Animal Trust
Animal Trust is a UK not-for-profit Community Interest Company operating 17 veterinary practices across Northern England, Wales, and Scotland, delivering free consultations, fixed transparent pricing, and 24/7 Pet A&E services to general pet owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersEllesmere Port, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Animal Trust does
Animal Trust (legal name: Animal Trust Vets CIC) is a UK Community Interest Company that operates a network of 16 directly owned veterinary practices across Northern England, Wales, and Scotland, helping more than 20,000 pets per month. The company delivers general practice care (vaccinations, neutering, dentistry, diagnostics, surgery), 24/7 emergency Pet A&E services across five hospital locations (Bolton, Barnsley, Ellesmere Port, Shrewsbury, Teesside), and a referral service for complex orthopaedic, soft tissue, and CT-imaging cases referred from both internal and external veterinary practices. Facilities are equipped with digital X-ray, ultrasound, CT scanners (Bolton and Ellesmere Port), in-house laboratories, and surgical theatres; CT scanning is priced at £1,019 for one body location and £350 for each additional location.
The business model rests on a fixed, transparent pricing architecture that bundles surgery with pre-operative blood work, up to 48 hours of hospitalisation, and post-operative medication, supplemented by a £19.50/month PawAssist pet health plan subscription providing free vaccinations, parasite control, prescriptions, and lab tests for subscribers. Free 15-minute consultations during working hours and a £125 fixed-cost Help with Complications Promise for post-surgical complications anchor the affordability positioning. The My Animal Trust customer portal supports online registration, appointment booking, and repeat prescription requests.
Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer across the owned practice network; external veterinary practices also refer complex cases into the referral centres. Animal Trust is a not-for-profit social enterprise that reinvests profits into services rather than distributing them, holds RCVS Practice Standards accreditation across all sites, and operates with no sales targets for clinical staff — these structural choices underpin the brand promise of affordable, mission-led veterinary care.
Animal Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Animal Trust
- Legal name
- Animal Trust Vets CIC
- Website
- https://animaltrust.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Animal Trust is a UK not-for-profit Community Interest Company operating 17 veterinary practices across Northern England, Wales, and Scotland, delivering free consultations, fixed transparent pricing, and 24/7 Pet A&E services to general pet owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Animal Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veterinary Services
- NAICS
- Veterinary Services (541940)
- SIC
- Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Practice Veterinary Clinics (Wellness & Primary Care) (HLAMAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Veterinary Specialty Referral Hospitals (Multi-specialty) (HLAMACAB), Referral, Collaboration & Care Coordination Networks (Specialist Referrals, Record Sharing) (HLAMAGAJ), Veterinary Imaging, Surgery & Specialty Referral Centers (AFAEANAG)
Keywords
Where Animal Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ellesmere Port
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices17 records
Markets served
Animal Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- PawAssist Pet Health Plan Subscription: Monthly subscription at £19.50 providing free annual vaccinations, free parasite medication, free prescriptions (saving £27 per medication), free in-house lab tests (two per year), free eye tests, and free insurance processing. Generates predictable recurring revenue and incentivises ongoing care at Animal Trust practices.
- Veterinary Consultation and Treatment Fees: Free consultations for sick and injured pets during working hours. Revenue generated from diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, inpatient care, medications, vaccinations, and other clinical services. Pricing is transparent and fixed-price, with surgical prices including surgery, pre-operative blood tests, up to 48 hours hospitalisation, and post-operative medication.
- Out-of-Hours Emergency Supplement: A £79 out-of-hours emergency consultation supplement is charged at Pet A&E hospitals outside normal working hours, in addition to standard treatment and hospital care pricing.
- Prescription and Dispensing Fees: Prescription fee of £27 per medication item prescribed. PawAssist subscribers receive prescriptions free as part of their subscription. Postal delivery for repeat prescriptions available for £5.50.
- Diagnostic Imaging Services: Revenue from CT scans (£1,019 for one body location, £350 for additional locations), X-rays, ultrasound scans, blood profiles, and comprehensive diagnostics packages. Available at hospital locations (Bolton and Ellesmere Port for CT).
- Surgical Procedures: Fixed-price surgical procedures including neutering (£100–£310), dentistry (£419), orthopaedic surgery (£1,779–£2,019), spinal surgery (£3,559), and abdominal/chest/throat surgeries. Prices are all-inclusive covering anaesthesia, pain relief, medication, and most follow-up care.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free consultations for all sick and injured pets during working hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pet A&E out-of-hours emergency consultation supplement |
| Subscription | Monthly | PawAssist Pet Health Plan - monthly subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vaccinations - booster and full courses |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Neutering procedures |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dentistry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CT scan imaging |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Inpatient hospital care |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Orthopaedic surgery |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spinal surgery |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Prescription fee (non-PawAssist) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Euthanasia and cremation services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Diagnostics package |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Animal Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Animal Trust is a not-for-profit veterinary social enterprise operating 17 practice locations across the UK that delivers affordable general veterinary care, 24/7 emergency services, advanced referral surgery, and diagnostic imaging for companion animals. The company offers free 15-minute consultations during working hours, transparent fixed-price surgery packages, a £19.50/month PawAssist preventive care subscription, and accepts external vet referrals for complex cases at fixed below-market rates.
Product overview
Animal Trust is a UK-based not-for-profit veterinary social enterprise operating 17 practices across England, Wales, and Scotland. The company offers a unified veterinary care platform centered on free consultations, 24/7 emergency Pet A&E services, general practice care, and referral services. Key products include the PawAssist subscription health plan (£19.50/month), My Animal Trust digital portal for online appointments and repeat prescriptions, and CT scanning at hospital locations. The model emphasizes affordable, transparent pricing with no profit motive, reinvesting earnings back into services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PawAssist: Pet health plan subscription service offering savings on medications, vaccines, lab tests, and parasite control for £19.50/month
- Pet A&E
- Paw Referrals
Products and services
- Pet A&E (Accident and Emergency) 24/7 emergency veterinary service providing urgent treatment, emergency surgery, inpatient hospital care and stabilisation at five dedicated hospital locations (Bolton, Barnsley, Ellesmere Port, Shrewsbury, Teesside, with Warrington launching July 2026). Open to all pets whether registered or not; non-registered and out-of-hours cases pay a £79 supplement on top of normal daytime pricing.
- General Practice Care Full-service general practice veterinary care including free 15-minute consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dentistry, X-rays, ultrasound, blood tests, endoscopy, general surgery, soft tissue surgery, ENT surgery, eye surgery, and tumour removal. Delivered across all 17 Animal Trust practice locations for cats, dogs, rabbits, and other companion animals.
- Referral Care Services (Paw Referrals) Advanced veterinary care for complex cases (orthopaedic surgery including TPLO/CWO cruciate repair and fracture repair, spinal surgery, soft tissue surgery, CT imaging, advanced medical investigations) provided at referral centres in Barnsley, Bolton, Ellesmere Port, Shrewsbury, Teesside and Warrington. Accepts both internal Animal Trust patients and external veterinary practice referrals via a structured referral form. Includes the Help with Complications Promise covering further treatment at a fixed £125 after surgery at Animal Trust.
- PawAssist Pet Health Plan Monthly subscription health plan at £19.50/month (12-month minimum) providing free annual vaccinations, free comprehensive parasite medication, free prescriptions, two free in-house lab tests per year, free eye tests, and free insurance processing for enrolled pet owners. Designed to make preventive pet healthcare budgetable, with PawAssist subscribers saving £206+ on a single treatment course versus paying per service.
- CT Scanning (Diagnostic Imaging) Advanced CT diagnostic imaging for complex internal diagnoses and surgical planning, available on-site at the Bolton and Ellesmere Port practices. Priced at £1,019 for one body location and £350 for each additional body location.
- My Animal Trust Online Portal Online customer portal accessible 24/7 enabling pet owners to register with Animal Trust, book appointments online, request repeat medications, manage written prescriptions, upload clinical history, and access their pet's account. The portal underpins the digital customer journey for all practice services.
- Repeat Medication Service Online self-service medication request and postal delivery service available via the My Animal Trust account, allowing pet owners to order repeat prescriptions and written prescriptions (which can be taken to another pharmacy), with postal delivery of repeat prescriptions available for £5.50.
- Free Veterinary Consultations Free 15-minute consultations with a qualified vet for sick and injured pets during normal working hours at all 17 Animal Trust practice locations, open to all pet owners regardless of registration status. Removes the cost barrier to seeking professional veterinary advice and serves as the entry point into Animal Trust's clinical pathway.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20,000+ pets helped per month across all locations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Animal Trust
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Animal Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Animal Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Campbell & Galloway Vets GlasgowcoreCampbell & Galloway Vets Glasgow joined the Animal Trust family, with the same trusted team continuing to serve the Glasgow community under the Animal Trust brand. Previously an independent practice, the acquisition expanded Animal Trust's geographic reach into Scotland. The clinic offers the full Animal Trust model of affordable, free consultation-based GP veterinary care in Ibrox, Glasgow.
- Emergency Vets GlasgowminorEmergency Vets Glasgow (64 Workzone, 37 Rosyth Rd, G5 0YD) provides out-of-hours emergency care for pets when Animal Trust Glasgow's practice is closed (18:30–08:30 Monday–Saturday, all day Sunday). Ensures continuous emergency cover for Glasgow-area pet owners.
- Vets Now GlasgowminorVets Now Glasgow (123 North St, G3 7DA) provides out-of-hours emergency care for pets when Animal Trust Glasgow's practice is closed. An alternative emergency care provider ensuring Glasgow pet owners have access to urgent care 24/7.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Animal Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CVS Group: UK-listed veterinary services group operating a large network of small animal practices, referral hospitals, and diagnostic laboratories. Highly comparable to Animal Trust across general practice, referral, and emergency service lines, with overlapping customer segments.
- IVC Evidensia: Largest UK and European veterinary group, owned by EQT, combining general practice clinics with multi-specialty referral hospitals. Directly comparable in service breadth (GP + referral + emergency) though operating a profit-driven rather than CIC model.
- Medivet: UK-wide veterinary group offering general practice, specialist referral, and 24/7 emergency care through a hub-and-spoke model. Closely comparable network structure, with shared specialist referral centres supporting surrounding GP clinics — analogous to Animal Trust's A&E + referral hospital architecture.
- VetPartners: Large UK and European veterinary group combining small animal general practices with specialist referral hospitals. Comparable multi-site, multi-service model, though operating as a PE-backed consolidator rather than a community interest company.
- Vets4Pets (Pets at Home): UK high-street veterinary chain operated under the Pets at Home umbrella, offering general practice services inside or adjacent to pet superstores. Directly comparable in serving the broad general-public pet owner segment with value-oriented positioning.
- Vets Now: UK's leading dedicated out-of-hours and emergency veterinary care provider, with hospital and clinic locations across the country. Highly comparable to Animal Trust's Pet A&E service line and an active partner/competitor in emergency cover at several Animal Trust sites.
- Linnaeus: UK network of primary care practices and specialist referral hospitals, owned by Mars Petcare. Directly comparable on advanced referral services (orthopaedics, imaging, internal medicine) that overlap with Animal Trust's Paw Referrals and CT offerings.
- Goddard Veterinary Group: Long-established London and South East veterinary group with GP practices and a flagship RCVS-tier 3 hospital. Comparable multi-service veterinary model, though geographically weighted to the South where Animal Trust is absent.
- Village Vet: London and Home Counties veterinary group owned by Linnaeus/Mars, combining GP clinics with a 24/7 hospital in Hampstead. Comparable integrated GP-plus-emergency service model, focused in regions Animal Trust does not currently serve.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Cross: UK animal welfare charity operating veterinary services for eligible low-income pet owners. Comparable mission-driven, not-for-profit ethos and provision of subsidised veterinary care, though targeted at a narrower beneficiary segment than Animal Trust's general public.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Animal Trust social profiles
Digital presenceAnimal Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Animal Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Animal Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Animal Trust subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Animal Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Animal Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Animal Trust
What does Animal Trust do?
Animal Trust is a not-for-profit veterinary social enterprise operating 17 practice locations across the UK that delivers affordable general veterinary care, 24/7 emergency services, advanced referral surgery, and diagnostic imaging for companion animals. The company offers free 15-minute consultations during working hours, transparent fixed-price surgery packages, a £19.50/month PawAssist preventive care subscription, and accepts external vet referrals for complex cases at fixed below-market rates.
Is Animal Trust a public or private company?
Animal Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Animal Trust founded?
Animal Trust was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Animal Trust based?
Animal Trust is headquartered in Ellesmere Port, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Animal Trust make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. PawAssist Pet Health Plan Subscription is the primary driver. The others are veterinary Consultation and Treatment Fees, out-of-Hours Emergency Supplement, prescription and Dispensing Fees, diagnostic Imaging Services and surgical Procedures.
Who are Animal Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CVS Group, IVC Evidensia, Medivet, VetPartners, Vets4Pets (Pets at Home), Vets Now, Linnaeus, Goddard Veterinary Group and Village Vet. Blue Cross is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Animal Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Animal Trust.
What industry is Animal Trust in?
Animal Trust's product category is Veterinary Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAMAAAA, General Practice Veterinary Clinics (Wellness & Primary Care), with a secondary code of HLAMACAB, Veterinary Specialty Referral Hospitals (Multi-specialty). Its NAICS code is 541940 and its SIC code is 8011.