BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM

Walmart has the third highest online sales of pet supplies in the U.S. behind Chewy and PetSmart e-commerce sites respectively. With veterinary services comprising the largest spending category after consumables, Walmart aims to position itself to take advantage.  In 2018, Walmart had partnered with PetIQ with plans to establish over 100 in-store clinics. However, by 2023 many of the PetIQ locations have since shuttered their doors 

Despite that, the company announce that it will expand its pet care services to open five new Pet Services Centers along with veterinary telehealth and prescription drug delivery. The new Pet Services Centers will be in Georgia and Arizona. These Centers offer routine veterinary care including vaccinations, wellness, minor medical procedures and grooming. They hope to expand the model to other communities.

Additionally, Walmart has partnered with Pawp, an online telehealth platform, to provide free 24/7 telehealth to Walmart+ members with unlimited visits with Pawp’s veterinary professionals. Walmart hopes to be able to provide customers with a convenient one-stop shop for all of their pet-care needs.