The best pet care apps in Canada depend on the job: a records app to keep vaccines and reminders, your clinic's own app for booking, an online vet service for advice at odd hours, a GPS tracker for pets that wander, and a sitter marketplace for when you travel. No single app does all five well.
This roundup sorts real apps by what they are for, says what each does based on its own website as checked on the date below, and includes PetGrid, which we make. We tried to be fair, and we say where another app is the better choice.
The best pet care apps at a glance
| App | Best for | Needs your clinic to use it? | Cost to owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| PetGrid | Records, vaccine card, sharing, reminders, lost mode, travel papers, and a map of vets | No; booking and messages appear when your clinic is on PetGrid | Free for pet owners |
| 11pets | Detailed health records and care tracking for many pets | No | Free tier and paid plans |
| PetDesk | Booking, reminders and texting with your clinic | Yes, your clinic must use PetDesk | Ask your clinic |
| Vetster | Online video or chat visits with licensed vets | No | Paid; see its site for pricing |
| Tractive | GPS tracking for dogs and cats | No | Device plus a subscription |
| Rover | Finding sitters, walkers and boarding | No | You pay the sitter through the app |
Pick by job: one app to keep your pet's records, plus the specialist apps you actually need.
Records and reminders: PetGrid and 11pets
PetGrid is free for pet owners and works with any vet, or none at all. You keep each pet's vaccines, medicines, allergies and papers yourself, download a vaccine card as a PDF with a QR code, send a sitter or kennel a share link that ends when you say, give any vet a code that works for 24 hours, and set reminders by email or phone notification. It also has a lost mode with a poster, a travel helper that links to the official CFIA, CDC and USDA pages, a map of vet clinics, and Pip, your pet's Wellness Buddy, who finds things in your app and shares official government pet care guidance. Pip is not a vet.
Honest limits: PetGrid opens in your phone's browser and you add it to your home screen; it is not in an app store. Booking, messages with your clinic and records that arrive on their own only work when your clinic is on PetGrid. If it is not, everything else still works. See the features and how it works.
11pets is a pet care app on iOS, Android and the web. Its site describes health records, vaccine and medicine tracking, appointment reminders, and sharing with vets, shelters and family. It has a free version and paid plans that add more features. If you want very detailed tracking for many animals, it is worth a look.
Your clinic's own app: PetDesk
PetDesk is a client app that clinics offer: you book appointments, fill in forms, request refills and get reminders, and text with the clinic. It is an extension of your clinic's system, so it works only if your clinic uses PetDesk. Ask your clinic which app, if any, it uses; that app is usually the best place to book with them.
Clinics that use PetGrid offer the PetGrid app in the same way, with booking, chat with photos, records and online payment, if the clinic turns them on.
Online vet visits: Vetster
Vetster connects owners with licensed vets by video or chat, around the clock, in Canada, the US and other countries. You choose a vet from profiles and reviews. Online visits are useful for questions, second opinions and deciding whether a problem needs a clinic. A vet who cannot examine your pet in person may still send you to a clinic, and in an emergency, go straight to an emergency hospital.
GPS trackers: Tractive
Tractive makes GPS trackers for dogs and cats that clip to a collar, with live location, virtual fences, and activity and sleep tracking. Each tracker has a built-in SIM, so it needs a subscription, and it works where there is mobile coverage, including Canada and the US. Battery life depends on the model and settings. A tracker is not a substitute for a microchip and an ID tag; see what to do if your pet is lost.
Sitters and walkers: Rover
Rover is a marketplace for boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, dog walking and doggy daycare in the US and Canada, including Toronto. You browse sitters, read reviews, book and pay in the app, and walks include GPS tracking. Rover says sitters pass a background check before listing services. Meet a sitter before the first booking, and give them your pet's care details: a PetGrid share link can show them the care details you choose, until the date you set.
How to choose the best pet care apps for you
- Ask your clinic first. If it offers an app, use it for booking and messages.
- Pick one place for records. It should work with any vet, export your data, and let you control sharing. Our post on who owns your pet's medical records explains why your own copy matters.
- Add specialist apps only if you need them: a tracker for an escape artist, a sitter app if you travel.
- Read the privacy policy. Check who sees your pet's information, and whether you can download or delete it. PetGrid's is summarised on our privacy page.
Questions people ask
What is the best app to keep my pet's medical records?
One that works with any vet, lets you control sharing, and lets you download or delete your data. PetGrid is free for pet owners and works with any vet; 11pets is another option with free and paid plans. Your clinic keeps the official record either way.
Is there a free pet care app in Canada?
Yes. PetGrid is free for pet owners, always, because clinics pay for PetGrid. 11pets also has a free version with paid plans for more features.
Can I use a vet app if my vet does not use it?
It depends on the app. PetDesk works only with clinics that use it. PetGrid works with any vet, and adds booking and messages when your clinic is on PetGrid.
Are online vet visits available in Canada?
Yes. Vetster offers video and chat visits with licensed vets in Canada and the US. For an emergency, go to your nearest emergency animal hospital instead.
Do I need a GPS tracker if my pet is microchipped?
A microchip identifies your pet when someone scans it; a GPS tracker shows where your pet is. Many owners of dogs or cats that roam use both. Trackers like Tractive need a subscription.
The short version
The best pet care apps are the ones that match your jobs: one place for records, your clinic's app for booking, and specialist apps only when you need them.
If you want the records part to be free and to work with any vet, start with the PetGrid app.
Keep your pet's records, vaccines and visits in one safe place. The PetGrid app is free for pet owners, with or without a clinic.
Get the free PetGrid appSources
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