Vetchat
VetChat is an Australian veterinary telehealth platform founded in 2017 that connects pet owners with Australian-registered veterinarians via on-demand video and chat, monetizing through A$59 one-off consults, an A$259/year VetChat Plus subscription bundled with PetSure-underwritten insurance (PawCare Cover), and B2B after-hours triage for 50+ clinics across Australia and New Zealand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Vetchat does
VetChat Services Pty Ltd, trading as VetChat, is an Australian veterinary telehealth company founded in 2017 by veterinarian Claire Jenkins. The company operates a browser-based platform (no app download required) that connects pet owners with a panel of 50+ Australian board-registered veterinarians — averaging 11 years of clinical experience — via on-demand video calls and live chat, with an average response time under two minutes. The platform supports photo and video uploads for remote assessment and delivers personalized consultation summaries plus 24-hour follow-up check-ins. A free Chocolate Toxicity Calculator is offered as a top-of-funnel consumer tool.
VetChat monetizes through two primary D2C tiers: a one-off consultation at A$59 and the VetChat Plus annual subscription at A$259, which bundles unlimited 24/7 access with PawCare Cover — a group pet insurance product underwritten by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd providing up to A$10,000 per year in cover for seven specified emergency events across up to five pets. On the B2B side, the VetChat Clinic service integrates with veterinary clinic phone systems to act as an after-hours triage extension, with Vets following each clinic's custom protocols; partner clinic Tropical Vets reports up to 90% fewer non-urgent after-hours calls and a 50% reduction in on-call veterinarian workload. A B2B2C distribution layer was added via a 2026 partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW, providing 24/7 veterinary access to NSW greyhound trainers and breeders at no cost to participants.
The company has delivered 250,000+ consultations cumulatively and serves 50+ veterinary clinic partners across Australia and New Zealand. It maintains 100+ five-star Trustpilot reviews and operates with a lean organizational footprint, having raised only approximately A$73K in disclosed seed funding across 2017 (Artesian VC and BlueChilli). There is no publicly disclosed AI/ML capability, and the core service remains human-veterinarian-led rather than automated.
Vetchat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vetchat
- Legal name
- VetChat Services Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://vetchat.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VetChat is an Australian veterinary telehealth platform founded in 2017 that connects pet owners with Australian-registered veterinarians via on-demand video and chat, monetizing through A$59 one-off consults, an A$259/year VetChat Plus subscription bundled with PetSure-underwritten insurance (PawCare Cover), and B2B after-hours triage for 50+ clinics across Australia and New Zealand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vetchat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veterinary Telehealth
- NAICS
- Veterinary Services (54194)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Booking, Intake & Digital Front Door (Forms, Consent, Waitlist) (HLAMAGAD)
Keywords
Where Vetchat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Vetchat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- VetChat Plus Annual Subscription: Recurring annual subscription at $259/year providing unlimited 24/7 Vet consultations plus PawCare Cover financial protection for up to 5 pets. The subscription auto-renews and can be cancelled at any time. This is the primary recurring revenue stream.
- One-Off Consultation: One-time consultation fee of $59 per session. Customers can choose video or live message format. This is a transaction-based revenue stream for non-subscribers or casual users.
- PawCare Cover Insurance Commission: VetChat acts as policyholder and authorised representative (AR 001299710) for the VetChat Group Pet Insurance - PawCare Cover underwritten by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd. VetChat receives no direct payment from PetSure for the group policy but earns subscription revenue from VetChat Plus memberships that bundle the insurance benefit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | VetChat Plus: Unlimited 24/7 Vet access + up to $10,000 PawCare Cover for 5 pets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VetChat Single Consult: One-time online Vet consultation |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Vetchat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VetChat provides a 24/7 online veterinary consultation service that connects Australian pet owners with 50+ board-registered Australian veterinarians via real-time video calls or live chat through a browser-based platform (no app download required). Consumers can purchase one-off consultations at $59 or join the VetChat Plus annual membership at $259 for unlimited consultations plus up to $10,000 of PawCare Cover emergency pet insurance. VetChat also supplies a B2B after-hours triage service to 50+ veterinary clinics in Australia and New Zealand, where its veterinarians follow each clinic's custom protocols to handle client calls after hours.
Product overview
VetChat operates as a unified telehealth platform offering two main service tiers: individual one-off consultations ($59) and the VetChat Plus annual subscription ($259/year) which bundles unlimited 24/7 veterinary access with PawCare Cover insurance protection. The company also provides VetChat Clinic, a B2B after-hours triage solution for veterinary practices. A free Chocolate Toxicity Calculator tool is offered for consumer education. The platform connects pet owners with Australian-registered veterinarians via video or live chat, serving both direct-to-consumer and clinic partnership channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VetChat Plus: Annual membership subscription offering unlimited 24/7 vet consultations, video calls with experienced vets, connection in under 2 minutes, and financial cover up to $10,000 per year for pet emergencies including snake bites, tick paralysis, car accidents, poisoning, and swallowed objects.
- PawCare Cover
Products and services
- VetChat (24/7 On-Demand Vet Consultations) Core 24/7 telehealth platform connecting Australian pet owners with 50+ board-registered Australian veterinarians via real-time video calls or live chat through a browser (no app download required). Targets individual pet owners needing after-hours triage, symptom guidance, and remote assessment with photo/video upload support.
- VetChat Plus Annual subscription membership ($259/year, auto-renewing and cancellable at any time) providing unlimited 24/7 video and live-message consultations with Australian-registered vets for up to 5 pets, plus bundled PawCare Cover financial protection up to $10,000/year for common pet emergencies. Targets Australian pet parents who want year-round peace of mind and protection from emergency vet costs.
- PawCare Cover Group pet insurance product bundled with VetChat Plus (VetChat Group Pet Insurance – PawCare Cover), underwritten by PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd. VetChat Services Pty Ltd (ABN 96 616 786, AR 001299710) is the policyholder and authorised representative. Provides up to $10,000/year in cover for 7 specified emergency events with a $500 excess per claim and a maximum of 3 claims per policy period, claims submitted via the MyAccount portal.
- VetChat Clinic (After-Hours Triage Service) B2B after-hours triage solution for veterinary clinics in Australia and New Zealand. Integrates with the partner clinic's phone system so VetChat veterinarians answer client calls when the clinic is closed, following each clinic's custom protocols and producing consultation summary notes. Targets clinic owners/practice managers seeking to reduce non-urgent after-hours calls and on-call vet workload; designed to keep clients loyal to the partner practice rather than routing them to competitor emergency clinics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250,000+ consultations delivered as of 2025
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Vetchat
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Vetchat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
Vetchat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW)coreGRNSW partnered with VetChat to provide NSW greyhound racing participants (trainers and breeders) with 24/7 access to veterinary advice at no cost to participants, with no time limit on calls. The service began July 1 and aims to support animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry. GRNSW CEO Steve Griffin stated the partnership represents a significant investment in the industry's welfare focus.
- Tropical VetscoreTropical Vets has been using VetChat as an after-hours triage service since 2022. The partnership has reduced non-urgent after-hours calls by up to 90% and decreased on-call veterinarian workload by 50%. VetChat flexible and accommodating to individual business needs while maintaining high-quality client care.
- PetSure (Australia) Pty LtdcorePetSure is the insurer providing the PawCare Cover group insurance policy (VetChat Group Pet Insurance - PawCare Cover) underwritten for eligible VetChat Plus subscribers. VetChat Services Pty Ltd (ABN 96 616 786, AR 001299710) is the policyholder and authorised representative. PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd (ABN 95 075 949 923, AFSL 420183) underwrites the policy.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Vetchat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Greencross Vets: Australia's largest veterinary clinic network and parent of Petbarn. Comparable to VetChat as a dominant AU pet health player, with overlapping end customers though primarily delivering in-person care.
- VetPartners: Large Australian and New Zealand veterinary group operating hundreds of clinics. Comparable to VetChat as a major AU/NZ vet care provider and potential B2B partner or competitive threat to VetChat's clinic channel.
Direct peers
- FirstVet: Sweden-based tele-vet platform offering on-demand video consultations with licensed veterinarians, operating across multiple European markets. Most direct global comparable to VetChat in business model, customer segment, and subscription-led monetization.
- Vetster: Canadian-founded tele-vet marketplace connecting pet owners with veterinarians for video, chat, and voice consultations. Closely mirrors VetChat's on-demand model, target customer, and browser-based delivery model.
- Pawp: US-based pet health membership offering 24/7 tele-vet consultations bundled with an emergency fund (up to $3,000). Direct functional analog to VetChat Plus in combining tele-vet access with a financial protection layer.
- Airvet: US tele-vet platform providing on-demand video consultations for pet owners, plus a B2B offering for veterinary practices. Closely comparable to VetChat in operating both D2C and clinic-channel models.
- whiskerDocs: US-based 24/7 pet telehealth service offering phone, chat, and video access to veterinary professionals. Comparable to VetChat in around-the-clock triage model and pet-owner target audience.
- Fuzzy: US-based pet health membership combining tele-vet chat access with on-demand veterinary advice. Comparable to VetChat Plus in subscription-based tele-vet with bundled pet health benefits.
Regional players
- PawSquad: UK-based tele-vet service offering video consultations with UK-registered vets. Closely comparable to VetChat in business model, though focused on the UK market rather than ANZ.
Emerging players
- Modern Animal: US tech-enabled veterinary care company combining physical clinics with a digital/membership platform. Comparable to VetChat in subscription-led pet health model, though anchored on physical clinic visits.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vetchat social profiles
Digital presenceVetchat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vetchat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Vetchat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vetchat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vetchat
What does Vetchat do?
VetChat provides a 24/7 online veterinary consultation service that connects Australian pet owners with 50+ board-registered Australian veterinarians via real-time video calls or live chat through a browser-based platform (no app download required). Consumers can purchase one-off consultations at $59 or join the VetChat Plus annual membership at $259 for unlimited consultations plus up to $10,000 of PawCare Cover emergency pet insurance. VetChat also supplies a B2B after-hours triage service to 50+ veterinary clinics in Australia and New Zealand, where its veterinarians follow each clinic's custom protocols to handle client calls after hours.
Is Vetchat a public or private company?
Vetchat is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vetchat founded?
Vetchat was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vetchat based?
Vetchat is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Vetchat make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. VetChat Plus Annual Subscription is the primary driver. The others are one-Off Consultation and pawCare Cover Insurance Commission.
Who are Vetchat's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Greencross Vets and VetPartners. Direct peers are FirstVet, Vetster, Pawp, Airvet, whiskerDocs and Fuzzy. PawSquad is listed as a regional player. Modern Animal is listed as an emerging player.
Does Vetchat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vetchat.
What industry is Vetchat in?
Vetchat's product category is Veterinary Telehealth. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAMAGAD, Online Booking, Intake & Digital Front Door (Forms, Consent, Waitlist). Its NAICS code is 54194.