Portland Vets

What Portland Vets does

Portland Vets is an independent, family-owned small animal veterinary practice founded in 2004 by George and Jenny Christopherson, operating four branches across Surrey, Sussex, and Kent (East Grinstead, Edenbridge, Horley, and the Crawley branch opened October 2025). The practice employs approximately 70+ staff including 20 veterinary surgeons and offers both first-opinion general practice services and specialist referral services — the latter targeting both pet owners and referring veterinary practices across the Southeast of England. Specialist capabilities are concentrated at the Crawley branch, which houses a Siemens CT scanner, flexible and rigid endoscopy, two laparoscopic theatres, a dedicated dental suite with digital dental X-ray, an in-house Mi Lab laboratory, species-specific feline/canine/exotic wards, and a Tortoise Hibernation Hotel; East Grinstead provides 24-hour inpatient care on weekdays and out-of-hours emergency cover until 10pm.

The core service catalogue spans consultations and vaccinations, soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery, dentistry, inpatient care, diagnostics, and a subscription-based Pet Wellness Plan (Standard and Plus tiers, £8.50-£32 per pet per month via monthly direct debit). Specialist offerings include BOAS assessment and surgery via Kennel Club-approved RFGS assessors, dermatology referral (CertAVP holder), exotics medicine via an RCVS Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine, behaviour consultations, CT & endoscopy referral (with external Vet CT image review), cryotherapy, and Class IV therapeutic laser. Out-of-hours emergencies are routed via partnerships with Vets Now (Tunbridge Wells and Sutton) and MiNight Vet Caterham.

Revenue mechanics combine pay-as-you-go unit pricing for consultations, surgical procedures, and diagnostics, recurring subscription revenue from Pet Wellness Plans, and transactional medication dispensing and prescription fees. Pricing is transparently published on the website (consultations £57.50, neutering £102-£683, dental £450-£1,400, CT from £800, endoscopy from £1,400). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer for first-opinion work, supported by a 4.9 Google rating from 150+ reviews and word-of-mouth, alongside a secondary referral channel for complex cases from other practices. The founders have signalled a transition to an Employee Ownership Trust in the early 2030s as part of retirement succession.

Name

Portland Vets

Legal name

Portland Vets

Website

https://portlandvets.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Portland Vets is an independent, family-owned small animal veterinary practice operating four branches across Surrey, Sussex, and Kent, offering first-opinion and specialist referral services including CT imaging, exotics care, and surgery to regional pet owners and referring veterinary practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEANAA

Companion Animal Veterinary Clinics & Hospitals

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Health & Veterinary Services

SECONDARYHLAMAAAH

Exotic Companion Animal Veterinary Clinics (Birds/Reptiles/Small Mammals)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Veterinary Clinical Services (Companion Animal)

SECONDARYHLAMACAD

Veterinary Internal Medicine & Oncology Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Emergency & Specialty Veterinary Hospitals

SECONDARYHLAMAAAI

Behavioral Medicine & Training-Integrated Veterinary Services

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Veterinary Clinical Services (Companion Animal)

SECONDARYHLAMAAAK

Dental & Oral Surgery Veterinary Clinics

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Veterinary Clinical Services (Companion Animal)

Keywords

• Small animal veterinary services
• Veterinary referral services
• Pet wellness plans
• Veterinary diagnostics imaging
• Exotic pet veterinary care

Headquarters

HQ city

East Grinstead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Consultations: Standard veterinary consultations at £57.50, nurse appointments at £28.75, and repeat prescription consultations. Revenue from appointment fees collected at time of service.
2. Pet Wellness Plans (Subscription): Monthly direct debit subscription plans providing preventative healthcare including vaccinations, flea/worm treatments, health checks, and nail clips. Plans include Pet Wellness Plus (unlimited consultations) at £32/£26.50/£13 per month for dogs/cats/rabbits, and standard plans from £8.50-£22.25 per month. Provides recurring monthly revenue with average annual savings of £30-£373 per pet.
3. Surgical and Diagnostic Procedures: Revenue from surgical procedures (neutering £102-£683, dental £450-£1400), diagnostic imaging (CT from £800, endoscopy from £1400), and specialist referral procedures. Payment expected at time of discharge.
4. Vaccinations and Preventative Healthcare: Vaccination courses (puppy/kitten £105, annual boosters £63), preventive treatments, and health checks sold as one-time services or included in wellness plans.
5. Medication Dispensing: Dispensing of Prescription Only Medicines (POM-Vs) and preventative healthcare products (flea/worm treatments). Written prescriptions available for £21. Revenue from medication sales and prescription fees.
6. Pet Travel Services: Animal Health Certificates (AHC) and Export Health Certificates (EHC) for pet travel. Available to both clients and non-clients. Requires appointment and documentation verification.
7. Repeat Prescriptions: Repeat prescription service for long-term medications with 2 working day turnaround. Requires medication check consultations every 6 months per RCVS guidelines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Portland Vets is an independent, family-owned small animal veterinary practice delivering first-opinion consultations, preventative healthcare, diagnostics, surgery, dentistry, inpatient care, and specialist referral services across four branches in Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. The practice operates advanced equipment including a Siemens CT scanner, endoscopy, laparoscopy, and digital radiography, and accepts referrals from other veterinary practices for complex cases.

Product overview

Portland Vets is a family-owned, independent small animal veterinary practice offering first opinion and referral services across four branches in East Grinstead, Edenbridge, Horley, and Crawley (opened October 2025). The core offering is contextualised, personalised veterinary care encompassing consultations, vaccinations, surgery, diagnostics, dentistry, and inpatient care. The practice distinguishes itself through advanced diagnostic capabilities including an on-site CT scanner at Crawley and endoscopy services. Specialist referral services cover surgery, CT & endoscopy, exotic pets, dermatology, behaviour, BOAS, cryotherapy, and laser therapy. Preventative care is supported through Pet Wellness Plans (Standard and Plus tiers) offering monthly direct debit payments with savings on consultations, vaccinations, and dental procedures. Additional services include pet travel documentation and a Tortoise Hibernation Hotel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consultation & Vaccinations
• Surgery
• Laparoscopic Spay & Cryptorchid Castrate
• Inpatient Care
• Diagnostics
• Dentistry
• Exotics Veterinary Service
• BOAS Assessment and Surgery
• Pet Travel Service
• Behaviour Consultations
• CT & Endoscopy
• Laser Therapy
• Dermatology Clinic
• Cryotherapy
• Pet Wellness Plans
• Veterinary Referral Services
• Medication Dispensing and Prescriptions
• Out-of-Hours Emergency Service
• Tortoise Hibernation Hotel

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 65% less post-operative pain with laparoscopic spay compared to traditional surgery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PetsAppcoreTechnology or IntegrationPetsApp provides appointment booking functionality integrated into Portland Vets' website. Enables clients to request appointments and communicate with the practice digitally. PetsApp may set cookies for this service functionality.
• Vets Now (Tunbridge Wells)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOut-of-hours emergency veterinary service provider covering 10pm-8am and weekends/bank holidays. Located at 11 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9RD. Emergency telephone: 01892 457918.
• Vets Now (Sutton)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOut-of-hours emergency veterinary service provider covering 10pm-8am and weekends/bank holidays. Located at 609-613 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9DF. Emergency telephone: 0208 1092717.
• MiNight Vet CaterhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNight emergency veterinary service covering out-of-hours periods. Located at The Village Animal Hospital, Sergeants Pl, Guards Ave, Caterham CR3 5ZD. Emergency telephone: 01883 348483.
• Vet CTcoreTechnology or IntegrationExternal CT image review service used for reviewing and reporting on CT scan images, providing clear guidance on findings for diagnostic accuracy.
• The Tortoise TrustminorOthersExternal resource recommended by Portland Vets for tortoise care information. Visit tortoisetrust.org for helpful guides and information sheets.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Linnaeus Veterinary Group: UK referral-focused veterinary group owned by Mars. Directly comparable for Portland's specialist referral services (surgery, imaging, exotics) and offers relevant benchmarks on referral pricing and capacity.
• Dick White Referrals: Large multi-specialist veterinary referral centre in Cambridgeshire. Comparable as a UK referral hospital providing advanced diagnostics and specialist surgery Portland also offers.
• North Downs Specialist Referrals: Multi-specialist referral hospital in Surrey. Directly comparable regional competitor for Portland's CT, surgery, and specialist referral services.
• Pennard Vets: Independent, family-owned Kent-based veterinary group with multiple branches. Highly comparable as an independent UK small-animal practice of similar size, geography, and ethos competing for the same regional client base.
• Goddard Veterinary Group: Long-established independent London and Essex veterinary group with RCVS hospital status and referral services. Comparable as a multi-branch independent practice combining primary care with advanced diagnostics.
• Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists: Specialist veterinary referral hospital in Hampshire. Comparable as a UK referral provider offering advanced surgery, imaging, and specialist services similar to Portland's Crawley offering.
• Village Vet: London-based independent veterinary group with multiple branches offering first-opinion and referral services. Comparable as a multi-branch independent practice combining general practice with specialist capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• CVS Group: UK-listed veterinary services group operating first-opinion practices, referral hospitals, and labs. Comparable as a multi-segment veterinary incumbent and likely acquirer of independent practices.
• Medivet: Large UK veterinary chain with hundreds of branches and 24/7 hospitals. Comparable as a corporate competitor offering primary care, referrals, and out-of-hours services across the same geographies.
• IVC Evidensia: Largest UK and European veterinary group with thousands of clinics. Relevant as the dominant corporate consolidator that competes for talent, referrals, and clients across Portland's region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PortlandVets
• Facebookfacebook.com/PortlandVetsEastGrinstead
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-veterinary-services-ltd

Compliance3 records

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 Portland Vets