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A survey of dog owners from across the U.S. shows that when it comes to seeking veterinary care for dogs, barriers to access - including a lack of trust - have more effect on the decision-making process than differences in race, gender or socioeconomic status. The results could aid veterinarians in developing outreach strategies for underserved communities. I was interested in how different demographic groups viewed health care and how those views might affect relationships between veterinarians and their clients, says Rachel Park, a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University and first author of a paper describing the work. The existing literature wasn t national in scope and hadn t accounted for multiple identities held, such as one s socioeconomic status or education, so I saw a knowledge gap that could be filled.