Vaccine hesitancy among pet owners is growing — a public health expert explains why that matters
About 4% of dogs and 12% of cats remain unvaccinated against rabies, posing risks for society.
By , Associate Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University
When most people think about vaccines, they typically think about humans: Experts warn that when large numbers of people are unvaccinated, it can lead to severe consequences, including and , particularly among the most vulnerable. The can also be substantial.
However, vaccines also provide important protections for our nonhuman companions, including the most common pets: dogs and cats.
Yet, as my research published in 2024 in the and the journal Vaccine indicates, vaccine hesitancy is about whether to vaccinate their pets.
Vaccines and pets
A large body of research has confirmed that for most people. Yet vaccines , dating back to the first inoculations against smallpox. Vaccine hesitancy, or concerns over getting vaccinated, has only intensified in the wake of the .
have important implications that go well beyond the individual making decisions about whether or not to get vaccinated.
Vaccines generally work through . First, for the vaccinated individual, they provide direct protection by reducing the risk of contracting a disease; they also reduce the .
Vaccines also provide an indirect form of protection for society at large through a process commonly known as “.” This occurs when a high percentage of people in a community have developed immunity, ensuring that future outbreaks affect fewer individuals and are quickly contained.
Humans, of course, are not the only species that benefits from the direct and indirect protections of vaccines. However, so far, very little research has examined vaccination in nonhumans.
My recent work specifically sought to extend scientific knowledge about dog and cat owners by using large, national surveys. Many of the findings were positive: The have received core vaccines, which provide protection against rabies and other dangerous diseases. are those vaccines that are recommended for all dogs and cats.
Moreover, three-quarters of pet owners when it comes to vaccines. And even higher percentages felt vaccine-related concerns with their veterinarian. They also pet diseases can be severe.
Pet owners also wanted their neighbors to vaccinate their pets: Most dog and cat owners, more than 80%, for various core and noncore vaccines.
Yet, other findings raise concerns. Most prominently, my study, published in late 2024, identified as vaccine hesitant regarding their pets. And although most pets were vaccinated against common diseases, a minority were not. This includes about 4% of dogs and 12% of cats that remained unvaccinated against rabies. For other diseases like , vaccination rates were even lower. The study confirmed similar findings from .
In the same 2024 study, many of the concerns raised by pet owners mirror those of humans: More than half of pet owners question the .
A similar percentage was concerned about . Many believed it was better for pets to contract a disease to get immunity than to get vaccinated. About 60% of pet owners thought that pets receive too many vaccines. Strikingly, nearly all pet owners preferred fewer vaccines to be administered to their pets at a time.
Going forward
When people choose to not vaccinate their pets, it can have important implications for society.
The most immediate impact will be on pet owners. Unvaccinated pets face a from preventable diseases; although vaccines are not completely effective, and in some cases . This may impose on their owners.
Veterinarians will also be affected. They may encounter pets with diseases they may not expect to see or have had limited exposure to in the past. The same holds for other professions dealing with pets, .
There are also broader implications for public health: , in particular, may become more common. Humans may be directly affected if they are bitten by an infected pet. Pets also come into contact with wildlife, increasing the potential for the further spread of rabies.
From a public health perspective, low vaccination rates for pets are just as concerning as those for humans. I believe that a comprehensive public health strategy is crucial for addressing the growing concerns among pet owners regarding vaccines. Such a strategy should not simply dismiss pet owners’ concerns as conspiracy theories, but should instead adopt a thoughtful approach that takes individuals’ specific concerns seriously.
This article is from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving you the context to understand what’s going on in the world. or .
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Simon F. Haeder does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
