Goddard Veterinary Group

Who owns Goddard Veterinary Group?

Goddard is owned by VetPartners, one of the UK’s largest veterinary groups, which is private-equity-backed — controlled by BC Partners, with Ares Management holding a significant co-investment stake. VetPartners announced the acquisition in October 2021.

Founded in 1952 by vet Arthur Goddard, Goddard is a Greater London first-opinion group. At acquisition it ran around 47 sites (including three RCVS hospitals); after a CMA-ordered divestment it retains roughly 40 London practices and hospitals. VetPartners itself is headquartered in York.

The CMA intervention — a notable detail

The takeover did not pass unchallenged. The Competition and Markets Authority found the VetPartners–Goddard merger would reduce local choice “to an unacceptably low level” in around 11 areas of east and north-east London and Essex, and required VetPartners to sell 8 sites before clearing the deal in September 2022. It’s a concrete, documented example of regulators acting on vet-market consolidation — the same concern behind the CMA’s later market-wide investigation.

What pet owners should know

• Despite the long-standing local “Goddard” name, the group is now part of a large, private-equity-backed corporate (VetPartners) — exactly the kind of ownership the brand name doesn’t reveal.
• Private equity owners expect a financial return within a typical investment horizon, which can influence pricing, staffing and which services are offered.
• Under the CMA’s new transparency rules (final report March 2026), practices must disclose their corporate ownership more clearly.

Sources

• Vet Times — VetPartners announces Goddard takeover
• CMA — VetPartners / Goddard merger inquiry
• BC Partners — VetPartners portfolio
• CMA — veterinary services market investigation

Site counts are approximate: ~47 at acquisition, reduced after the CMA-ordered divestment of eight sites. Current operating figures may differ.