Who Owns Your Vet?

Linnaeus

Headquarters: Solihull, UK

corporation backed
424
In our directory
~180
Group-reported practices
2
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

Linnaeus 424 practices in our register

Trades as 2 names

Share of practices by region

Percentage of all practices in each region owned by Linnaeus ; present in 3 further regions.

Reputation & regulatory matters

cma investigation

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

March 2026

View source
positive initiatives

Linnaeus Foundation supports veterinary education and welfare projects

January 2023

Who owns Linnaeus?

Mars, Incorporated, the US company behind Mars bars, Pedigree and Whiskas, has owned Linnaeus since June 2018.

What the records show:

  • Companies House: since 19 June 2018, Mars Pet Services UK Ltd has held more than 75% of Linnaeus Group Ltd and can appoint its directors (register).
  • Filed accounts: Linnaeus’s accounts for 2025 say “The ultimate controlling party is Mars Incorporated” (accounts, filed October 2026).
  • At the time: the trade press reported Mars Petcare buying Linnaeus from the private equity firm Sovereign Capital (VN Online, 7 June 2018).

History

Linnaeus Group Ltd was set up in July 2014 (Companies House). Mars Petcare bought it in June 2018. The group runs first-opinion practices and specialist referral centres.

Mars connection

Mars, Incorporated is best known for chocolate brands like M&Ms, Snickers, and Mars bars, but pet care is a larger part of their business. Through Mars Petcare, they own:

  • Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin: pet food brands
  • Banfield, VCA, BluePearl: veterinary practices (North America)
  • Linnaeus: veterinary practices (UK/Ireland)

This vertical integration means Mars profits from pet food, pet health, and veterinary care, which raises questions about conflicts of interest.

UK presence

Linnaeus’s website lists 63 primary care practices and 18 referral practices across the UK and Ireland, operating from more than 180 locations (Linnaeus: about us, checked October 2026). They include:

  • First-opinion (general practice) veterinary clinics
  • Specialist referral centres
  • 24-hour emergency hospitals

These are the group’s own figures. Our directory lists each RCVS-registered premises separately, so its Linnaeus count is not directly comparable.

What pet owners should know

  • Linnaeus practices are owned by a global corporation with interests across the pet industry
  • The Mars ownership may not always be prominently displayed at individual practices
  • As part of Mars Petcare, there may be connections to pet food recommendations

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Linnaeus?

Linnaeus is a veterinary group owned by a larger corporation. Its owners include Mars, Incorporated (corporation).

How many vet practices does Linnaeus own in the UK?

Linnaeus owns or operates around 180 veterinary practices in the UK, by the group's own count. Our directory lists 424 RCVS-registered premises linked to Linnaeus, counting main and branch surgeries separately, so the two figures can differ.