What Downland Veterinary Group does

Downland Veterinary Group is a multi-site companion-animal veterinary practice founded in 1946 in Chichester, UK, operating 12 clinics across Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex. It delivers first-opinion small animal care — consultations, vaccinations, surgery (including orthopaedic and laparoscopic), dentistry, wellness screening, and end-of-life services — supported by in-house diagnostics (digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, in-house laboratory) and isolation facilities. A referral service at the Emsworth site accepts cases from other regional practices, adding a B2B revenue stream on top of the core retail veterinary business.

The group operates within the IVC Evidensia network, using shared digital infrastructure including Vetstoria-powered online booking and the My Family Vets online shop for prescriptions and OTC products. Revenue is generated from fee-for-service consultations and procedures, an in-house and online pharmacy, euthanasia services, and a tiered Pet Health Club subscription (Essential at £19.99–£24.99/month and Plus at £28.99–£33.99/month) that bundles preventive care. Care Free Credit is offered as a patient financing option, and AI tooling is used for client chatbots, consultation summarization, debt-collection automation, and fraud detection. The Goffs branch is undergoing refurbishment from February 2026 to September 2026, indicating ongoing capacity investment.

Name

Downland Veterinary Group

Legal name

Inspiring Vet Care Limited

Website

https://downlandvets.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Downland Veterinary Group is a multi-site UK companion-animal veterinary practice operating 12 clinics across Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex since 1946, delivering first-opinion and referral small-animal care within the IVC Evidensia network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Dental & Oral Surgery Veterinary Clinics (HLAMAAAK)

Keywords

• Veterinary clinical services
• Small animal healthcare
• Veterinary surgical services
• Pet preventive care
• Veterinary diagnostics

Headquarters

HQ city

Emsworth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Veterinary consultations and procedures: Revenue from consultation fees, vaccinations, surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, and medical treatments at per-visit or per-procedure rates
2. Pet Health Club subscription: Monthly subscription plans (Essential and Plus tiers) providing preventative healthcare, unlimited consultations, vaccinations, parasite treatments, and discounts on various procedures and products. Auto-renews annually.
3. Prescription medications: Revenue from dispensed prescription medications with 5-7 working days notice required for repeat prescriptions
4. Online pet supplies shop: Online sales of pet food and accessories through Pet Health Club shop with free delivery over £39, offering up to 10% discount for members
5. Wellness screening: Comprehensive health screening for mature pets including £95 cost, with discounts for Pet Health Club members
6. Euthanasia and cremation services: End-of-life services including individual cremation (ashes returned), communal cremation, and home visit options for euthanasia

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Downland Veterinary Group operates 12 veterinary clinics across Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex delivering small animal veterinary care including routine consultations, vaccinations, surgical procedures (orthopaedic and laparoscopic), diagnostic imaging (digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy), dental services, wellness screening, and end-of-life care. The group runs a subscription-based Pet Health Club with Essential and Plus monthly tiers covering preventative care, and accepts external veterinary referrals at its Emsworth clinic for specialised services.

Product overview

Downland Veterinary Group is a multi-location veterinary practice network consisting of 12 clinics across Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex, operating since 1946 and now part of the IVC Evidensia network. The core offering centers on comprehensive small animal veterinary care through their clinic network, delivering consultations, vaccinations, surgical procedures (including orthopaedic and laparoscopic surgery), diagnostic imaging (ultrasound, digital X-ray, endoscopy), and emergency services. The practice operates a subscription-based Pet Health Club membership program with Essential and Plus tiers offering monthly payment plans for preventative care. Digital service offerings include online appointment booking (via Vetstoria), online payment processing, and an online pet shop (via My Family Vets). Specialty services include wellness screening for senior pets, therapeutic nutrition programs, veterinary referrals for advanced procedures, and end-of-life care. The group accepts referrals from other practices for specialized services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pet Health Club
• Pet Vaccinations
• Wellness Screening
• Dental Services
• Laparoscopic Surgery
• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Endoscopy Services
• Ultrasound Imaging
• Nurse Clinics
• Digital X-ray Services
• Euthanasia and End-of-Life Care
• Pet Nutrition Services
• Puppy & Kitten Starter Pack
• Veterinary Referrals
• Online Pet Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.7/5 star rating based on 512 Google reviews

Named customers4 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

Integration10 records

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• VetsNowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency out-of-hours service provider based at Hilsea Clinic for Hampshire and West Sussex clients. Callers are diverted to VetsNow emergency service team outside regular hours. Also provides 24-hour emergency service at Hilsea location. East Sussex clients use a separate specialist out-of-hours provider based in Eastbourne.
• IVC EvidensiaflagshipOthersParent company network. Downland Veterinary Group (trading as Inspiring Vet Care Limited) is part of IVC Evidensia Group of Companies. As part of this network, practices benefit from world-class veterinary care delivered locally with global collaboration, clinical independence, support, mentorship, and development opportunities for staff.
• PetAirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet travel partner offering 10% discount for registered Downland Vets clients relocating pets abroad.
• VetstoriacoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline appointment booking service provider. Vetstoria manages online booking on behalf of Downland Veterinary Group. Further details available in Terms and Conditions.
• My Family VetscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner powering the Pet Health Club online shop for pet supplies and the XL Bully Dogs breed guide information page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CVS Group: UK-listed veterinary services operator running small animal practices, referral hospitals, and diagnostics. Closest publicly traded comparable, with similar companion animal GP and specialty services.
• Vets4Pets: UK veterinary practice group owned by Pets at Home, operating a network of small animal clinics in-store and on high streets. Directly comparable multi-site companion animal veterinary model with similar general practice and surgical service mix.
• Village Vet: Multi-site London and Cambridgeshire veterinary group offering GP care, surgery, and specialist referral services. Comparable companion animal clinic network with specialty-led referral proposition.
• Companion Care: UK veterinary chain (part of Pets at Home alongside Vets4Pets) operating in-store small animal clinics. Closely comparable GP-focused multi-site model.
• Linnaeus: UK veterinary group (part of IVC Evidensia, the same parent as Downland) operating primary-care practices and specialist referral hospitals. Directly comparable in both primary and specialty veterinary services.
• Medivet: Large UK veterinary group operating hundreds of small animal clinics with central support and 24/7 hospital hubs. Highly comparable multi-location companion animal model with referral and out-of-hours services.
• Goddard Veterinary Group: Long-established London-area veterinary group with GP clinics and a specialist referral hospital. Highly comparable multi-location companion animal model with specialty referral capability.
• VetPartners: Large UK and European veterinary group with extensive small animal clinic network. Operates comparable multi-location companion animal model with both GP and specialty services.

Emerging players

• PDSA: UK veterinary charity providing low-cost veterinary care to pet owners. Partially overlapping target market (cost-conscious pet owners) on a charitable, non-commercial basis.
• Blue Cross: UK charity operating veterinary hospitals and clinics providing subsidized veterinary services. Overlaps with Downland's general practice and end-of-life care offerings on a charitable basis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/downlandvets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downland-veterinary-group

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Downland Veterinary Group