Petco announced plans to more than double its count of full-service in-store vet hospitals by the end of 2019.
The company is adding three regional veterinary partners: Global Veterinary Partners (GVP), based in Weston, FL; VitalPet, based in Houston, TX; and VetnCare, based in Oakland, CA.
In addition to these new partnerships, Petco is expanding operations with existing partners Thrive Affordable Vet Care and The Pet Vet. Those companies have partnered with Petco since 2017 and 2009, respectively, to open the more than 50 veterinary hospitals within Petco stores in Texas, California, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Utah, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.
“The growth of in-store veterinary hospitals at Petco is part of our commitment to driving positive change in the overall health and wellness of pets,” said Dr. Whitney Miller, director of veterinary medicine at Petco. “By partnering with regional veterinary providers, including their respective networks of seasoned professionals, we can provide more pets and pet parents with convenient access to affordable, high-quality veterinary care, ultimately encouraging a deeper, more meaningful pet parent/vet relationship. Based on the success of our existing partnerships, our go-forward vet services strategy will continue to leverage this local partner model.”
With the addition of these three new partners, by the end of 2019 Petco will offer full-service veterinary services across 21 states, including Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. In the coming years, the company plans to identify additional markets and expand based on consumer needs.
“At Petco our ultimate goal is for every pet and their parent to have a lifelong relationship with a veterinarian, and expanding our network brings us one step closer to making that possible for all pet parents,” said Miller.