Walmart is expanding its pet care business by opening five new veterinary centers as it looks to take a bigger bite out of the booming market for services and products for domestic animals.
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, the nation's largest retailer, on Tuesday said over the next month it will debut nearly a half-dozen Walmart Pet Services centers in Arizona and Georgia. It plans to open up even more after that, and rolled out its first one in Dallas, Georgia, near Atlanta, last year.
The pet centers are attached to or part of Walmart Supercenters. They have their own separate entrance, as only service animals are permitted inside Walmart stores. The facilities are partnering with veterinary services provider PetIQ to offer general care, including vaccines, wellness exams and minor medical services, as well as grooming such as baths, nail trims, teeth cleaning and ear cleaning.
A number of retailers have been expanding their merchandise and services for pets. Petco has a full-service pet hospital at its flagship in Manhattan, part of its network of in-store and stand-alone veterinary hospitals. PetSmart has housed Banfield Pet Hospitals at its stores for years. Chewy, the online pet product retailer, has opened brick-and-mortar veterinary care clinics.
The "pet category continues to be one of the most dynamic in retail," according to Walmart, with projected annual spending growth of 7% by 2030 and household expenses expected to reach $1,445 per pet by 2026. Veterinary services are now the second largest pet-spending category after food, and they are forecast to see more growth "as pet owners prioritize their pets’ well-being," Walmart said.
The new Walmart pet centers are coming to Chandler, Glendale and Mesa, all in Arizona; and Alpharetta and Cumming, both in Georgia.
"Walmart understands that pets are family," Kaitlyn Shadiow, vice president of pet merchandising for Walmart U.S., said in a statement.
Walmart also unveiled several other offerings related to pet care, namely virtual veterinary care and pet prescription delivery. Starting Oct. 18, the retailer will launch Pawp, an online pet care service will give Walmart+ members free, 24/7 access to a team of veterinary professionals with unlimited free visits via text or video. And, in an expansion of its pet pharmacy services, Walmart is offering delivery for pet prescriptions.