MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AskVet, which supports a modern approach to pet care, launched a new version of its mobile app this week with the aim to be the personalized “owner’s manual” that didn’t come with your pet. The foundation of AskVet’s membership is customized, expert guidance driven by veterinarians and a deep data lake gleaned from hundreds of thousands of the company’s pet parent-veterinarian interactions. The new monthly subscription service provides members with: a Care Squad of pet experts and licensed veterinarians who get to know each pet and proactively guide their wellness journey; free at-home lab tests that save time and money; and a Rainy Day Fund that grows each month, providing members up to $1000 to be used for ER visits.
The AskVet membership program is built upon the idea that regular, proactive wellness leads to better pet health outcomes, lower veterinary costs, and more joy for pets and their parents. With a hybrid approach that is informed by artificial intelligence (AI), but interpreted by human intelligence (HI), AskVet provides customized, expert guidance in the areas of nutrition, behavior, teeth, weight, anxiety, new pets, senior pets, socializing, chronic illness, and more. AskVet’s app becomes a real-time, personalized owner’s manual throughout a pet’s life.
From its own consult data, AskVet knows that 70 percent of care done today in a vet’s office can be performed at home when paired with insight and advice from an AskVet veterinarian. With a $29.99 monthly membership, AskVet expects to significantly decrease a pet parent’s cost of in-office veterinary visits. AskVet will help members manage their pet’s regular wellness from anywhere, at any time, leading to better health outcomes and more time for pets and their parents to enjoy their lives together.
“AskVet is flipping traditional pet care delivery on its head,” said Cal Lai, founder and CEO of AskVet. “Today, pet care delivery is based on injury and illness. Modern pet parents demand more than that. They want a system that delivers real healthcare, not just sick care. They want their pets to live healthier, happier, and longer lives. AskVet’s new app, driven by high touch expert engagement, total transparency, and at-home tools, gives pet parents exactly what they want.”
AskVet draws on its experience as the world’s leader in virtual pet care with more than 600,000 virtual vet consults since 2015. Already working with some of the largest companies in the pet industry, AskVet’s advice is informed by data and analytics from the 3.5 million pets it serves today, which helps its Care Squad guide informed decisions related to each animal’s care. This unique use of AI and HI makes AskVet’s service a powerful, personal resource to help pet parents make smart decisions about their pet’s wellness.
Why the world needs AskVet now
Research from Packaged Facts in late 2020 found that 90 percent of millennial pet parents, who spend more money on pets than any other demographic, expressed a desire to use technology to manage their pet’s care. These attitudes on pet parenting coincide with a continuing shift towards digital commerce. 67 percent of millennials only shop for goods and services online, most via mobile phone. These habits, already growing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, have solidified into 2021 as consumers further embrace digital purchasing and contactless solutions at a hyper-accelerated rate.
In research from Packaged Facts in 2019, seven out of ten millennials (ages 25-39) owned a pet, outpacing baby boomers (ages 55 to 74) as pet parents for the first time on record. Meanwhile, 56 percent of younger millennials and Gen Zers claim that they do not currently have an established relationship with a veterinarian, a void that AskVet fills.
More about AskVet features
In its own research of 2,000 millennial pet parents, AskVet found that 63 percent worry about unplanned pet emergencies, even when they can afford an ER bill.
“Unforeseen expenses are always unhappy money,” said Cait Pluto, senior vice president of consumer marketing at AskVet. “That’s why we created our new groundbreaking Rainy Day Fund.” AskVet members, Pluto explains, can watch their fund grow at a rate of $45 per month up to $1,000. When a pet parent suspects an emergency, an AskVet veterinarian will assess whether an ER visit is needed, and AskVet will pay the ER clinic bill up to the amount in the member’s Rainy Day Fund.
With pet adoption predicted to increase by 4M households in 2021, new pets are a focus of the app. The Care Squad provides guidance and plans to help pet parents set up their new furry family member for a happy, healthy life.
AskVet is planning dozens of additional product and service rollouts based on member requests, emerging categories of pet care, and its overall focus on pet wellness. The AskVet app is now available to download for iPhone, Android, and most commercial smartphones via the App Store, or at askvet.app.
About AskVet
AskVet supports a modern approach to pet care built around the idea that regular, proactive attention to wellness leads to better pet health outcomes, lower veterinary costs, and more joy for pets and their parents. Using veterinarian expertise and a deep, proprietary data lake of more than 600,000 pet parent-veterinarian interactions by the company, AskVet is a real-time, personalized owner’s manual for every step in a pet’s life. From nutrition to health and behavior, AskVet members get expert advice they need to make informed decisions about their pet’s health and wellbeing from anywhere, 24/7. More information is available at askvet.app.
