27 Oct 2021
“We are delighted to welcome Goddard Veterinary Group to our family of practices because we share many of the same values” – VetPartners chief executive Jo Malone.
James Westgate
Job Title
Main image © TSUNG-LIN WU / Adobe Stock
One of the UK’s largest independent veterinary practices has been acquired by VetPartners.
VetPartners has announced today (27 October) that it has bought family owned business, Goddard Veterinary Group, which was founded by veterinary surgeon Arthur Goddard in 1952.
Under the leadership of Mr Goddard’s son Philip, the practice group has grown into one of the largest in the south-east, with three RCVS Tier 3 hospitals and 44 further sites in and around Greater London.
Goddard Veterinary Group employs around 450 members of staff – including 102 vets and 116 RVNs – who were informed of the sale at a meeting on Tuesday (26 October).
Philip Goddard said: “It has been my privilege to have been at the helm of Goddard Veterinary Group for the past 30 years, but Goddard Veterinary Group is not about me.
“I took over the stewardship from my father, who many may remember. As a custodian, I have tried to maintain his ethos and values. However, with the consolidation of the market, and due to recent health considerations, we as a group decided that we needed to join forces with another group, ideally with an inspirational leader who shares the same aims and vision of Goddard Veterinary Group.
“The view of the management team was totally unanimous that the best candidate, who we felt would support our principles, our staff and our clients, and provide the necessary reinvestment in the business, as well as look after our patients in the way we have done for decades, is Jo Malone at VetPartners.”
VetPartners was founded by Mrs Malone in 2015 and has 160 small animal, mixed, farm and equine practices, employing more than 6,000 people across nearly 600 sites in the UK from its headquarters in York.
She said: “We are delighted to welcome Goddard Veterinary Group to our family of practices because we share many of the same values. Like Goddard’s team, we believe that people are our greatest asset and we are dedicated to providing the best possible care of pets and an excellent service for clients.”
Since its foundation, VetPartners has diversified and now includes pet cremation services, an online retailer, a small animal veterinary nursing school, an equine nursing school, laboratories and a locum agency.
The firm has also been increasing its footprint in Europe, recently announcing the acquisition of its first practice in Germany having already expanded into Italy and France.
VetPartners was acquired for £720 million in 2018 by private equity firm BC Capital, a British international investment firm with almost £30 billion of assets under management across private equity, credit and real estate in Europe and North America.
