Nearly Half of Pet Owners Prefer Booking Vet Visits Outside Office Hours, Are You Ready?

If your clinic still relies mostly on phone bookings during office hours, you may be missing some of your clients’ needs. Nearly 50% of pet owners prefer to book appointments outside regular business hours, evenings, weekends, or whenever it suits them. Based on Clinicwise booking data, we often see that over half of clients schedule their appointments outside of business hours (meaning the time they make the booking, not the appointment itself). Making it easy to book at any time can help meet those preferences.

It’s not about replacing your front desk team, it’s about giving pet owners a smoother, more flexible way to connect with your practice.

Why Veterinary Online Bookings Are a Must-Have, Not Just a Nice-to-Have

Let’s break it down. Offering veterinary online bookings helps in a few big ways:

You can take bookings even when your clinic is closed
Nights, weekends, and holidays don’t stop pet owners from needing care. With online vet appointment scheduling, your clinic can continue to take bookings while the phones are off, keeping your calendar full even outside business hours.

You make life easier for your front desk team
Instead of juggling voicemails, call-backs, and appointment changes, your team can focus on what matters most, like helping clients in person and keeping the day running smoothly.

It improves the experience for clients, especially new pet owners
New pet parents expect convenience. They don’t want to wait on hold or fit a phone call into their workday. Online booking gives them a faster, easier way to schedule care, increasing their satisfaction and making it more likely they’ll return.

The Rise of Younger, First-Time Pet Owners

A growing number of your clients are first-time pet parents. A recent Mars Petcare study found:

• 47% of Gen Z dog owners and 43% of Gen Z cat owners say their pets are the most important part of their lives
  
• Over 56% of global pet parents are first-timers
  
• These pet owners expect easy, digital-first tools from their vet clinic
  
  

This younger generation has grown up with instant, online access to everything from takeaway to telehealth. If your clinic doesn’t offer veterinary online booking, there’s a good chance they’ll look elsewhere.

Online Booking = Better Business for Your Vet Clinic

Modern veterinary clinics understand that great care includes every touchpoint, from the moment a client looks you up online to the follow-up after their visit. Veterinary online booking software helps you:

• Reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations
  
• Improve client retention
  
• Streamline appointment management
  
• Stay competitive in a market that’s quickly modernising
  
  

How to Get Started With Online Vet Appointment Scheduling

You don’t need to overhaul your whole website or invest in an expensive system. Tools like the Clinicwise Online Booking Widget are simple, clean, and built specifically for veterinary clinics. You can add it to your website in minutes, adjust your availability as needed, and allow pet owners to book directly, no apps, no logins, no confusion.

It’s a small step that can make a huge difference for your practice operations and client satisfaction.

Want to see how easy it can be?

Let’s chat about how Clinicwise can help your clinic add online bookings that work for your clients, your team, and your bottom line. Book a demo today!