Vaccine Hesitancy Is Now Reaching Our Pets, and It’s Putting People at Risk

A growing body of research shows that the anti-vaccine movement isn’t just affecting humans anymore. Dog and cat owners are increasingly delaying or avoiding core vaccines, and veterinarians worry this trend could have serious consequences for both animal and human health.

A recent survey led by Simon Haeder (Texas A&M University) found that roughly 1 in 5 dog owners and over a quarter of cat owners in the U.S. are vaccine-hesitant—often the same individuals who skip or delay human vaccines for themselves or their children. A larger UK study from the University of Liverpool reported even higher rates, with up to one-third of pets going unvaccinated.

Experts say misinformation plays a major role. Some owners fear vaccine-related illness or even canine “autism,” despite the lack of scientific evidence that such a condition exists in dogs. Anti-vaccine sentiment has also been amplified by online influencers, celebrity skeptics, and even a small handful of holistic veterinary voices who discourage routine vaccination based on anecdotal claims rather than data.

The consequences can be devastating. Core canine diseases such as rabies, parvovirus, and distemper carry extremely high fatality rates. And rabies, in particular, remains a major global threat: while it is rare in the U.S. thanks to vaccination laws, the World Health Organization reports that tens of thousands of people—mostly in Africa and Asia—still die each year after being bitten by unvaccinated dogs.

The article warns that a world in which pets go unvaccinated would not only endanger animals but also increase the risk to humans and severely limit where dogs can safely go.

Read the full original article on Psychology Today:
“Vaccine Hesitancy Now Affects Dogs, Putting Humans at Risk”
(Posted November 25, 2025)