Who Owns Your Vet?

CVS Group

Headquarters: Diss, Norfolk, UK

publicly traded
911
In our directory
~445
Group-reported practices
3
Countries

The group-reported figure is the group's own count of its UK practices. Our directory lists RCVS-registered premises, counting main and branch surgeries separately, so the two figures can differ.

Ownership structure

Ultimate owner

CVS Group 911 practices in our register

Trades as 3 names

Share of practices by region

Percentage of all practices in each region owned by CVS Group ; present in 6 further regions.

Reputation & regulatory matters

cma investigation

CMA found competition concerns and ordered remedies package (final report March 2026)

March 2026

View source
pricing concerns

CMA raised concerns about acquisition of The Vet reducing competition

March 2024

View source

Who owns CVS?

CVS is a public company: its shareholders own it, and no single person or company controls it.

What the records show:

  • Companies House: since July 2017, CVS Group plc’s entry has said it has no person with significant control (register).
  • Stock market: its shares trade on the London Stock Exchange (ticker CVSG). It moved from AIM to the Main Market on 29 January 2026 and is in the FTSE 250 (CVS results, 24 September 2026).

As a listed company, CVS has to deliver returns to those shareholders.

History

CVS began by buying and running UK veterinary practices, backed at first by the private equity firm Sovereign Capital (Sovereign Capital). It has grown into one of the UK’s largest veterinary groups.

UK presence

In its final results for the year to 30 June 2026, CVS reported operating over 480 veterinary practices across the UK and Australia, 35 of them in Australia (CVS Group final results, 24 September 2026). They include first-opinion practices, specialist referral centres and emergency clinics. CVS also owns pet crematoria and veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

CVS counts practices, not sites: its 35 Australian practices trade from 57 sites. Our directory lists every RCVS-registered premises separately, branch surgeries included, so it shows more CVS practices than the group’s own figure.

Business model

Unlike private equity-backed competitors, CVS is publicly traded, meaning their financial performance is publicly reported. However, this also means pressure to deliver returns to shareholders can influence pricing and operational decisions.

Regulatory matters

The CMA has examined several CVS acquisitions:

  • The proposed acquisition of Quality Pet Care Ltd (The Vet) raised competition concerns
  • CVS was included in the broader CMA veterinary market investigation, whose final report (March 2026) set out remedies covering ownership disclosure and pricing transparency

In July 2026 the government accepted all of the CMA’s recommendations, committing to replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 with new legislation that will license veterinary businesses and introduce a binding consumer redress scheme, expected to be delivered through a new veterinary ombudsman.

What pet owners should know

  • As a public company, CVS publishes annual reports detailing their financial performance
  • Individual practices may have less autonomy over pricing than independent practices
  • CVS practices benefit from shared resources but may follow corporate protocols

Frequently asked questions

Who owns CVS Group?

CVS Group is a publicly traded company listed on the stock market. Its owners include CVS Group plc (corporation).

How many vet practices does CVS Group own in the UK?

CVS Group owns or operates around 445 veterinary practices in the UK, by the group's own count. Our directory lists 911 RCVS-registered premises linked to CVS Group, counting main and branch surgeries separately, so the two figures can differ.

What names do CVS Group practices trade under?

CVS Group practices trade under names including CVS, Animed Direct. A local practice name does not necessarily mean local ownership.