Independent vets
Independent vets are in a sharp decline throughout the UK with independent veterinary practices increasingly harder to find and this has become a cause for concern for many pet owners who are obliged to rely on corporately owned veterinary group practices. Many have complained that shopping around and getting reliable information about paying for vet services is much more difficult than it should be.
So much so that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) became aware of these concerns as far back as 2023 with over 56,000 people complaining to them over the loss of independent vets possibly leading to overpriced medicines, unnecessary treatments, and the lack of basic information such as price lists. In summary many pet owners believed they are being exposed to bad practices.
As a result, the CMA published an 80-page report on the 23rd of May 2024 under the title “Veterinary Services for Household Pets in the UK – Decision to make a market investigation reference” indicating that they shared these concerns over possible lack of competition in the sector. They intended to investigate.
Corporate veterinary practices versus independent vets
Looking back as recently as 2013 most veterinary practices were independent and the independent vet who treated your pet most was also the owner as groups represented only 10% of practices. In the following years, this situation changed significantly with corporate bodies buying out many independent practices to the point where we now have over 60 percent of veterinary practices owned by one of these conglomerates.
The six largest veterinary corporations in the UK are said to be IVC Evidensia (operating in 17 countries), CVS Group, (500 practices, 2,300 veterinary surgeons and 3,200 nurses), Linnaeus part of Mars Veterinary Health and owned by Mars Petcare with 3,000 veterinary clinics worldwide), Medivet (350 veterinary practices in the UK), Pets at Home (444 veterinary practices), and VetPartners (acquired by BCEC X in 2018) with over 400 practices.
That leaves only an estimated two thousand independent vets currently trading, and this number will certainly continue to decline.
So, what is the attraction?
It is not hard to see the attraction of the veterinary market (not to mention pet food too!) to the international corporate world.
According to UK Pet Food Pet Population Data* for 2024 there are 13.5 million dogs in the UK with 36% of households having at least one, followed by 12.5 million cats living with 29% of households. In addition, there are 1.5 million birds, 1.3 million domestic fowl and a million rabbits. So, the sheer scale of the pet market is just too enticing an opportunity not to be exploited.
So why are independent vets on the decline.
It is my understanding that traditionally a young vet would find a practice they liked, work their way up in seniority over the years knowing that they would, in all probability, purchase the practice from the retiring owner. Not unlike many fictional TV series I am sure you are familiar with.
This all changed in 1999 when the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 was amended to allow non-vets to legally own veterinary practices. Prior to this, only qualified and licensed veterinarians were permitted to own practices. And it is this change that paved the way for corporate groups to purchase and operate veterinary practices.
The sums that any of these corporate groups can offer a retiring vet for his or her practice appear to be far in excess of the funding that an employee can hope to raise, and can you really blame anyone who has worked hard all of their lives from not accepting the best financial offer available to them when retiring. I am fairly sure what decision I would make in a comparable situation.
So, the traditional approach has now been irreversibly broken, and independent vets are on the decline. But need this be so!
The desire to be an independent vet.
I spent a few years working in the corporate world and in truth I would not have missed it for the world as I learnt so much. But that said, being of an independent spirit I eventually wanted to be my own boss, set my own rules, take control of my life, and run my own business even though fully expecting both good times and tough times. And many young and middle-aged vets suddenly catapulted into corporate life soon tire of it.
The problem currently being the enormous cost and commitment of setting up a new business in fixed premises. Punitive deposits and long-term leases are a formative barrier. In some locations simply prohibitive. And this is how the concept of the independent mobile veterinary practices has come about. Multi Vehicle Technology Ltd with their ANIMEDIX range of mobile veterinary surgeries and veterinary home visit vehicles provides budding veterinary entrepreneurs with the means to set up their own independent business at a fraction of the cost and commitment.
The independent vet can set their own prices, set their own working practices and work to the standards and ethics that they wish too, being no longer bound to rigid corporate diktat. No longer having to achieve onerous sales targets designed to maintain share prices. Yes, I have been there and after a while it can be sole destroying for many!
The result being that all ANIMEDIX based veterinary practices I know of have flourished with pet owners preferring to have their pets treated on a more personal basis.
All said and done though, to be fair, the corporate approach does provide quite a few benefits to the profession so its not all black and white. But for the individual independently minded vet it probably is!
A range of likely changes are possible.
The CMA is scheduled to publish a Provisional Decision in July 2025 following up with a Final Decision in November 2025.
What may they propose?
Medicines could be subject to a price cap.
Better disclosure of prices for prescriptions, treatments, surgery, and out-of-hours help – on websites and prior to booking an appointment.
There could also be a cap placed on the mark-up that vets put on cremations and other services.
Any link identified between treatments given and staff bonuses which lead to unsuitable treatment will be investigated and if such is taking place will no doubt be curtailed.
At the time of writing this blog we do not have too long to wait so let us see what happens.
ANIMEDIX Veterinary Vehicles are ideal for independent vets
The wide range of bespoke veterinary vehicles including mobile veterinary surgeries, home visit care vehicles and pet transporters are manufactured to a vets individual specifications by Multi Vehicle Technology Ltd. Based in Leicester the Company is well respected for the specialist vehicles it produces including mobile libraries, security vehicles and healthcare mobiles.
For more information about the ANIMEDIX range you can call them on 0116 326 1802 or visit their website at www.animedix.co.uk
Author: Emily Gibson is a pet owner interested in animal welfare issues.
* https://ukpetfood-reports.co.uk/#2024-welcome
