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DALLAS, Ga. — Walmart has debuted its first pet services center here, in a dedicated storefront where customers can get veterinary care for their pets as well as services including grooming.
“We’re uniquely positioned to offer significant savings to customers for all their pet care needs,” Kaitlyn Shadiow, vice president of merchandising for pets at Walmart U.S.A., wrote last month in a post on the retailer’s website. “We continue to innovate within the category, and I’m excited to announce our next step in increasing affordable access to much-needed pet services for our customers.”
Shadiow described the opening of the first Walmart Pet Services center as “a key next step in our mission to help our customers save money and live better.”
After pet ownership soared during the pandemic, more retailers introduced one-stop shops that can compete for a share of the estimated $65 billion pet services market.
About 70% of U.S. households own a pet, according to the American Pet Producers Association. There are 48 million households with a dog generating a cumulative $44.5 billion in veterinarian services each year, including routine visits, immunizations, surgical procedures and grooming. Another 46.5 million households own a cat and annually spend $21.2 billion on veterinary services, according to the association.
Shadiow noted that prices in the pet care category are rising faster than the overall inflation rate, and asserted that Walmart’s new center will offer “low, transparent pricing for key pet services.”
The center is offering routine veterinary care (vaccines, wellness exams and minor medical services), grooming (baths, nail trims, teeth cleaning, ear cleaning and basic hair trims) and a self-serve dog wash.
“While the Walmart Pet Services center is a key next step in how we’re continuing to innovate within the category and bring industry-leading solutions to our customers, we’re also evolving our assortment to bring affordable, on-trend offerings to our pet customers across the country,” Shadiow said.
Walmart has been operating an online and in-store pharmacy for pet medications since 2019. All Walmart pharmacies stock the top pet medications so customers can pick up their pet’s prescription while shopping in-store, Shadiow said, and a new online Pet Pharmacy experience is coming soon to Walmart.com and the Walmart app.
Walmart also has about 65 in-store veterinary clinics operating in collaboration with PetIQ, an Eagle, Idaho-based manufacturer and distributor of prescription and over-the-counter pet medications and a provider of veterinary services in more than 2,600 retail locations in 41 states.
Walmart also entered into a partnership with Rover in 2020 that allows customers to book dog-walking and dog-sitting services.
The retail giant emphasized that it provides a shopping and pet care experience with comprehensive services and quality products at low prices, helping it to become a one-stop shop for pet needs at a value.
“Increasing access to convenient and affordable health care for our customers is central to our mission of helping people save money and live better,” Shadiow said. “It was a natural decision to pilot our Walmart Pet Services center in the same store where Walmart opened the doors to its first Walmart Health Center in 2019. Now, customers will be able to conveniently access their family’s basic health care solutions in one central location, including the health care needs of their furry friends.”
For a limited time, Walmart+ members can take advantage of benefits including 24/7 virtual access to licensed veterinary professionals through a free, one-year membership with online vet Pawp, and save $30 off dog walking and boarding services.
“We’re proud to carry some of the hottest brands and on-trend products that reinforce Walmart as one of the best destinations for pet owners,” Shadiow said.
