Better Than Business As Usual At Vets4Pets And Companion Care

Oliver Watson, Joint Venture Partner Companion Care Aylesbury and his new team, on their practice open day. Practice was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Aylesbury. In April we all heard the announcement that Pets at Home had bought Vets4Pets, meaning that the group was now to work alongside former joint venture competitors Companion Care Vets. There have been many rumours and questions in air about what this means for the two groups and even the veterinary industry itself. Since the merger, the two companies have continued to work side by side, with more synergy and have continued to deliver as expected for both clients and Partners. “Since Pets at Home bought us in April, much to many people’s surprise, it really has been business as usual. Long story short; we’ve continued to provide an excellent service to all of our clients across the country and Channel Islands and continued to attract experienced and passionate Vets and Vet Nurses looking to open their own practices a Joint Venture Partners.  Since mid April we’ve opened 17 new practices both in-store and stand alone, which is testament to the new joint teams and departments working together so well”. Explains Peter Watson CEO Vets4Pets Since the merger the new combined group has opened seven practices inside Pets at Home stores, five standalones and five in-store group ventures. These seventeen practices are due to be followed by a very healthy schedule of openings which by the end of the year will make the group the 3rd biggest veterinary group in the world. “Down on the ground”, the merger certainly has not seemed to affect the veterinary professionals and their businesses at all. Oliver Watson, Joint Venture Parner Companion Care Aylesbury, who opened his practice within weeks of the announcement talks about his new business; “We have been phenomenally busy. I am really pleased so far with this move to open our own practice. The surgery has taken off like a rocket for want of a better term. I am really enjoying being in control of how the surgery runs. Anybody thinking of doing an in-store practice should not be put off by surgeries being inside Pets at Home - so many clients think it’s a really amazing idea, they like the convenience of being open 7 days a week. I was surprised also by some of the cases we have seen already from whelping bitches to Addisonian cases, cruciate ligaments and many more, not just vaccines and neutering! I love just being able to do what I want and how I want!”. Jane Balmain, MD Companion Care adds ; “The past few months have been a breath of fresh air - the teams have really gelled together and I am really looking forward to the seeing how as a larger group we can further improve pet care services for our clients and not to mention the support services we can provide to our Partners”.

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