More Americans are heading to Mexico for vet care
Data from the Mexican government shows more Americans are entering Mexico with their pets as wait times and costs at U.S. vet clinics soar. In 2019, just over 20,000 dogs and cats traveled from the U.S. to Mexico, according to data from Mexico’s SENASICA, the agency that inspects all pets entering the country. The number dipped after the onset of the pandemic but began picking up again in 2021, as pet ownership rates in the U.S. surged and travel to Mexico returned after travel restrictions were lifted. "We've got this perfect storm in terms of pet vet tourism," said Dr. David Vequist, director of the Center for Medical Tourism Research at the University of the Incarnate Word in Texas. "People are trying to find care at the price that they want." Last year, there were more than 33,500 crossings – up 68% from 2019, according to SENASICA. Some veterinarians in Mexico have seen their businesses grow as they gain more customers from the U.S. Maria Mariño, a veterinarian and owner of two clinics in Ensenada, estimates that about 20% of her patients were from the U.S. before the pandemic. Today, she says it’s closer to 30%.
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