Vets Now

Who owns Vets Now?

Vets Now is owned by IVC Evidensia, the UK’s largest veterinary group, which is itself private-equity-backed — led by the Swedish investor EQT, alongside Silver Lake, Nestlé and other co-investors. Vets Now joined the IVC group in December 2018.

Founded in 2001 by vet Richard Dixon, Vets Now is the country’s largest dedicated out-of-hours (OOH) emergency provider — distinct from a first-opinion chain. It runs around 60 out-of-hours clinics plus two 24/7 pet emergency hospitals in Glasgow and Manchester, and provides overnight and weekend cover for many first-opinion practices across the UK.

Why ownership matters here

• Vets Now mostly provides emergency and critical care when your day-time vet is closed — so the practice you use in a crisis may be corporate-owned even if your regular vet is independent.
• The CMA’s investigation specifically scrutinised out-of-hours provision, naming the difficulty first-opinion practices face switching OOH providers as a consumer concern in its March 2026 final report.
• As part of IVC Evidensia, Vets Now sits within a private-equity-backed group that expects a financial return — a factor worth understanding when comparing emergency options.

What pet owners should know

• In an emergency, you may have little choice over which OOH provider your vet uses; it’s worth asking your day-time practice who covers their out-of-hours care.
• Costs for emergency and overnight care are typically higher than routine visits, regardless of provider.

Sources

• IVC Evidensia — Vets Now joins the IVC group
• EQT — IVC Evidensia portfolio
• Vets Now — about / find an emergency vet
• CMA — veterinary services market investigation

Clinic and hospital counts are approximate and based on the company’s own current figures.