Dr. Tail hopes to keep pets in good shape
As the old saying goes, dogs are man’s best friend. In keeping with this adage, dog and pet ownership more broadly has been on the rise in recent years. According to the non-profit American Veterinary Medical Association, out of the 122 million households in the US, some 56%, or around 69 million, owned a dog in 2021, up from 36.5% (43 million) in 2012. Equally, an increasing number of people are caring for other animals, including cats, birds, fish, and reptiles. In 2021, a staggering 70% of US households owned a pet.Due in part to this trend, the shortage of vet offices in the US is becoming an increasingly urgent issue. Currently, a pet owner must make an appointment with a vet at least 3 weeks in advance, with clinics being few and far between. What’s more, medical care for pets is far from cheap.In its pursuit of a solution to these issues, the South Korean start-up Dr. Tail has gone all out with its remote veterinary consultation service.“Vets usually work to a tight schedule, which can leave some pet owners waiting multiple weeks to address an issue that may not have even needed medical attention,” said Daehwa Lee, CEO of Dr. Tail.“Our remote vet consultancy service saves both the time and energy of pet owners, while also preventing unnecessary spending.”In imitation of models of medical healthcare systems, which consist of primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care, Dr. Tail hopes to provide pet owners with the earliest stage of veterinary consultancy. Launched in 2020, the mobile app has attracted a total of 130,000 users, and offers around 500 consultations per day.