What Cherished Pets does

Cherished Pets is a social enterprise operating both a private GP veterinary clinic (Cherished Pets Pty Ltd) and a registered charitable foundation (Cherished Pets Foundation, ABN 62 687 607 711), founded in 2015 by Dr Alicia Kennedy in Ocean Grove, Victoria, Australia. The organization serves two interrelated customer segments: paying pet owners seeking compassionate, fear-free veterinary care, and vulnerable populations — including people experiencing homelessness, family violence, mental health crises, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities — whose access to pet care is mediated through 18+ referring social service agencies. The clinic delivers standard GP veterinary services (annual health checks, vaccinations, dental care, behavior and training, chronic disease and pain management, desexing, and surgery) plus specialized offerings such as in-home euthanasia, home pet care planning, and a cat boarding partnership with The Cat Cave.

The underlying methodology is the proprietary Social Hearted® Model of Care, which integrates veterinary social workers and Human-Animal Bond Practitioners into clinical settings — an approach described as the first of its kind in Australia. Service delivery is supported by 11 staff plus a scaled volunteer network of 60+ active volunteers contributing 5,000+ hours, with home visit and mobile service capability across the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula region. Strategic referral partnerships extend the model: Kings Funerals (since 2017) for end-of-life conversations, Armstrong Creek Vet Hospital and Newtown Veterinary Clinic for cases requiring full hospital scope, and Geelong Animal Emergency for after-hours coverage.

Revenue mechanics blend market-median veterinary fees, government grants (notably a depleted AUD 500k Federal Government Animal Welfare Grant from 2022-2023), recurring and one-time donations, bequests facilitated via Gathered Here, corporate sponsorships (Anthony Costa Foundation, Geelong Community Foundation, Cooper Investors, Pets Regardless Foundation), and consumer product sales (Cherished Treats premium beef dog treats). Cherished Pets became the world's first B Corp certified veterinary practice in August 2017, and was awarded the 2024 AVA President's Award and a 2025 Churchill Fellowship to its founder.

Name

Cherished Pets

Legal name

Cherished Pets Pty Ltd

Website

https://cherishedpetcare.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cherished Pets is a social enterprise operating a private GP veterinary clinic and charitable foundation in Ocean Grove, Victoria, integrating veterinary social work with clinical care to serve vulnerable populations (homeless, family violence, elderly) via 18+ agency referrals, alongside general pet owners across the Geelong and Bellarine region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Companion Animal Veterinary Clinics & Hospitals (AFAEANAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Special Needs & Senior In-Home Pet Sitting (HSANAEAH)

Keywords

• Veterinary clinic services
• Veterinary social services
• Human-animal bond care
• Community pet support
• Crisis pet care

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean Grove

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Clinic Fees: Private GP veterinary service with fees set at market median. A percentage of veterinary fees combine with funding from the Cherished Pets Foundation to support delivery of veterinary social services.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations to Cherished Pets Foundation (registered charity). Accepts one-time and monthly donations via credit card, direct debit, cheque, and money order. 10th Anniversary Appeal targeting $150,000 with matched giving partners contributing $25,000.
3. Government Grants: Federal Government Animal Welfare Grants ($500k in 2022-2023). Funding supports scaling veterinary and social services. 2024 application was unsuccessful; continued advocacy for government investment in social veterinary services.
4. Product Sales - Cherished Treats: Premium Beef Treats for dogs, 100% Australian made with profits supporting people and animals in need. Sold through the store.
5. Bequests and Legacy Gifts: Gifts in Wills (bequests) providing enduring impact. Legal entity: The Trustee for Cherished Pets Foundation, ABN 62 687 607 711. Partnership with Gathered Here for free online Will writing.
6. Corporate Sponsorships and Foundation Grants: Support from Anthony Costa Foundation, Geelong Community Foundation, Cooper Investors, and other organizational funders. Major funders in 2024 acknowledged on donate page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cherished Pets operates a private GP veterinary clinic delivering routine and specialized pet care (dental, behaviour and training, pain and chronic disease management, in-home euthanasia, home pet care planning) alongside a registered charity foundation that delivers veterinary social services for vulnerable and elderly clients, crisis care, volunteer-supported pet assistance, and human-animal bond consulting. The proprietary Social Hearted® Model of Care integrates veterinary, social work, and community nursing expertise to keep vulnerable people and their pets together through hardship.

Product overview

Cherished Pets operates as a social enterprise combining a veterinary clinic with a registered charity foundation. The core offering includes a GP Veterinary Service providing routine and complex veterinary care, supported by specialized services such as Dental Care, Behaviour & Training, Pain & Chronic Disease Management, End of Life (in-home euthanasia), and Home Pet Care. The Community Pet Hub serves as the central location for these services. The Cherished Pets Foundation extends the model through HABCare (Human-Animal Bond Care) services including Human-Animal Bond Social Services, Crisis Care for vulnerable populations, and Volunteer Supported Services. Consumer products include Cherished Treats premium beef treats. Together, these services are unified by a focus on the human-animal bond to strengthen health and wellbeing outcomes for pets, people, and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cherished Treats: Premium Beef Treats for Dogs - 100% Australian made with profits supporting people and animals in need.

Products and services

• GP Veterinary Service General practitioner veterinary care for companion animals, offering annual health checks, routine vaccinations, minor illness treatment, chronic condition management, nutrition and weight management, and behavioural health services, delivered through the Ocean Grove Community Vet Hub.
• End of Life Service Compassionate in-home euthanasia service for pets, providing a peaceful farewell in the comfort of home with personalised support for decision-making and aftercare services.
• Dental Care Veterinary dental services including dental checks, routine scale and polish, and advanced dental procedures using state-of-the-art dental equipment and radiology.
• Behaviour and Training Behavioural management plans combining medications, supplements, environmental support, and training therapy, along with puppy classes, delivered through qualified trainers Kym from Happy Paws Professional Dog Training and Natalie from Mojema Canine Relationship Coaching.
• Pain and Chronic Disease Management Signature service for pain management and chronic disease support offered at home or clinic, combining western veterinary medicine with integrated multi-disciplinary care approaches.
• Home Pet Care Home Pet Care Planning consultations providing professional guidance through all life stages, including Start Right plans, wellness programs, nutrition advice, emergency pet care plans, and palliative/hospice care.
• Human-Animal Bond Consultant (HABCare) Social veterinary services supporting clients experiencing homelessness, insecure accommodations, domestic violence situations, mental health challenges, disabilities, and elderly people living independently; Human-Animal Bond Practitioners bridge veterinary and social services.
• Community Pet Hub A central hub in Ocean Grove providing GP vet clinic services, wellness nurse services, behaviour and training, pet pain clinic, senior pet care, end of life support, and home pet care coordination.
• Crisis Care Emergency support for vulnerable people and their pets facing homelessness, domestic violence, mental health crises, or hospitalization; includes temporary pet boarding, home-based respite care, and pet care assistance to keep people and pets together.
• Volunteer Supported Services Volunteer program providing practical pet support including dog walking, pet transport to vet appointments, in-home pet care, companionship, and pet respite care for owners facing challenging times.
• Human-Animal Bond Social Services Multi-disciplinary services bridging human and veterinary healthcare, providing social work support, community veterinary nursing, and program support roles to address human needs during pet care.
• Cherished Treats (Premium Beef Treats) Premium beef treats for dogs, 100% Australian made, sold through the store with profits supporting people and animals in need.
• Cat Boarding (Cat Cave Partnership) Cat boarding service operated in partnership with The Cat Cave at the Cherished Pets location, providing feline accommodation with dedicated care.

Quantifiable outcome

• $4M+ total social value generated for community
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Kings FuneralscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Long-standing partnership since 2017, collaborating on end-of-life care conversations for both animals and humans. Kings Funerals staff work alongside Cherished Pets to help families navigate difficult conversations about death and dying, with Cherished Pets often being the first or only service provider raising these matters.
• The Cat CavesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCat boarding services offered through partnership at Cherished Pets location. Provides feline accommodation with dedicated care.
• Armstrong Creek Vet HospitalsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSister hospital referral partner for cases requiring full hospital service beyond Cherished Pets' GP veterinary scope.
• Newtown Veterinary ClinicsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSister hospital referral partner for cases requiring full hospital service beyond Cherished Pets' GP veterinary scope.
• Geelong Animal EmergencysupportingTechnology or IntegrationAfter-hours emergency referral partner. Located at 102 Fyans St, South Geelong VIC 3220. Open 6pm-9am Mon-Fri and 24 hours on weekends.
• Social Service Agency PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner18+ social service and human health agencies referring clients including mental health providers, family violence services, housing agencies, and aged care organizations. 94% reported positive outcomes for clients served.
• Social Hearted Community Partners and Roundtable NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner36 organizations participating in systems change initiative. First Roundtable held November 2023 with participants including RSPCA SA, University of Adelaide, Animal Welfare League NSW, Geelong Animal Rescue, Barwon Health, and others working to create integrated human-animal welfare services.
• LykasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent supporter acknowledged on website, providing promotional or marketing support.
• Gathered HeresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with free online Will writing service to facilitate legacy giving to Cherished Pets. Makes it easier for supporters to include Cherished Pets in their Wills.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Pets of the Homeless: US-origin charity providing pet food, veterinary care, and emergency sheltering for pets of homeless people. Conceptually aligned with Cherished Pets' crisis care model; relevant international peer for systems-change benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Greencross Vets: Australia's largest veterinary clinic network. Broad incumbent offering general practice vet services across the country; overlaps with Cherished Pets' GP clinic arm but does not operate a comparable social services arm.
• VetPartners: Multi-brand operator of veterinary clinics across Australia and Europe. Broad incumbent in the same veterinary services category as Cherished Pets' clinic, with no equivalent human-animal bond social services integration.
• Animal Welfare League Australia: National animal welfare organisation operating shelters and community programs. Roundtable participant and adjacent peer; offers partial overlap in crisis animal care but lacks a comparable social enterprise clinic model.
• RSPCA Victoria: Major Victorian animal welfare organisation providing shelter, veterinary care, and advocacy. Overlaps with Cherished Pets' animal welfare and crisis care remit, but operates a shelter-led rather than social-enterprise model.

Others

• Australian Veterinary Association (AVA): National professional body for veterinarians that awarded Dr Alicia Kennedy the 2024 President's Award. Industry-body peer relevant for advocacy and thought leadership rather than direct service competition.
• Petstock Foundation: Corporate foundation of major Australian pet retailer. Adjacent ecosystem player supporting animal welfare and pet-related community programs; overlaps thematically with Cherished Pets' mission rather than as a direct operator.
• Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre: Victoria's primary family violence response service, with whom Cherished Pets collaborates for crisis pet care. Indirect peer as a referral partner for the crisis care segment rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Lort Smith Animal Hospital: Large Melbourne-based community veterinary hospital providing subsidized care for people and animals in need. Most direct Australian peer to Cherished Pets' community vet + social mission model, operating at significantly greater scale.
• Pets in the Park: Australian charity providing free veterinary care and pet food to pets of people experiencing homelessness. Direct peer on the social veterinary services mission, though focused on homeless populations rather than Cherished Pets' broader vulnerable-person segmentation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cherishedpetsveterinarycare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cherished-pets
• Instagraminstagram.com/cherishedpets
• Xx.com/cherishpetvet

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Cherished Pets