VetPartners
Headquarters: York, UK
Ownership structure
Ultimate owners
- BC Partners 100%
Private equity · UK
Trades as 3 names
- VetPartners
- VetPartners
- Goddard Veterinary Group
Share of practices by region
- North West 16% (128)
- South East 7% (107)
- South West 9% (92)
- Yorkshire 15% (88)
- London 18% (79)
- Scotland 11% (66)
- North East 22% (62)
- East Midlands 11% (54)
Percentage of all practices in each region owned by VetPartners ; present in 6 further regions.
Private Equity Ownership: Private equity firms typically aim to generate returns within 5-7 years, which may influence business decisions including pricing and cost management.
Reputation & Regulatory Matters
CMA found competition concerns and ordered remedies package (final report March 2026)
March 2026
View sourceEmphasis on practice autonomy and local decision-making
January 2023
Overview
VetPartners was founded in 2015 with a stated aim of creating a different kind of veterinary group - one that offers practices more autonomy while providing corporate support. The company was acquired by BC Partners in 2022.
Positioning
VetPartners markets itself as different from other corporate groups, emphasising:
- Practice autonomy and local decision-making
- Maintaining existing practice identities after acquisition
- A “family of practices” approach
However, these claims should be evaluated carefully - as a private equity-backed company, VetPartners ultimately faces the same financial pressures as competitors.
UK and European Presence
VetPartners operates over 600 practices, including:
- First-opinion (general practice) clinics
- Specialist referral centres
- Equine practices
- Farm animal practices
They have also expanded into Europe through acquisitions in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
What Pet Owners Should Know
- Despite branding as “different,” VetPartners is owned by private equity
- Individual practices may retain their names but are part of a corporate group
- The BC Partners ownership means focus on financial returns