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Vaccine hesitancy leads to fewer pets being vaccinated, Arizona Humane says

By
Published  January 8, 2026 3:52pm MST
Pets and Animals
FOX 10 Phoenix

The Brief

    • The Arizona Humane Society reported a significant increase in preventable diseases, including more than 200 parvovirus cases treated in its intensive care unit over the last two months—a sharp rise over previous years.
    • Officials say a decline in pet vaccinations may be driven by owner skepticism, citing a study where more than 50% of owners questioned the safety and efficacy of immunizations for their animals.

PHOENIX - The Arizona Humane Society is reporting a decline in pet vaccinations, citing potential vaccine hesitancy among pet owners as a contributing factor.

What they're saying:

"The Arizona Humane Society is urging the community to protect Valley pets from deadly, highly contagious diseases by ensuring they are properly vaccinated. This call to action comes as the state’s leading animal welfare organization is seeing a troubling rise in preventable illnesses, an increase that may be driven in part by growing vaccine hesitancy," Arizona Humane said in a news release on Jan. 8.

AHS says vaccines are the first line of defense when it comes to viruses like distemper for dogs and feline leukemia for cats. Vaccines also help prevent zoonotic diseases like rabies, which is incurable once symptoms appear.

Dig deeper:

"While there are many potential reasons for an increase of contagious diseases seen in pets, a recent New York Times article highlighted a rise in pet owners being hesitant to vaccinate their pets due to the upsurge of vaccine hesitancy for humans as one possibility," AHS said. "A 2023 survey published in the Vaccine journal also noted that more than 50 percent of the pet owners who participated were uncertain of the importance, safety and efficacy of vaccinations for their own pets."

Dr. Steven Hansen, Arizona Humane Society president and CEO, said the shelter is among the few in the U.S. equipped to treat parvo. The facility’s intensive care unit has treated more than 200 cases in the past two months, marking a significant surge compared to last year.

"Vaccinating your pets is imperative not just for their safety but for the safety of our whole pet community," he said.

What you can do:

Click here to learn more about the low-cost pet vaccines that AHS offers.

The Source

  • The Arizona Humane Society

Pets and AnimalsHealthNewsArizona