Pet Industry News
The deals, launches, and strategic moves behind the brands and operators shaping the industry.
Pets will shape travel plans for 68% of owners, Subaru survey finds
A Subaru-commissioned Talker Research survey of 2,000 pet-owning drivers, released October 13th, 2026, says 68% expect their pet to affect travel plans this year and 73% would drive instead of fly to bring the pet. New in this release, 10% may host, 10% may shorten a trip and 8% may skip gatherings. In our view, the trip-length and planning numbers are the ones sitters and kennels can use.
Chewy's $600M Guidance Raise Is Really About the Vet Clinics
Chewy raised fiscal 2026 net sales guidance to $13.6–$13.8 billion on April 9, roughly $600 million above consensus, and told investors Chewy Vet Care is now the fastest-growing segment by net sales per active customer. Management also assumed zero price inflation across the 2026 plan, a revealed-preference signal that Chewy will absorb supplier cost pressure rather than pass it through — with direct implications for every brand selling on the platform.
Dutch Recruits Tara Lipinski as "Chief Pet Officer" to Push Access Narrative as Vet Costs Bite
Dutch named Olympic champion Tara Lipinski its Chief Pet Officer, tying the move to a Pet Care Gap Report claiming 75 million Americans skip vet care.
Petwealth Launches Functional Health Testing Platform with Kennel Connection and Pawp Partnerships
Petwealth, a Miami-based diagnostics platform, emerged from stealth with $1.7M in funding and exclusive partnerships with Kennel Connection and Pawp. The startup offers at-home PCR testing screening 100+ health markers for dogs and cats, positioning itself in the growing functional pet health market.
Chewy Is Buying Modern Animal — and Betting That Owning the Vet Is the Moat
Chewy has agreed to acquire Modern Animal, the tech-forward veterinary platform with 29 clinics and over 100,000 member families, adding $125 million in run-rate revenue and scaling Chewy Vet Care to 47 locations. The deal connects Chewy's commerce engine with Modern Animal's proprietary clinical tech and membership model, creating a closed-loop healthcare ecosystem that pressures every major veterinary consolidator.
Chase Sapphire Now Treats Pet Spending Like Travel and Dining
Chase Sapphire Reserve added pet stores and veterinary services as a Pay Yourself Back category for Q2 2026, while offering 100% cashback on Pawp's telehealth subscription. The move puts pet spending alongside grocery and dining in Chase's premium rewards ecosystem, signaling that financial services companies are treating pet care as a permanent cardholder retention tool.
Fly Alliance Bets on Private Jet Lounges for Dogs — Signaling Affluent Pet Owners' Willingness to Spend Big
Fly Alliance opened the Jet Paw Lounge at Teterboro Airport, a first-of-its-kind private aviation terminal designed for dogs. The infrastructure investment signals that affluent pet owners are willing to pay premium prices for stress-free travel.