Vaccines for pets are critically important for several reasons. They’re essential to maintain the health and well-being of domesticated animals and to prevent the spread of diseases to humans. But in recent years there has been a decline in vaccination rates and trust by pet owners, especially those who own dogs.
The growing vaccine hesitancy in recent years is in no small part due to misinformation and disinformation about human vaccinations during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the hesitancy and misinformation is beginning to spill over to pet owners, who are delaying or refusing vaccines for their animals. This poses major public health concerns for humans and canines alike given that 45% of U.S. households own a dog and some diseases that affect dogs, called zoonotic diseases, can also affect humans.