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.
Vetsource's Atlanta pharmacy shows the vet Rx fight is now measured in shipping days
Vetsource opened its fourth pet pharmacy, in Atlanta, targeting 12,000 orders a day within a year. It is the company's third new site in about four and a half years, and a sign the fight for clinic prescription revenue is now a fulfillment-network fight.
Fetch drops the claim form for Vetster video visits
Fetch Pet Insurance launched Fetch Online Vet, powered by Vetster, giving members four video visits a year and unlimited chat with no upfront cost or claim to file. The $1,000 televet limit already existed. What changed is the paperwork, and it puts Fetch alongside Nationwide and Lemonade in treating telehealth as access rather than reimbursement.
GoodVets Buys WellHaven's 40 Hospitals, Ending Its De Novo-Only Era
GoodVets is acquiring WellHaven Pet Health's network of more than 40 hospitals, growing its footprint from 75 to 116 locations. The deal marks a shift from the de novo strategy that defined the General Atlantic-backed platform's first decade toward the acquisition-led growth every other scaled vet consolidator already runs on.
Dechra's Oral Cancer Pill Targets the Dogs Chemo Never Reaches
Dechra is commercially launching Laverdia, the first FDA-approved oral treatment for canine lymphoma, developed by Anivive and licensed to Dechra in 2022. The bet isn't on winning cases from oncology referral networks, but on treating the roughly 80% of diagnosed dogs who currently get no chemotherapy at all.
PetMeds Names New CEO, Rebuilds Board Amid Takeover Fight
PetMeds named Jeff Willard as its next CEO and added two new independent directors, including a Shake Shack executive as board chair, while a $3-a-share takeover bid from SilverCape Investments remains unanswered since June. None of the three new leaders has prior ties to the company, a signal the board is building outside credibility for whatever comes next.
$250M Duffield Pledge Raises the Stakes on Vet Care Access
The Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation is committing $250 million over five years to expand nonprofit veterinary care, an initiative it calls the Duffield Big Bet for Pets. The pledge follows PetSmart Charities' $100 million commitment in 2023, pushing dedicated access-to-care philanthropy past $350 million in three years. For operators, the money increasingly funds nonprofit clinic capacity, not just family subsidies.