Back to search
đź”´ PRIVATE EQUITY OWNED
VCA Animal Hospitals
veterinary · Los Angeles, CA
PE Firm
Mars, Inc.
Year Acquired
2017
“Mars bought your vet, your pet food, and your pet insurance. Guess who sets the prices.”
The PE Playbook
- •Mars acquired VCA for $9.1 billion in 2017; FTC required divestiture of 12 clinics, warning the deal 'likely leads to higher prices'
- •Mars now controls 16%+ of total veterinary market and over 66% of emergency/specialty vet care in markets like Seattle
- •Better Business Bureau gave VCA a D- rating due to hundreds of unresolved complaints about unexpected charges
- •California Veterinary Medical Board records include complaints of negligence, altered records, and improper anesthesia
Since the Acquisition
- â–¸FTC warned the Mars acquisition 'would likely lead to higher prices for pet owners and lower quality' in vet services
- ▸VCA holds a 1.8-star rating with 77% unfavorable reviews — 30% specifically flag pricing as an issue
- â–¸Widespread reports of aggressive upselling on unnecessary tests, with pet owners describing emotionally manipulative pressure to approve expensive diagnostics
- â–¸Mars now controls over 2,500 vet clinics in the US (VCA + Banfield + BluePearl), prompting a 2024 Senate investigation