Drove Veterinary Hospital

What Drove Veterinary Hospital does

Drove Veterinary Hospital is an independent veterinary group based in Swindon, United Kingdom, with operating roots that extend back to 1839. The group operates six sites across the Swindon and Wiltshire catchment — a Tier 3 RCVS training hospital at Wroughton plus branch practices in Abbey Meads, Marlborough, Ridgeway Farm, Royal Wootton Bassett, and Stratton. The main hospital is the centre of clinical gravity, equipped with CT, ultrasonography, laparoscopy, endoscopy, digital dental radiography, an operating microscope for ophthalmology, and 24/7 ICU hospitalisation, and accepts referrals from neighbouring practices. Service lines span general practice consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dentistry, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, ophthalmology, exotic species care, nurse-led clinics (weight, behaviour, arthritis), hydrotherapy and laser therapy, end-of-life services, grooming, and an insourced out-of-hours emergency service launched September 2025 under the Drove Vets 24/7 brand. The company makes money through a mix of pay-as-you-go clinical fees, a recurring Lifetime Care Club subscription (9,000+ members) that bundles preventive care, a bespoke Pet Proactive insurance partnership with direct claims processing at the clinic, professional referral fees from other practices, and ancillary grooming revenue. Pricing is published transparently on the website, with consultations ranging from roughly £25 to £96, elective surgeries from £82 to £401, and referral procedures (orthopaedics, soft tissue, CT, ophthalmology) from £140 to £3,500 inclusive of post-operative care. The customer base is overwhelmingly individual pet owners in the Swindon/Marlborough area, supplemented by a smaller referral channel serving other veterinary practices, all accessed via phone, walk-in, online booking, or repeat prescription ordering.

Name

Drove Veterinary Hospital

Legal name

Drove Veterinary Hospital

Website

https://drovevets.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1839

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Drove Veterinary Hospital is an independent, six-site UK veterinary group headquartered in Swindon, providing primary, referral, exotic, emergency, and grooming services to pet owners across Wiltshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

General Practice Veterinary Clinics (Wellness & Primary Care) (HLAMAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Specialty Referral Hospitals (Multi-specialty) (HLAMACAB), Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Hospitals (HLAMACAA)

Keywords

• Veterinary hospital services
• Small animal care
• Veterinary diagnostics
• Emergency veterinary care
• Pet healthcare

Headquarters

HQ city

Swindon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consultation and Treatment Services: One-time fees for consultations (initial, follow-up, nurse, Sunday, bank holiday, telephone), dental procedures, surgeries, diagnostics, euthanasia, and other medical services. Pricing varies by service type and pet weight.
2. Lifetime Care Club Membership: Monthly subscription healthcare plans providing preventive care including flea/worm treatments, vaccinations, unlimited nurse access, and discounts on dentals and neutering. Free microchipping for members.
3. Pet Insurance Partnership (Pet Proactive): Partnership with Pet Proactive insurance provider. Practice processes claims directly, providing seamless experience for pet owners.
4. Grooming Services: The Grooming Studio offers professional pet grooming including full groom, hand stripping, prescription baths, cat grooming, and small furry grooming. Prices vary by pet size and service type.
5. Veterinary Referrals: Accepts referrals from other veterinary practices for advanced procedures including CT scanning, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, and soft tissue surgery at their hospital facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Drove Veterinary Hospital is an independent small animal veterinary practice providing comprehensive medical, surgical, diagnostic, and preventive care across six locations in the Swindon area. The main hospital offers advanced services including CT scanning, laparoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, while branch practices deliver routine consultations, vaccinations, and preventive care. The practice also runs a subscription healthcare plan (Lifetime Care Club), a 24/7 emergency service, referral services for other practices, professional grooming, and a bespoke pet insurance partnership.

Product overview

Drove Veterinary Hospital is an independent veterinary practice with six locations across Swindon, Wiltshire (Veterinary Hospital in Wroughton, Abbey Meads, Marlborough, Ridgeway Farm, Royal Wootton Bassett, and Stratton). The practice operates as a unified offering centred on its main hospital providing advanced medical and surgical services, supported by five community branch practices. Core services include the Lifetime Care Club subscription plan, 24/7 emergency care, hospital services (surgery, diagnostics, oncology, ophthalmology), nurse-led clinics, exotic species care, grooming studio, and pet insurance partnership with Pet Proactive. The hospital serves as the tertiary referral centre for complex cases from its branches, offering CT imaging, orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, and ophthalmology. An EMS placement programme for veterinary students supports the practice's teaching mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Drove Vets 24/7: The practice's own out of hours and emergency service launched in September 2025, providing 24/7 emergency care from the Swindon hospital.
• Lifetime Care Club
• Pet Proactive
• The Grooming Studio

Products and services

• Hospital Services Advanced veterinary medical and surgical services at the main hospital including arthroscopy, laparoscopy, chemotherapy, endoscopy, neurology, ophthalmology, diagnostics, cardiology, respiratory care, dermatology, internal medicine, orthopaedics, and dental procedures for small animals.
• Lifetime Care Club A monthly subscription healthcare plan offering preventative care including vaccinations, flea and worm treatments, unlimited vet and nurse consultations under the Unlimited tier, and discounts on dental work and neutering. Free microchipping for members.
• Drove 24/7 Emergency Service Round-the-clock emergency and out-of-hours veterinary care provided in-house at the Swindon hospital, staffed by a dedicated emergency team including vets and registered veterinary nurses.
• Nurse Led Services Clinics run by registered veterinary nurses covering weight management, dental care, cat behavioural clinics, arthritic care, and desensitisation services.
• Exotic Species Services Specialist veterinary care for rabbits, reptiles, tortoises, terrapins, birds, and exotic small mammals, led by Dr Sara Jones with over 15 years of exotic animal experience joining from Great Western Exotics.
• Grooming Studio Professional pet grooming services including full groom, hand stripping, prescription baths, nail clipping, and puppy introduction sessions for dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.
• Pet Proactive Insurance Bespoke pet insurance tailored for Drove Vets clients, offering lifetime cover with direct claims processed at the clinic, one excess per year, and dental illness coverage.
• Diagnostic Imaging In-house imaging services including CT scans, X-rays, ultrasound, and echocardiography (ECG) for heart scans, with digital dental X-ray capability.
• Referral Services Veterinary referral services accepting cases from other practices, including ophthalmology (Ida Gilbert), orthopaedic surgery (TPLO, fracture repair), outpatient CT, and soft tissue surgery.
• Therapy and Rehabilitation Rehabilitation services including acupuncture, laser therapy, and hydrotherapy for post-surgical recovery, chronic arthritis management, and neurological conditions.
• Euthanasia and Cremation Services End-of-life care including euthanasia procedures, individual cremation with ashes returned, and communal cremation without ashes returned, with casket options available.
• Microchipping Microchip implantation for cats and dogs, free for Lifetime Care Club members, as required by UK law.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9000+ clients enrolled in Lifetime Care Club membership programme

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of SurreycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching practice partnership supporting fourth and fifth year veterinary students as part of their intramural rotations (IMR). Students gain hands-on experience within the small animal practice working alongside the Drove team.
• Cats ProtectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Cats Protection at Royal Wootton Bassett branch to support feline welfare in the local community. Practice participates in Cats Protection discounted neutering scheme.
• Pet ProactivecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBespoke pet insurance partnership creating lifetime cover specifically for Drove Vets clients. Pet Proactive uses practice data to offer tailored packages with direct claims processing at the clinic. Practice processes claims on behalf of clients.
• Local Hydrotherapy PoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local hydrotherapy pool for pet rehabilitation services, referrals for post-surgery recovery, arthritis management, and neurological condition support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Medivet: UK-wide multi-site veterinary network with both primary care and a growing referral hospital portfolio. Comparable multi-site, multi-tier offering, though with national scale that Drove lacks.
• Dick White Referrals: One of the UK's leading specialist multi-disciplinary small animal referral hospitals. Directly comparable to Drove on the referral services stack (orthopaedics, soft tissue, imaging, ophthalmology) though referral-only and far larger.
• Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists: Hampshire-based UK specialist referral hospital with strong orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology. Comparable specialist referral service mix to Drove.
• Linnaeus (Mars Petcare): UK network of specialist referral veterinary hospitals owned by Mars Petcare. Closest direct peer for Drove's multi-specialty referral model (ophthalmology, orthopaedics, soft tissue, imaging), though Linnaeus operates nationally as referral-only.
• IVC Evidensia: Largest UK and European veterinary group with a mix of primary-care practices and specialist referral hospitals. Directly comparable multi-site model with hospital capability and referral revenue lines, but operates at far greater scale and is backed by EQT private equity.
• VetPartners: PE-backed UK veterinary group combining primary care, referral hospitals, and laboratories. Comparable diversified service mix and similar multi-site operating model to Drove.
• Eastcott Veterinary Referrals: Swindon-area multi-disciplinary referral hospital overlapping Drove's exact catchment. The closest geographic specialist referral competitor to Drove's main hospital.
• CVS Group: AIM-listed UK veterinary group operating small animal practices, equine, and referral laboratories/hospitals. Closest publicly traded comparable for a multi-site UK practice with diagnostic and referral components.

Broad incumbents

• Vets4Pets (Pets at Home): UK national veterinary network operated through Pets at Home retail stores. Comparable UK primary-care veterinary footprint but operating at much larger scale and through a retail-anchored channel rather than an independent community-hospital model.

Emerging players

• Great Western Exotics: UK specialist exotic animal veterinary practice where Drove's newly-hired Dr Sara Jones previously practised for over a decade. Closest direct peer for Drove's exotic species service line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DroveVetsSwindon1839
• Facebookfacebook.com/DroveVets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drove-veterinary-hospital
• Instagraminstagram.com/drovevets

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Drove Veterinary Hospital