1 Dec 2020
“We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues, and these fantastic and highly respected referral practices, into the Linnaeus family…” – Bart Johnson, Linnaeus chief executive.
James Westgate
Job Title
Peter Pritchard, Pets at Home chief executive.
Linnaeus has announced that – subject to completion – it will acquire Pets at Home’s specialist division of five veterinary referral practices.
The announcement will see Anderson Moores, Dick White Referrals, Northwest Veterinary Specialists, Eye Vet, Veterinary Specialists Scotland and almost 680 staff join the Mars-owned company.
All services will retain their existing branding and will initially continue with business as usual, with all staff transferring to Linnaeus after completion.
Bart Johnson, chief executive of Linnaeus, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues, and these fantastic and highly respected referral practices, into the Linnaeus family and to grow our offering further, taking another step towards making an even better world for pets.”
Alejandro Bernal, president of Mars Veterinary Health International, said: “Pet care has been an important part of Mars for more than 80 years, and this strategic acquisition reaffirms our commitment both to the pet care industry and veterinary profession.”
In a separate deal, Pets at Home has announced it is acquiring The Vet Connection (TVC), the UK’s largest independent veterinary telehealth provider, for £15 million.
TVC works with independent and corporate brands to provide a customisable range of solutions, from video consultations and live web chat to bereavement support.
Pets at Home is initially planning to pilot this service within a selection of company-owned practices, with the potential to also offer this service within its JVP estate.
Peter Pritchard, group chief executive, said: “The acquisition of TVC marks an important next step in the development of our digital capabilities, providing trusted advice and even more convenient pet care services.
“We have followed its business for a number of years, and know Jamie Moodie and the team well, and we recognise its exceptional telehealth capabilities and excellent service levels, as well as the opportunities arising from the scalability of its clinical protocols and proprietary telehealth platform.”
