If you're a member of Chewy's Autoship program, you can qualify for free telehealth services for your pet. If visiting a vet's office has you worried about risking a Coronavirus exposure, try a virtual appointment instead. Many people have already done telehealth appointments for themselves over the course of the pandemic, so why shouldn't your pet be able to have the best care possible without any potential risks?
All pet owners have been in the position of needing emergency care for their pets during a time when their primary vet's office is closed. “It causes deep stress anyway when your pet is ill, but when it happens at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday evening, you’re just a notch shy from panicking,” Chewy CEO Sumit Singh said. Many vet clinics have also faced temporary shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, and while more people are fostering or adopting pets during their time off from work, that comes with significant medical responsibility. All pets and owners should have access to a vet if they need one, and telehealth seems to be a new normal.
Singh says the telehealth service will also deepen customer loyalty and encourage them to shop more or renew their subscriptions. Adding a telehealth feature also proves that Chewy takes the livelihood of its customer's pets seriously, and customers will recognize that. “We treat pets as family, so that is not a category that you generally cut spending in or you think about cutting spending in,” Singh said. “When you’re rationing budget, that’s likely the last category on your list that you do it in."