rates range from 9.99% to 29.99% depending on your credit. Scratchpay and LendCare are available at some clinics. True interest-free financing — the kind that pet owners say would most change their decisions — remains extremely rare in Canada.
Charitable programs can help those in financial hardship. The Farley Foundation subsidizes non-elective vet care for low-income Ontarians, including seniors on the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and those receiving Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits, and has helped more than 17,700 pets since 2002. The National Pet Care Fund offers Canada-wide financial assistance for non-elective treatments based on low-income cut-off (LICO) tables. PAWS Canada supports essential vet care for low-income and in-crisis pet owners in Ontario.
The bottom line
The most important step any pet owner can take is to ask — before a crisis hits, not during one. Ask your vet clinic what payment options exist. Ask about third-party financing. Ask whether they work with a charitable fund, and ask about telehealth for anything that isn't an emergency. The PetSmart–Gallup data is clear on this point: most pet owners who needed an alternative never got offered one, not because it didn't exist, but because nobody brought it up. The next time you're in the exam room, be the one who asks.
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Amy Tokic is an SEO content editor for Money.ca. She holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Windsor. Amy is an award-winning author and has been writing professionally for 15 years, publishing articles in the lifestyle and health sectors.
