Get your practice found on Google — and recommended by AI.
Pet owners are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews things like "best vet near me for an anxious cat" or "who sees rabbits around here?" Here's what those systems check before they name a practice, and what an independent vet can fix first.
What changed
In BrightLocal's March 2026 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, 45% said they now use AI tools to get local business recommendations — up from 6% a year earlier. ChatGPT was the most-used of those tools.
Google still matters — many pet owners will check your reviews after an AI tool names you. But if your practice isn't in the AI answer, you may not make the shortlist at all. That's why this work covers all three layers: SEO (showing up in Google's results and map listings), AEO (being the direct answer to a pet owner's question), and GEO (being cited when AI writes a longer recommendation). Here's the plain-language difference.
For independent practices, there's another reason to care: corporate groups and chains tend to have polished, consistent listings everywhere. An independent vet can't outspend them, but can be clearer and more specific about what makes the practice different.
What AI checks before it names a vet
The free guide breaks this into three questions AI systems work through before they recommend any business. Here's what each one looks like for a veterinary practice.
1. "What is this practice, exactly?"
- A complete Google Business Profile with the right primary category, accurate hours, and your services listed individually — wellness, dental, surgery, boarding, and so on.
- The species you treat, stated plainly. If you see rabbits, birds, reptiles, or other exotics, say so on its own page. If you don't, say that too. "Vet who sees exotics near me" is exactly the kind of question AI is answering now.
- Your emergency policy, spelled out. Do you take emergencies? Same-day sick visits? Where do you send clients after hours? When AI gets this wrong, a pet owner shows up at a closed door.
- Each veterinarian named with their credentials (DVM or VMD) and a real bio.
- Structured data that states your name, address, phone, hours, and services directly. Schema.org even has a dedicated type for this, VeterinaryCare, which many practice websites never use.
2. "Can I trust what they're telling me?"
- Recognized credentials, where you have them. AAHA says only about 15% of veterinary hospitals have gone through its accreditation, and it runs a public locator for pet owners. If you're accredited, make sure that's stated on your site and your listing is current. The same goes for Fear Free certification and its public directory.
- Details that match everywhere. Your name, address, and phone should be identical on your site, Google, Yelp, and every directory — especially if your practice was renamed, merged, or moved.
- Steady, recent reviews. Most people who use AI for recommendations say they double-check what it tells them against review sites.
3. "Should I actually recommend them?"
- Direct answers to what pet owners ask: Are you taking new patients? What does a wellness exam cost? Do you offer payment plans or wellness plans? How do you handle anxious or fearful pets? Is there cat-only waiting space?
- Answers near the top of the page, in plain sentences, not buried in PDFs or images that AI systems may not read.
- An FAQ section built from the questions your front desk hears every week — the same questions pet owners are now asking AI.
No guarantees here. No one can promise your practice will appear in a specific AI answer, and anyone who does is overselling. What you can control is whether your practice is clear, consistent, and backed up across the web — which is exactly what these systems look for.
What a report covers for your practice
A Baseline or Advanced report is a researched, scored look at how your practice shows up across Google and the four AI answer engines that matter most — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews — scored separately for SEO, AEO, and GEO. For a veterinary practice, I look at:
- Whether AI systems name your practice when asked for a vet in your area (the Advanced report adds a side-by-side comparison with up to three competitors)
- Your Google Business Profile, categories, and services
- Whether your species, services, and emergency policy are stated clearly enough for AI to repeat accurately
- Name, address, and phone consistency across Google, Yelp, and veterinary directories
- Whether credentials like AAHA accreditation or Fear Free certification are visible and backed up by the certifying organization
- Structured data on your website
- Anything AI systems are getting wrong about your practice
- A prioritized fix list — what to do first, and why
Not ready for a report? Run the free snapshot for a quick score, or get the free worksheet and check your practice yourself in 30–45 minutes.
See where your practice stands with Google and AI search.