24/7 vet app Joii Pet Care, which gives pet owners the chance to affordably and conveniently access veterinary care at home, has reported its busiest ever week for vet consultations.
During the last week of July, Joii Pet Care saw a 200% increase in veterinary consultations when compared to the same week in 2020. This follows a rising number of downloads of the app as pet owners access digital healthcare for their beloved dogs and cats. Joii Pet care provides a 111 triage service, as well as 24/7 veterinary consultations and a free symptom checker.
Paul Hallett, co-founder of Vet-AI and Joii Pet Care, said: “It’s great to see an increasing number of pet parents accessing advice from experts quickly, which is a massive benefit for the health of animals in the UK. Our team of more than 50 vets are accessible 24/7 for owners, which has proved a lifeline for many customers and also eases the pressure on traditional practices. If we can support vets and RVNs in practice by reducing some of the strain, then we will do everything we can to prevent this looming crisis for vets and pets.”
Joii Pet Care has attributed the increase to several factors, including the rise in pet ownership, customers not being able to travel to practices due to Covid restrictions and a demand like no other at vet practices. In addition to this, customers are becoming more accustomed to accessing advice via digital methods.
Hallett added: “Pets should be given the very same access to digital consultations as is seen in human healthcare. This is vital during a time with an increasingly concerning backdrop of practice closures and reduced opening times due to vet and RVN shortages. Our industry needs to offer choice for pet owners, so they can access support where and when they need to. The industry also needs to trust the veterinary professionals to make the best decisions, from wherever they feel is suitable, just like in human medicine.
“We are dedicated to the profession as a whole and want to work alongside practices to help pets and owners. To date we have referred over 30,000 cases back into practice, showing our intent to do what is best for the pet and the industry. We know that cost and convenience are the two biggest barriers for pet owners accessing traditional veterinary practices, which in turn puts animals at risk. This can absolutely be addressed by more options being available.
“Technology is an enabler that helps more pet parents access veterinary care and we as an industry should be embracing this. With the rising number of pet owners in the UK, alongside increased digital adoption across all customer bases, this demand is expected to rise.”
Joii Pet Care was launched in 2019 by experienced vets Robert Dawson and Sarah Warren, and tech entrepreneur Paul Hallett. Built by a team of experts using cutting edge technology, Joii allows pet parents to diagnose and receive recommended treatment for pets from the comfort of their home.
