What Paragon Veterinary Group does

Paragon Veterinary Group is an independent, management-owned veterinary practice headquartered in Dalston near Carlisle, Cumbria, with a second branch at Newbiggin between Penrith and Keswick, operating across four service lines: companion animal (small animal) clinical care, equine (covering companion donkeys through to racehorses and top-flight competition animals), farm animal services for Cumbrian livestock producers, and Advanced Breeding — embryo transfer, MOET, IVF, sexing, and semen collection delivered from a residential unit serving cattle farmers across the UK and Ireland. The practice was founded around 1940 and has built a multi-decade reputation in the region, with 62 employees including a team of veterinary surgeons, registered veterinary nurses, embryo transfer technicians, and administrative staff; Advanced Breeding output has included over 10,000 donors flushed and 40,000+ embryos implanted over the senior technician's career.

The business model combines transactional clinical revenue (consultations, surgeries, treatments) with subscription-based preventative care — PetProtect Club (£15–£27 per month) for pets and the Horse Health Plan (£18 per month) for equines — which embed members with unlimited consultations, vaccinations, parasiticide treatments, and tiered discounts on dental, neutering, and diagnostics. A partnership with PetProactive offers lifetime pet insurance priced off Paragon's fee schedule with direct claims payment, reducing client friction. Distribution is via the two branch surgeries, on-farm visits across Cumbria, and the Newbiggin Advanced Breeding residential unit for UK and Ireland clients.

Underlying capability is built on specialist talent — Managing Director David Black is an RCVS Specialist in Bovine Health and Production with a Diploma in Bovine Reproduction — and a network of partnerships including co-founding membership in XLVets (UK independent vet network) and VetSalus (global food-producer/vet network), plus the wholly-owned Activf-ET subsidiary delivering cattle IVF nationwide. The practice is an RCVS-accredited Veterinary Nurse Training Practice associated with Myerscough College, and was the first veterinary practice to receive the RCVS Environmental Sustainability Award (Outstanding at both branches), alongside the highest Investors in the Environment Green Accreditation and an IiE national award for Best Water Reduction. No external investors, acquisitions, or funding rounds are disclosed; the company is privately held under legal entity Paragonvet Ltd.

Name

Paragon Veterinary Group

Legal name

Paragonvet Ltd.

Website

https://paragonvet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Paragon Veterinary Group is an independent Cumbria-based veterinary practice with 62 staff operating across companion animal, equine, farm, and advanced cattle breeding services from two branches in Dalston and Newbiggin, plus subscription-based preventative care plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Veterinary Services (541940), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services (AFAEANAB), Field Services, Mobile Imaging & On-Farm Procedures (HLAMABAK)

Keywords

• Veterinary services
• Small animal care
• Equine veterinary
• Farm animal practice
• Cattle embryo transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlisle

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Consultations and Medical Services: Core revenue from veterinary consultations, treatments, surgeries and medical procedures across small animal, equine and farm animal departments
2. PetProtect Club Subscriptions: Monthly subscription plans (£15-27/month) providing preventative healthcare, unlimited consultations, vaccinations, and discounts on procedures
3. Horse Health Plan Subscriptions: Monthly subscription at £18/month for equine preventative care including vaccinations, dental exams, worming programme
4. Pet Insurance Partnership: Partnership with PetProactive insurance - straightforward claim process with direct payment to Paragon, claims paid direct with no admin fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paragon Veterinary Group operates a multi-species veterinary practice in Cumbria, providing clinical care for companion animals (dogs, cats), horses, and farm livestock, with advanced cattle breeding services including embryo transfer, MOET, IVF, and sexing. The practice delivers services through two branch clinics (Dalston and Newbiggin), on-farm visits across Cumbria, and subscription-based preventative healthcare plans (PetProtect Club, Horse Health Plan).

Product overview

Paragon Veterinary Group operates as a multi-service veterinary practice offering small animal (pets), farm animal, and equine veterinary services across Cumbria, UK. The product portfolio is structured as a core veterinary services platform supplemented by subscription-based health management plans. PetProtect Club (including PetProtect Essentials) provides pet owners with unlimited consultations and preventative care via monthly memberships. PetProactive Pet Insurance, offered in partnership with Pet Proactive, delivers lifetime pet insurance coverage. The Horse Health Plan extends similar subscription-based preventative care to equine clients. The Advanced Breeding division, which includes Activf-ET, provides specialized cattle breeding services including embryo transfer, MOET, and IVF. The practice serves as a unified platform connecting companion animal care, livestock veterinary services, and advanced reproductive technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PetProtect Club Monthly membership plan for pet owners offering unlimited veterinary consultations, annual vaccinations, health checks, parasiticide treatments, nurse consultations, and discounts on dental work, neutering, and diagnostics. Two tiers: Essentials (£15-22.50/month) and Unlimited (£27/month).
• Small Animal Veterinary Services
• Equine Veterinary Services
• Horse Health Plan
• Advanced Breeding Services
• Farm Animal Veterinary Services
• PetProactive Pet Insurance

Quantifiable outcome

• First veterinary practice to achieve RCVS Environmental Sustainability Award Outstanding at both locations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• XLVetscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon was one of the founders of XLVets, a nationally distributed group of independent veterinary practices working together to achieve 'Excellence in Practice'. Managing Director David Black spent 11 years as Managing Director before stepping down from the Board in Summer 2017. XLVets Co-ordinator for Paragon is Diane Armstrong.
• PetProactivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParagon has partnered with PetProactive pet insurance provider which only works with independent veterinary practices. Provides straightforward policies with £100 annual excess, no co-payments, lifetime cover, premiums based on Paragon pricing. Claims paid direct to Paragon with no admin fees.
• VetSaluscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon is a founder of VetSalus, a global network connecting international food producers with local veterinary expertise to improve animal health, welfare and sustainability outcomes.
• Activf-ETcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany established by Managing Director David Black to deliver cattle breeding services, and especially IVF for cattle nationwide.
• Tarn VetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarn Vets and Paragon have joined forces collaborating on the sustainability project.
• Investors in the EnvironmentminorOthersParagon achieved highest Green Accreditation level and won IiE national awards for Best Water Reduction and Overall Outstanding Achiever runners up.
• Vet SustainminorOthersRegular communication with Vet Sustain regarding sustainability practices and initiatives in the veterinary profession.
• British Bee VetsminorOthersParagon has proudly joined the bee friendly practice scheme through britishbeevets.com as part of biodiversity and sustainability initiatives.
• Myerscough CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParagon is associated with Myerscough College as an Approved Centre for veterinary nurse training and student placements.
• XLFarmcare NorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnne Abbs is Director of XLFarmcare North, the company responsible for allocating TB testing, payments and testing quality over the whole of North England. Anne Abbs handles Paragon's TB matters.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• XLVets: UK network of independent veterinary practices co-founded by Paragon's Managing Director David Black. Comparable as a fellow member of the same independent practice network, providing peer-level benchmarking and shared services across member practices.
• VetSalus: Global network connecting food producers with veterinary expertise, co-founded by Paragon. Comparable as a peer participant in Paragon's own founder network, focused on production-animal health, welfare and sustainability outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• CVS Group: Listed UK veterinary group operating small animal, equine and farm practices plus laboratories. Comparable to Paragon in offering multi-species clinical services across the UK, though CVS operates at significantly greater scale and is acquisitive in nature.
• IVC Evidensia: One of the largest veterinary groups in the UK and Europe, operating a network of small animal, equine and farm practices. Comparable to Paragon as a multi-species UK veterinary services provider, but at vastly greater scale and with PE backing.
• Linnaeus Veterinary: UK veterinary group focused on primary care, referral hospitals and specialist services. Comparable to Paragon in providing advanced and multi-disciplinary veterinary care across species, but Linnaeus is part of a larger corporate group with broader referral infrastructure.
• VetPartners: Large UK and European veterinary group operating small animal, equine, farm and referral practices. Comparable to Paragon in delivering mixed-species veterinary services across the UK, but at materially larger scale and with significant PE ownership.

Direct peers

• Penmellyn Veterinary Group: Independent UK veterinary group providing small animal, equine and farm services across multiple branches. Comparable to Paragon in operating a multi-species, multi-branch independent practice model with referral and advanced services.
• Molecare Pet Vets: UK independent veterinary group offering small animal, farm and equine services in the South West. Comparable to Paragon as a similarly structured independent multi-species practice competing in the same UK segment.
• Willows Veterinary Centre: UK referral and primary care veterinary practice with specialist-led services. Comparable to Paragon in offering advanced and referral-level veterinary care alongside general practice, though more weighted to small animal specialty work.
• Bishopton Veterinary Group: Independent UK mixed veterinary practice covering farm, equine and small animal work in Northern England. Comparable to Paragon as a similarly sized independent mixed-species practice operating in a comparable rural regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ParagonVets.Pets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paragon-veterinary-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Paragon Veterinary Group