Who is VetPartners? What UK pet owners should know

VetPartners is one of the six major UK corporate veterinary groups named by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Founded in 2015, it has grown into a large network of small-animal, mixed and equine practices — often keeping familiar local names on the door. If you are comparing vets, knowing VetPartners exists helps you interpret that branding, but it does not tell you whether a specific clinic is the best fit.

This guide explains VetPartners for pet owners in plain language. It is informational only — not veterinary, legal or financial advice.

Source note: Ownership facts are from BC Partners' portfolio page and VetPartners corporate materials. Revenue figures come from secondary reporting summarising filed accounts (FY2025 revenue £870m). Clinic counts are cited from BC Partners (350+) and VetPartners' own site where noted. Check primary sources for the latest figures.

Who VetPartners is

VetPartners is a UK veterinary group founded in 2015, starting from a small number of practices including Minster Vets in York. According to VetPartners' about page, the group has grown into a network spanning small-animal, equine, farm, mixed and referral sites, plus related businesses such as nursing schools and laboratories.

For most pet owners, the relevant part is first-opinion small-animal practice — the type of clinic you visit for routine care, vaccinations and illness. VetPartners positions itself as vet-led, with central support for finance, HR and marketing while practices retain local identity.

Who owns VetPartners

VetPartners was acquired by BC Funds / BC Partners in November 2018, as described on BC Partners' portfolio page. BC Partners is a global private equity firm; VetPartners is privately held under that ownership structure.

Private equity backing typically means growth capital and group-level strategy sit with institutional investors and executive leadership. That can influence central procurement, clinical networks, branding policy and expansion pace. It does not automatically determine how your local vet communicates or prices services.

See Major UK vet groups explained for how VetPartners compares with listed and other PE-backed groups.

Scale in the UK

Scale figures vary by source and definition:

• BC Partners describes VetPartners as operating more than 350 clinics on its portfolio page (investor-facing summary).
• VetPartners' corporate site refers to over 500 diverse practices and related businesses across the UK (broader count including equine, farm and non-clinic operations).

Secondary reporting summarising filed accounts at Companies House referred to FY2025 revenue of approximately £870 million for VetPartners Group Limited. That revenue figure is from secondary databases interpreting public filings — confirm via official accounts on Companies House where you need precision.

WisePet's VetPartners dashboard shows how many practices we currently match in our dataset. Our count may differ from company or investor totals depending on timing and methodology.

Names you may see locally

VetPartners often keeps local trading names rather than rebranding every acquired practice as "VetPartners." You might see:

• A long-established local practice name on signage and letterhead
• VetPartners mentioned in website footers, privacy policies or careers pages
• Mixed, equine or farm brands in rural areas alongside small-animal clinics

This is why the CMA emphasised ownership transparency: a practice that looks independent may still be part of VetPartners. Use our ownership lookup, check website policies or ask the practice directly.

CMA context

The CMA named VetPartners among six large corporate groups in the UK first-opinion veterinary market. CMA materials report significant consolidation — corporate share of UK practices rose from around 10% in 2013 to over 60% — and that many pet owners were unaware of group ownership.

The investigation addressed market transparency and competition, not whether VetPartners or any group delivers better clinical care. Remedies include clearer ownership disclosure. See CMA vet reforms explained.

What this means for pet owners

1. Ownership alone does not tell you whether a practice is good, bad, cheap or expensive — assess your local clinic on its own factors.
2. Local names can mask group ownership — check labels and policies, not just signage.
3. Ask about decision-making — how pricing, prescriptions, referrals and complaints routes work locally versus at group level.
4. Nearby VetPartners sites may share group resources — useful context when comparing choice in your area.
5. Combine ownership with price comparison — see Who owns your local vet practice? and Compare clinics.

Related reading

• Major UK vet groups explained — cluster hub comparing all six CMA-named groups
• Who is Linnaeus? — Mars Veterinary Health group in the UK
• Who is CVS Group? — publicly listed UK veterinary company

Practical next steps

• Open the VetPartners ownership dashboard for dataset counts and search.
• Use Search clinics or Compare clinics to review local options.
• Read Questions to ask before agreeing to vet treatment before major decisions.
• If our ownership label looks incorrect, report a correction.