Find your nearest Banfield in seconds, plus the honest answers on what the Optimum Wellness Plan actually covers, what it doesn’t, what the cancellation contract really means, and when Banfield is the right choice versus when it isn’t.
Banfield has over 1,000 locations inside PetSmart stores across 42 states. Tap any button below — the map updates to your location automatically.
Banfield’s new Senior Care Optimum Wellness Plans — designed specifically for aging dogs and cats — just won the Pet Innovation Awards “Overall Healthcare Product of the Year.” Over 500,000 senior pets are examined annually at Banfield hospitals, with 17% found to have cardiac issues and 11% diagnosed with diabetes. Meanwhile, the #1 complaint driving searches for Banfield in 2026 is the auto-renewal contract trap: a May 2026 BBB complaint shows an owner billed $868.45 after her dog died, with Banfield insisting the 12-month contract ran until April 2027. The company has also increased its veterinary student debt relief fund to $8 million annually — a genuine investment in expanding access to vet care. Banfield is doing meaningful work in preventive care. It is also generating real hardship through contract terms most pet owners don’t fully understand until something goes wrong.
Banfield Pet Hospital is the largest corporate veterinary practice in the United States — over 1,000 locations inside PetSmart stores, part of Mars Inc. (the same company behind VCA, BluePearl, and Royal Canin). Over two million pets are enrolled in Banfield’s Optimum Wellness Plans. Most of the questions people search about Banfield come down to the same few things: what does the wellness plan actually cover, can you cancel it, and is it worth it compared to just paying your local vet? Here are the honest answers.
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How do I find and contact my nearest Banfield Pet Hospital? Use the map buttons above · Find locations at banfield.com/locations · Main appointment line: 888-649-2716 · Most locations are inside PetSmart — Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 8am–6pm, Sun 9am–5pm (hours vary by location)Hours vary by individual location — always verify before driving over, especially on weekends or holidays. Banfield is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming. In all other states, a PetSmart store almost certainly has a Banfield inside it. Use the Banfield app or the website location finder to see the specific hours for your closest hospital and to book appointments online.
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Is the Banfield Wellness Plan the same as pet insurance? No — this is the most critical thing to understand · The Optimum Wellness Plan is a prepaid preventive care package, NOT insurance · It does not cover accidents, illnesses, surgery, cancer, emergencies, or any unexpected health event · Many owners believe they’re “insured” with a Banfield plan — they are notThis distinction catches a lot of pet owners off guard. The Banfield OWP covers predictable, routine wellness care — annual exams, vaccines, heartworm tests, flea/tick prevention, and dental cleanings on higher tiers. None of that helps when your dog tears a ligament, your cat stops eating, or your pet needs emergency surgery at midnight. For those situations, you need actual pet insurance (ASPCA, Trupanion, Lemonade, or similar) alongside or instead of a Banfield plan. Banfield itself is not an insurance company and does not offer accident or illness coverage.
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How much does the Banfield Wellness Plan cost per month? Dogs: starting around $32–$80/month depending on tier and location · Cats: starting around $27–$55/month · Puppies and kittens: separate plans that may include spay/neuter · One-time enrollment fee also appliesExact pricing varies by your location and your pet’s age and species — Banfield doesn’t publish a single national price because costs differ by hospital. The Active Care tier for adult dogs runs roughly $32–$40/month at most locations; Active Care Plus (which adds a dental cleaning) runs $45–$60/month; Special Care for pets with chronic conditions runs $55–$80/month. Get the actual quote for your specific pet and ZIP code at banfield.com or by calling your local hospital. Prices have risen in recent years alongside veterinary inflation.
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What is the Banfield Wellness Plan cancellation contract — and what’s the catch? 12-month annual contract · Auto-renews if you don’t cancel in the 30-day window before renewal · Canceling mid-year means you owe the retail value of services received OR remaining monthly payments — whichever is less · This is the #1 complaint about Banfield and the most important thing to understand before signingThe contract works like this: you pay monthly for a package of services valued at roughly the retail cost of all covered procedures. If you cancel before the contract year ends, Banfield calculates what services your pet already received at retail value, compares it to what you’ve paid so far, and bills you for the difference — or charges the remaining monthly payments, whichever costs less. If your pet received a dental cleaning and full vaccine series early in the year, you may owe $200–$500+ at cancellation. If your pet dies during the contract year, many owners have been charged hundreds of dollars for the remaining months. Know this before you sign — it’s not hidden, but it’s often not explained at signup.
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Does Banfield do walk-ins, or do I need an appointment? Appointments strongly preferred — Banfield operates by appointment · Walk-ins are accommodated when possible but not guaranteed · For true emergencies: go directly to a 24-hour emergency animal hospital, not Banfield · Banfield is not an emergency facility and is not open 24 hoursBanfield’s model is scheduled preventive care — they operate during PetSmart’s daytime and early evening hours, close on or around 6pm on weekdays and 5pm on Sundays (hours vary by location), and do not operate as emergency hospitals. If your pet is having a medical emergency outside of Banfield’s hours or needs immediate care, search for your nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital (VEG, BluePearl, or a local emergency clinic). Banfield can book appointments online, through the app, or by calling your local hospital directly.
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What does the Banfield Wellness Plan actually include? All plans: unlimited office visits, 24/7 vet telehealth via Pet Chat, digital medical records, vaccine package, flea/heartworm/parasite screening · Active Care Plus adds dental cleaning · Special Care adds advanced bloodwork and senior diagnostics · Does NOT cover: illnesses, injuries, surgery, medications, emergencies, hospitalizationThe unlimited office visits feature is genuinely useful — you can bring your pet in for concerns without paying a separate exam fee each time, which at $65–$90 per visit adds up fast for pets that need frequent check-ins. Pet Chat (24/7 text-based vet advice) is also a practical perk for quick questions between visits. The value proposition is strongest for owners who actually use all the included services — particularly the dental cleaning, which on its own runs $200–$600 at most practices. If you’d use one dental cleaning, one full vaccine series, and three or four wellness visits per year, the plan often pays for itself.
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Is the Banfield Wellness Plan worth it — or is it cheaper to just pay per visit? Worth it for: owners who use all included services, especially dental cleanings · May not be worth it for: healthy young pets who rarely visit the vet, owners who travel and can’t use Banfield consistently, or anyone who can’t commit to the 12-month contractThe math depends entirely on what your pet actually uses. At a typical Banfield: one annual exam ($65–$90), full vaccine series ($75–$150 total), heartworm test ($25–$45), and a dental cleaning ($200–$600) already approaches or exceeds the cost of many annual plans. Add unlimited return visits and Pet Chat, and the plan can genuinely save money. Where the math breaks down: if your pet doesn’t need a dental cleaning this year, or if you have only one or two vet visits annually, you may pay more for the plan than you’d pay out of pocket. Run your own numbers against banfield.com’s price estimator before signing.
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How do I cancel the Banfield Wellness Plan? Call 888-649-2716 or email [email protected] · Cannot cancel online — requires phone or email · The 30-day pre-renewal window is the only penalty-free exit · If your pet dies: call immediately and escalate — Banfield sometimes waives remaining balance on a case-by-case basis, but it is not automaticCancellation requires direct contact — there is no self-serve online cancellation. Call 888-649-2716 during business hours (Mon–Fri 8am–7pm, Sat 9am–5pm EST) or email [email protected]. The most important timing: to cancel penalty-free, you must cancel during the 30-day window before your annual renewal date. Miss that window and you’re either locked in for another year or paying the service-balance calculation described in the cancellation policy. Get your renewal date from your original contract or call and ask — then set a calendar reminder 35 days before that date.
- Initial puppy/kitten vaccine series
- Unlimited office visits
- Fecal exam and deworming
- Flea/tick/heartworm prevention
- Early Care Plus adds spay/neuter
- Pet Chat 24/7 telehealth
- Annual exam and core vaccines
- Unlimited office visits
- Heartworm, flea, tick testing
- Active Care Plus: adds dental cleaning
- Discounts on non-plan services
- Pet Chat 24/7 · Digital medical records
- Full senior wellness exam + vaccines
- Comprehensive bloodwork panel
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Urinalysis and X-rays
- EKG (electrocardiogram)
- Unlimited visits · Pet Chat · Records
- Everything in Active Care
- Additional diagnostic panels
- Extra screenings for monitored conditions
- Not a replacement for condition treatment
- Still does NOT cover illness treatment costs
Illness treatment of any kind · Emergency visits · Surgery · Hospitalization · Cancer treatment · Prescription medications · Specialist referrals · Injuries from accidents · Pregnancy and breeding · Dental care beyond cleanings (extractions, root canals, periodontal treatment) · End-of-life care · Boarding · Grooming
If your pet needs any of these, you will pay out of pocket at Banfield or at any other vet — the wellness plan provides zero coverage. For unexpected health events, the answer is actual pet insurance, not a Banfield plan.
- It is a 12-month contract, not a monthly subscription you can cancel freely. Canceling early means paying the balance owed for services used or remaining monthly payments — whichever is less. Many owners don’t learn this until they try to cancel.
- It auto-renews. You can only cancel penalty-free in the 30-day window before your renewal date. Mark that date in your calendar when you sign up.
- If your pet dies during the contract year, Banfield may still charge for remaining payments or service balance. Call 888-649-2716 immediately and ask for a compassionate cancellation. Escalate if needed.
- It is not insurance. If your pet gets sick, injured, or needs emergency care, this plan pays nothing. That gap is real and has resulted in unexpected vet bills for millions of owners who believed they were covered.
Banfield is a solid choice when you will genuinely use the included services: annual wellness exam, full vaccine package, heartworm and parasite testing, and — if on the Active Care Plus plan — a dental cleaning. For a dog who sees the vet twice a year and needs routine vaccines and annual bloodwork, the math often works in your favor. For a senior pet, the Senior Care plan’s diagnostic bundle (bloodwork, blood pressure, X-ray, EKG) can catch conditions early that would cost far more to treat if found late. Use Banfield as your preventive care baseline and pair it with real pet insurance for the unexpected events it cannot cover.
This guide is for general informational purposes only and has no affiliation with, sponsorship from, or compensation from Banfield Pet Hospital, Mars Inc., PetSmart, or any other company mentioned. Banfield wellness plan pricing, coverage terms, cancellation policies, and hours vary by location and are subject to change. Always read your actual wellness plan contract carefully before signing and verify current hours and pricing with your local Banfield hospital. Emergency situations require immediate veterinary attention — do not rely on this guide in a medical emergency. Go directly to an emergency animal hospital.