After being established in October 2015 with three practices – Minster Vets in York, Dowding Vets in Gainsborough and Westway Veterinary Group in Newcastle – VetPartners is now one of the UK’s largest groups.

More than 120 of the UK’s most respected and trusted small animal, mixed, equine and farm practices, are part of VetPartners, with 5,250 employees working in over 450 sites and central team in York. The group diversified to include a research dairy, laboratories, locum agency, small animal veterinary nursing school and equine veterinary nursing school.

VetPartners is looking to expand across Europe, with interest in acquiring practices in France, Germany, Holland and Italy.

To support its growth, the group secured the support of leading international investment company, BC Partners, which has Euros 17 billion of assets under management in private equity and credit across the globe.

VetPartners CEO Jo Malone said: “We have some of the best veterinary businesses across small animal, equine, mixed and farm, and 2020 will see further growth in each of our species groups, both in the UK and Europe.

“It has been an incredible journey since our early days and our success has been built on the hard work, dedication and skills of our truly fantastic team members in practices and our central team in York.

“When we started, our aim was to be the veterinary group of choice by providing outstanding care for patients, an excellent experience for clients and being a great place to come and work, while developing our business in an efficient, ethical, sustainable and profitable way through the acquisition of desirable practices.

“Our culture sets us apart, with values like respect, collaboration, being approachable and supportive, and that helps to attract talent, drives engagement, impacts happiness and satisfaction, and affects performance.”

This year saw VetPartners open two state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals at Woodcroft Vets in Cheshire and Valley Vets in Cardiff.

Over the next 12 months, Chantry Vets in Wakefield and Beechwood Vets in Lees will open new hospitals, while Minster Vets’ new hospital in York will be under construction. Northlands Veterinary Hospital will locate to larger premises in Kettering in 2020.

The group also welcomed its first Northern Ireland practice in 2019 through the acquisition of Parklands Veterinary Group, one of Ireland’s most successful mixed practices.