Vet group’s European conquests continue, as it snaps up Spanish practices
A Spanish veterinary practice has become the first in the country to join York-headquartered VetPartners.
Praxia, a referral practice specialising in various fields, including cardiology and orthopaedics, based in Elche, Alicante, is the Yorkshire-based veterinary group’s founding Spanish practice.
The acquisition has been swiftly followed by a second practice, after Medican Veterinary Center in Madrid also joined VetPartners.
Established in 2001, the practice boasts a fully equipped laboratory, full surgical suite, diagnostic imaging suite, including endoscopy and laparoscopy, digital radiology, ultrasound suite and echocardiography facilities.
Praxia works with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Murcia and provides residencies in various specialities, including cardiology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, oncology and surgery.
The practice was previously owned by Rafael Garcia, head of cardiorespiratory disease service, and Julio Conde, a small animal surgery certificate holder.
Medican Veterinary Center has an operating room with a team providing emergency, ultrasound, ophthalmologist, cardiologist and dental services.
VetPartners’ operations and expansion in Spain is overseen by managing director Augusto Macias, a vet who also has 30 years’ experience in business as a brand manager and marketing director for pet food manufacturer Gallina Blanca Purina and director general of Kivet.
Amid VetPartners’ expansion across the UK, Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany, Macias believes there is also huge potential for more growth in Spain.
He said: “We aim to make VetPartners clinics and hospitals a great place to work, where all team members, veterinarians, assistants and support staff, are respected as people, so that we can achieve a positive work environment.
“VetPartners understands the DNA of each veterinary clinic and hospital and bring human, financial and resources to these practices, always with respect for the people and the veterinary professional.”
The VetPartners family has now expanded into Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany.
The business was founded by CEO Jo Malone in 2015 and it has 188 small animal, mixed, farm and equine practices in the UK employing more than 7,000 people across nearly 550 sites.
It first expanded into mainland Europe in 2019 with the acquisition of practices in Italy.
