Half of French pet owners have had to give up veterinary visits

Half of French pet owners have had to give up veterinary visits

According to new research, high costs, lack of appointments, and geographical obstacles are the reasons. GlobalPETS learns more.

A new survey by market research firm French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop) concluded that most pet parents in the country (92%) have a positive image of veterinarians. 96% of the 1,200 respondents who had visited a vet in the past year noted that they walked away with a good perception of their veterinarian.

In the past 5 years, most respondents visited vets for preventive care (42%)—including vaccinations—due to their animals displaying symptoms of being ill (25%) and routine visits (18%).

However, satisfaction with the level of information available about consultation costs was slightly lower (81%). Across the English Channel, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently investigating the local vet market in the UK amid concerns regarding high pricing and information access.

Over three-quarters of French respondents (78%) agree that accessing veterinary care for domestic animals is easy.

GlobalPETS | Half of French pet owners have had to give up veterinary visits

 

Poor access

While 61% of all pet owners visited a vet in the past year, over a quarter (28%) had not taken their pet for a veterinary consultation in 1–5 years.

Over half of all pet owners (51%) reported having to give up veterinary visits. The costs of consultation, care and treatment impacted most owners (48%).

One-fifth of respondents to the Ifop survey admitted experiencing difficulty getting an appointment quickly (20%), while a similar-sized pool (18%) reported geographical distance as an obstacle.

Low insurance rates

It is believed that 87% of pet parents in France do not have health insurance for their furry friends.

Most pet owners (70%) attributed this to the costs involved. An additional 21% reported not purchasing insurance due to the conditions of the coverage, while 18% were dissatisfied with the low adaptability of the packages available for their needs.

Independent vs. chain vet clinics

As many as 9 out of 10 pet parents earning a monthly income between €1,300 ($1,414) and €1,900 ($2,067) and over €2,500 ($2,719) preferred independent veterinary practices.

Veterinary chains were most preferred by those with monthly incomes of €900 ($979) or less.

Over half of respondents (52%) valued the geographical origin of the veterinary medicines they received, favoring products manufactured in France or Europe.

Additionally, 48% valued the environmental footprint of their purchases, and 44% valued the footprint of clinics and the ability of vets to conduct online evaluations of their pets.