Technology is surpassing the expectations of people every minute of every day. With innovative minds at work, it didn’t take time before animals started reaping the benefits of technology. The pet healthcare industry has been skyrocketing lately with just North America raking US$225 billion for the business.

A huge contribution in helping give rise to such business is the millennials who are more than keen on becoming ‘pet parents thus blurring the line between children and animals. Millennials are asking the question ‘why not?’ in almost every situation known to them to tag along with their pets wherever they go.

This has given rise to pet-friendly cafes, pet salons, pet pampering destinations and so much more. With more pet-owning households than there are with children, millennials are making the pet healthcare industry hotter by the day.

Besides basics such as pet costumes, custom leashes, collars, Pinterest-worthy feeding bowls, etc. Millennials are leaning towards technology to give them a hand with raising their pets via pet wearables, video bots that help dispense treats and keep an eye on pets, etc.

Popular Pet healthcare apps

Pet healthcare apps like Rover, Dogsync, MyPet Reminders, Dog clicker training, PetParent, Wag are just some of the popular apps that millennials turn to for better upkeep of their furry friends.

• Rover helps pet parents in searching for a dog sitter who can offer services like dog walking, pet boarding, house sitting, etc.
• MyPet reminders help keep track of the pet’s veterinarian appointments and medications.
• Dog Clicker Training is an effective way to reward good behavior for dogs and helps in reinforcing positive behavior leading to habit formation, as every click is followed by a treat.
• PetParent enables millennials to connect with a community of people who love and care for pets and is especially popular in major cities. It offers pet-oriented venues such as dog parks, groomers, doggie daycare, dog-friendly brunch spots, etc.
• Wag is a new entrant in the pet health sector and helps connect dog owners to insure, bonded and background checked dog walkers. Once the dogs are out for a walk, you can track their path live with the app’s GPS map. Wag also logs a photo or video, distance walked, duration, and whether the fog peed or pooped.

The concept of having dog kennels outside the houses has gone out of the window with millennials treating pets like family. Increasingly the trend of replicating the needs of pet parents for their pets has set in. This has given a boost to the pet health tech industry, with approximately 3.8 million pets being insured in North America alone.

Besides being endearing pet parents’ millennials are on their way up in terms of income and spending so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they want to shower their pets with the best of the best. According to a study done 80% of the millennials say they are constantly worried about their pets while running errands and would rather cancel plans than leaving their pet at a creche for long durations.

When deciding on purchases for their precious furry friends’ millennials favor retailers that offer customized solutions and understand their pet’s needs. This is evident with gourmet food being prepared for pets that aren’t mass-produced and is catching on as an option preferred by pet parents. Millennials are quite the driving force behind pet food, especially dog food in the US.

Thus, trading up to foods that match their own dietary needs which use premium and less processed food items. Being a digitally native generation millennials tend to spend a lot of time researching online to find the best products for their pets.

When it comes to the health aspects of their pets, millennials have pet healthcare apps that help track vaccinations, vet visits, routine check-ups and suggest vets that are near them to help schedule appointments and have a hassle-free experience.

PetSafe has tapped into the need of millennials to cater to their pets even while they are away. They have a growing range of high-tech pet products that makes the pets and their parents happier and safer with features like Smart Feed automatic feeder, electronic smart door, self-cleaning litter box, training collars, and electronic pet fences.

While Dogtopia provides an upscale doggie daycare with boarding and spa facilities and owing to their success they are present in over 75 retail locations across the US.

“We are seeing the pet humanization trend proliferate (and it is) being increasingly influenced by human trends, such as ethica spending. It means there is a bigger focus on health, wellness, and sustainability.” – Ioli Macridi, analyst, Edge by Ascential.

With stress being a part and parcel of everyday life for millennials, relying on comfort and reassurance is obvious.

“Millennials are delaying marriage and are bringing pets into their household earlier than the previous generations and rely on pets to fill that void in their life. “says Ryan Gass, Purina ‘Treats’ senior brand manager.

Following the millennial’s suit, Gen Z is ready to make its mark on the pet healthcare industry with wearables not just being for humans. Pet owners are now able to purchase high-tech collars that allow them to keep track of the location of one’s pet, keep track of vital signs, and tracking the daily exercise they are getting.

Similar to the wearables for pet owners these high-tech collars record pet’s heart rate, GPS location, body temperature with some having the ability to control electronic pet doors for easy transition between inside and outside areas.

Telemedicine is another development in the works which can help relieve both pets and pet owners of stress and anxiety that comes with visiting vets. Telemedicine is improving access to veterinarians, animal nutritionists, and animal experts through video chats and mobile applications besides over a call. A lot more attention is now being paid to the end-of-life services in the pet sector by offering palliative care, grief consulting and cremation/pet cemetery options.

The world of pets and pet owners is brimming with rich technological options that are changing how they live their lives and we can’t wait to see what comes next. There is always a need that is ready to be tapped into. If you have an innovative idea stirring regarding the pet health care industry our experts at VolumeTree would be happy to get in touch with you and discuss the possibilities.