(NewsNation) — Walmart, which recently closed its health-care clinics for humans, is expanding its pet care business.
Walmart Pet Services, which began as a one-store pilot project in the Atlanta area last year, will expand to five more locations in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited to bring Walmart Pet Service centers to more markets and help meet our customers’ pet needs in one convenient destination,” said Walmart vice president of merchandising for pets Kaitlyn Shadiow in a company news release.
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Walmart will open two more pet centers in the Atlanta area and three in the Phoenix suburbs. The outlets, which have entrances separate from their attached Walmart stores, will offer routine veterinary care like vaccines, wellness exams and minor medical services. They will also offer grooming services, such as baths, nail clipping and teeth cleaning.
Walmart hopes that it will succeed in treating four-legged mammals after exiting the human health-care business. It closed all 51 of its Walmart Health locations earlier this year, as well as its telehealth business Walmart Health Virtual Care.
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“This is a difficult decision, and like others, the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that make the care business unsustainable for us at this time,” Walmart said at that time.
Walmart is not going it alone in the pet business. The new pet services locations will operate in cooperation with PetIQ, which runs veterinary clinics in 39 states under various brands. It also manufactures and distributes pet treats, prescription drugs and flea & tick control products.
