PETS Referral Center

What PETS Referral Center does

PETS Referral Center is a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital headquartered at 1048 University Avenue in Berkeley, California, founded in 1979 and operating as a subsidiary of United Veterinary Care. The practice serves pet owners across the Bay Area and acts as a referral destination for primary care veterinarians in the region. Its patient base spans dogs, cats, pocket pets, birds, reptiles, and other exotic species.

The clinical portfolio comprises five board-certified specialty disciplines — Ophthalmology, Surgery, Radiology, Oncology, and Exotic Animal Medicine — along with continuous emergency and ICU coverage. Diagnostic capability is anchored in in-house digital radiography, ultrasound, and CT scanning available seven days a week, supporting surgical offerings that include soft tissue surgery, minimally invasive laparoscopy/arthroscopy/thoracoscopy, and advanced orthopedics (TPLO, cruciate repair, fracture repair). A team of diplomates from the American Colleges of Veterinary Ophthalmology, Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Radiology, Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology), and Zoological Medicine underpins service delivery.

Commercially, PETS operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and referral-based model. Pet families can self-present for 24/7 emergency walk-in care (with triage on arrival and an online pre-registration form) or request scheduled specialty appointments through online forms, while primary care veterinarians refer patients via a dedicated referral program with structured record-return protocols. Revenue is generated predominantly through professional-services fees for emergency visits, specialty consultations, imaging, surgery, and chemotherapy, with payment required at the time of service and CareCredit accepted alongside major credit cards. Pricing for exams is described on the company website as "reasonable" but is not publicly disclosed in dollar terms. Charitable activity runs through a partnership with the Veterinary Care Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that directs 100% of donations to patient care.

Name

PETS Referral Center

Legal name

PETS Referral Center

Website

https://petsreferralcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

PETS Referral Center is a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Berkeley, California, serving Bay Area pet owners and primary care veterinarians with board-certified specialists in ophthalmology, surgery, radiology, oncology, and exotic animal medicine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Specialty Referral Hospitals (Multi-specialty) (HLAMACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Imaging Centers (Radiology, Ultrasound, CT/MRI) (HLAMADAH), Veterinary Imaging, Surgery & Specialty Referral Centers (AFAEANAG)

Keywords

• Emergency veterinary services
• Specialty veterinary care
• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Veterinary surgery services
• Veterinary oncology ophthalmology

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Emergency Veterinary Services: 24/7 emergency care for pets requiring urgent medical attention. Services include examination, diagnostics, and treatment. Payment is required at time of service.
2. Specialty Veterinary Services: Scheduled specialty appointments in radiology, surgery, oncology, ophthalmology, and exotic animal care. Board-certified specialists provide advanced diagnostic and treatment services.
3. Diagnostic Imaging Services: Advanced imaging services including ultrasound, CT, and radiography performed by board-certified radiologists 7 days a week.
4. Medication and Refill Services: Prescription medications dispensed directly from PETS and prescribed through compounding pharmacies. Some medications require exams and labwork within 3-6 months for refills.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PETS Referral Center is a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Berkeley, California that provides emergency and critical care, advanced diagnostic imaging, surgery, oncology, ophthalmology, and exotic pet services. Care is delivered by board-certified specialists and emergency doctors with support from in-house radiography, ultrasound, and CT capabilities. The hospital serves both direct pet-owner clients and primary care veterinarians who refer complex cases.

Product overview

PETS Referral Center is a 24/7 emergency and specialty veterinary hospital in Berkeley, California. The center offers a comprehensive portfolio of veterinary services including 24/7 Emergency Services, Radiology (ultrasound, CT, radiography), Surgery (soft tissue, minimally invasive, and orthopedic procedures), Oncology (cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy), Ophthalmology (eye care and surgery), and Exotic Pet Services. All services are supported by in-house diagnostics, board-certified specialists across multiple disciplines, and state-of-the-art equipment. The center serves as a referral partner for primary veterinarians and provides continuous care through its emergency and critical care team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 ER Services Round-the-clock emergency veterinary care for pets, staffed by skilled doctors and registered veterinary technicians providing advanced care for urgent illnesses and serious injuries.
• Radiology Services Advanced diagnostic imaging including ultrasound, CT, and radiography available 7 days a week, led by board-certified veterinary radiologists for precise diagnostics.
• Surgery Services Veterinary surgical procedures including soft tissue surgeries, minimally invasive surgeries (laparoscopy, arthroscopy, thoracoscopy), and advanced orthopedics such as TPLO, cruciate repair, and fracture repair.
• Oncology Services Cancer diagnosis and treatment by board-certified veterinary oncologists combining advanced diagnostics, personalized treatment plans, and chemotherapy with compassionate, family-centered care.
• Ophthalmology Services Comprehensive eye care for pets including diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions, cataract surgery, and emergency services for urgent eye concerns, delivered by board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists.
• Exotic Pet Services Specialized veterinary care for exotic pets including pocket pets, birds, and reptiles, delivered by board-certified specialists in zoological medicine.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving tens of thousands of pets annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Veterinary Care FoundationminorOthersThe Veterinary Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. PETS Referral Center partners with this foundation to accept donations that help care for pets and their people. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of every contribution goes directly to pet care.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG): Emergency-focused veterinary hospital chain with open-floor care model and 24/7 availability. Comparable to PETS' ER side though less specialty depth; relevant competitor for emergency cases in the Bay Area.
• SAGE Veterinary Centers: Multi-location specialty and emergency veterinary practice on the West Coast offering surgery, oncology, internal medicine, and emergency care. Closely comparable multi-specialty referral model with similar service lines.
• MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets: Network of specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals offering oncology, surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, and imaging. Closely mirrors PETS' multi-specialty referral positioning at larger scale.
• BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital: Multi-specialty veterinary hospitals combining 24/7 emergency with board-certified specialties (oncology, surgery, internal medicine, radiology). Directly comparable to PETS in service mix and referral-driven model, with substantially broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Adobe Animal Hospital: Bay Area 24/7 veterinary hospital offering specialty, emergency, and primary care. Comparable to PETS in scope (multi-specialty + 24/7 ER) and directly competes for South Bay and Peninsula referrals.
• Pacific & Santa Cruz Veterinary Specialists: Northern California specialty referral practice offering surgery, internal medicine, oncology, and emergency services. Comparable specialty service mix and competes for referrals from the same regional primary-care veterinarian base.
• Pet Emergency & Specialty Center of Marin: Bay Area 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital offering surgery, internal medicine, oncology, and imaging. Comparable specialty/ER service mix and directly competes for North Bay referrals adjacent to PETS' Berkeley territory.

Broad incumbents

• United Veterinary Care: Parent organization of PETS Referral Center and operator of a network of veterinary hospitals. Comparable in operating model and offers insight into group-level procurement, marketing, and expansion strategy.
• NVA (National Veterinary Associates) / Compassion-First: Large consolidator operating general, specialty, and emergency veterinary hospitals across the U.S. Competes for talent, referrals, and pet-owner mind share in the Bay Area specialty/ER market.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: Largest U.S. veterinary hospital network (owned by Mars Veterinary Health) combining general practice, specialty, and emergency. Competes with PETS for specialty referrals and emergency cases in the Bay Area with much broader geographic coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/petsberkeley
• Facebookfacebook.com/petsreferralcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pets-referral-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PETS Referral Center