The Case Remains for DIY Pet Care

Packaged Facts senior pet market analyst David Lummis argues that, notwithstanding the post-pandemic resumption of travel and (to a degree) back-to-the-office, “it’s a mistake to view the at-home trend of more hands-on pet care witnessed during COVID-19 as a passing fad.”

During the shutdowns, do-it-yourself (DIY) pet care surged in the form of at-home grooming, nutritional supplements and OTC medications as preventative health care, and lower-cost/higher-convenience virtual veterinary consultations for non-urgent concerns.

For pet parents looking to save money, these remain attractive options. And, per data cited in our just-released US Pet Market Outlook, 2024-2025, that’s a substantial consumer segment.

Packaged Facts’ January 2024 Survey of Pet Owners shows that high prices have caused “significant challenges” for pet parents across product and service sectors, and especially so in the case of pet food (42%) and veterinary services (36%).


In addition, the survey indicates that, while product quality remains the top factor in choosing which pet products to buy, considered “especially important” by 71% of pet owners, low price and store-brand cost savings are also significant considerations.

At-home pet care may also benefit, albeit unfortunately, from additional health scares, such as the “mystery disease” in dogs resembling kennel cough that was widely reported in the media in late 2023 and early 2024, causing some pet owners to avoid professional pet care services.

Forward-looking pet product marketers will do well to stock their arsenals with home-centered healthcare options – from grooming products to pet medications to home test kits – that encourage pet owners to be directly involved in health care for their pets. Pet care service providers, in turn, will want to emphasize lower-cost, at-home options such as DIY pet grooming and pet health monitoring.

See the new study US Pet Market Outlook, 2024-2025 and the full Pet Products & Services Catalog for more information.

About the blogger: Shannon Brown is the Packaged Facts Pet Brand Manager.