Fern Hill Veterinary Care

What Fern Hill Veterinary Care does

Fern Hill Veterinary Care is a non-corporate, women-owned independent small-animal veterinary hospital headquartered at 12930 SE 162nd Ave #101, Happy Valley, Oregon, in Clackamas County near the Portland Metro area. The practice was established in its current form around 2023 by co-founders Dr. Alicia Zambelli, Dr. Shana Downes, and Dr. Yvonne Roberts, all of whom trained at top-tier veterinary schools (Cornell, UC Davis, WSU) and previously served in emergency medicine roles at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital and Northwest Veterinary Specialists. The clinic employs 14 staff across six primary doctors, three CVTs, three RVTs, five-plus veterinary assistants, and client care specialists, and is positioned as the largest primary care veterinary provider in the region by doctor count. Service hours run six days per week (Monday–Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday 9am–2pm), with same-day urgent care availability.

The core service portfolio spans wellness and preventive care (semi-annual exams, vaccinations following AAHA/AVMA guidelines, parasite control, microchipping, weight management), urgent care for acute illness or injury, surgery (spay/neuter including a less invasive OVE technique for large-breed dogs, soft-tissue procedures), comprehensive dentistry (cleanings, full-mouth radiographs, extractions, periodontal treatment), diagnostic ultrasound, veterinary acupuncture, prescription diet sales, and health certificates for interstate travel. Diagnostic capability is anchored in ultrasound imaging and full-mouth dental radiography, with Fear Free certified handling protocols applied across the team. The underlying technology stack is largely off-the-shelf veterinary practice tooling augmented by a Vetsource-powered online pharmacy for prescription fulfillment, Cherry and CareCredit for patient-side financing, and online patient intake forms. No proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

The business model is direct-to-consumer fee-for-service. Revenue is generated per visit and per procedure at transparent unit prices — for example, $89 for a physical exam, $46–$51 for core vaccinations, $658–$1,016 for dental procedures by animal size, and $266–$990 for spay/neuter by weight. The go-to-market is local and community-driven: organic social (Facebook, Instagram), participation in community events (Yappy Hour, Portland Japanese Garden team outings), referral partnerships with Oregon Humane Society and local rescue organizations, a KOIN 6 News feature, and Google Reviews prominence. The customer base is exclusively individual pet owners in the Portland Metro area, with no enterprise or commercial accounts; shelter-adopted pets receive discounted initial exams and spay/neuter procedures under a six-month adoption window.

Name

Fern Hill Veterinary Care

Legal name

Fern Hill Veterinary Care

Website

https://fernhillvet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fern Hill Veterinary Care is a non-corporate, women-owned independent small-animal veterinary hospital in Happy Valley, Oregon, serving Portland Metro pet owners with six doctors offering wellness, urgent, surgical, dental, ultrasound, and acupuncture care plus an online pharmacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Animal Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Preventive Care & Vaccination Clinics (HLAMAAAB), Urgent Care Veterinary Clinics (Non-ER) (HLAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Small animal veterinary care
• Pet wellness services
• Veterinary surgery
• Pet dental care
• Emergency pet care

Headquarters

HQ city

Happy Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Services - Clinical Visits: One-time fees for examination and consultation services including physical exams, recheck exams, nurse/technician appointments, and urgent care appointments.
2. Vaccinations: One-time vaccination services for canine and feline pets including DAPP, Bordetella, Rabies, Leptospirosis, Influenza, FVRCP, and FELV vaccines.
3. Dental Procedures: Comprehensive dental cleaning, evaluation, and oral surgery procedures. Pricing varies by animal size (feline, small/medium/large/extra-large dogs). Additional costs for extractions and periodontal treatments not included in base pricing.
4. Surgery - Spays and Neuters: Surgical sterilization procedures for cats and dogs. Pricing varies by animal type and weight. Includes IV catheter, fluids, anesthesia, surgical procedure, pain management, and follow-up medications.
5. Prescription Diets and Medications: Sale of prescription pet foods and medications directly from clinic and through their online store powered by Vetsource. Medications purchased directly are guaranteed by manufacturer and clinic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Independent veterinary clinic providing comprehensive small animal healthcare for dogs and cats, spanning preventive wellness, vaccinations, urgent care, surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, acupuncture, microchipping, and prescription diets. Care is delivered by a six-doctor team at a single state-of-the-art facility in Happy Valley, Oregon, with supplementary prescription product sales through an online pharmacy.

Product overview

Fern Hill Veterinary Care is a non-corporate, women-owned veterinary clinic offering comprehensive small animal healthcare services. The practice operates as a single unified clinic providing core services including wellness care, urgent care, vaccination, surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, acupuncture, microchipping, and prescription diets. They also offer specialized large dog spay services with a less invasive ovariectomy option. The clinic serves dogs and cats at their Happy Valley, Oregon location with a team of seven experienced veterinarians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pet Wellness Care Comprehensive preventive healthcare services including semi-annual exams, vaccinations, parasite control, nutrition guidance, and weight management designed to keep dogs and cats healthy throughout their lives.
• Pet Vaccination Vaccine rotation services following AAHA and AVMA guidelines, customized to each pet's lifestyle and immunization needs, including DAPP, Bordetella, Rabies, Leptospirosis, Influenza, FVRCP, FELV, and Purevax Rabies.
• Pet Urgent Care Same-day urgent care appointments for acutely ill or injured pets, staffed by veterinarians with extensive emergency and critical care experience, with referrals to 24-hour emergency facilities (e.g., DoveLewis) for after-hours or complex cases.
• Pet Surgery Surgical procedures for dogs and cats including spays, neuters, soft-tissue surgery, and complex case management, supported by licensed veterinary technicians and experienced doctors.
• Pet Dentistry Comprehensive dental care including full mouth radiographs, cleanings, extractions, periodontal treatments, and home dental care guidance for dogs and cats across weight tiers.
• Pet Ultrasound Diagnostic ultrasonography for assessment of abdominal organs such as liver, spleen, gallbladder, and kidneys, as well as fetal health evaluation, pregnancy monitoring, and cancer diagnosis and staging.
• Pet Acupuncture Veterinary acupuncture services for pain relief, nerve signaling balance, and treatment of various ailments, performed by certified veterinarians trained through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.
• Pet Microchipping Microchip implantation between the shoulder blades with registration into a national database to help locate missing dogs and cats.
• Pet Prescription Diets Prescription diet sales with online ordering and home delivery options for managing chronic medical conditions, weight issues, and post-diagnosis nutritional therapy.
• Large Dog Spay (Ovariectomy / OVE) Specialized spay procedure for large-breed dogs using ovariectomy (OVE), a less invasive alternative to traditional spay that removes only the ovaries rather than both ovaries and uterus, resulting in smaller incisions, shorter surgery time, and faster recovery.
• Health Certificates for Travel Health certificate services for interstate travel within the continental US, including guidance on CDC dog import requirements from Canada.
• Spay and Neuter Services Surgical sterilization procedures for cats and dogs with weight-tiered pricing, including IV catheter placement, fluids, anesthesia, the surgical procedure, pain management, and follow-up medications.
• Dental Procedures Comprehensive dental cleaning, evaluation, and full mouth radiographs for cats and dogs across feline and size-tiered canine categories, with separate fees for extractions and periodontal treatments.
• Online Pharmacy and Preventative Store Online pharmacy store powered by Vetsource, shipping prescription medications, prescription diets, and preventative products directly to pet owners, integrated with Fern Hill's clinic infrastructure so no separate written prescription is required.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of adult cats and 80% of adult dogs show signs of dental disease by age 3 (American Veterinary Dental Society statistic cited)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• VetsourceminorOthersVetsource is the online pharmacy and supply chain partner for Fern Hill Veterinary Care. Their warehouse is located in Portland, supporting the clinic's prescription medication and preventative product sales through their online store. Fern Hill recommends purchasing directly through their online store or hospital to support their local Portland-based small business.
• Synergy Behavior SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehavior specialist referral partner for cases requiring specialized behavioral intervention beyond general practice scope.
• Crux CardiologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile cardiology service scheduled in Fern Hill's clinic. Provides convenient access to cardiac specialty care for patients without requiring external travel.
• DoveLewis Emergency Animal HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner24-hour emergency hospital in Portland. Fern Hill doctors have backgrounds working and teaching at DoveLewis. After-hours emergency referrals and continued care coordination for complex cases.
• Oregon Humane SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal animal shelter partnership. Fern Hill provides services for newly adopted pets including discounted exams and spay/neuter procedures for recent adopters.
• Local Animal RescuesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious local rescue organizations refer adopters to Fern Hill for initial veterinary care. Featured rescue dogs and cats on website and social media help promote adoption.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Heart + Paw: Heart + Paw is a growing network of veterinary clinics positioned as premium, full-service pet care with a modern, low-stress environment—similar in positioning to Fern Hill, but in a multi-site East Coast/Mid-Atlantic footprint rather than Pacific Northwest.
• VIP Petcare: VIP Petcare operates community vaccination clinics and wellness events inside pet retail stores (PetIQ partnership). It competes with Fern Hill on low-cost vaccinations and basic preventive care in the same suburban markets.

Direct peers

• DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Animal Hospital: DoveLewis is a 24-hour emergency and specialty animal hospital in Portland, Oregon. It is a direct comparable and Fern Hill's referral partner—Fern Hill doctors trained there, share patients, and DoveLewis captures the cases Fern Hill refers out, operating in the same Portland market.

Broad incumbents

• VetCor: VetCor is a large network of community veterinary hospitals across the U.S., preserving local practice identity. It is a close operating-model peer to Fern Hill's independent, community-rooted approach but at multi-state scale.
• Thrive Pet Healthcare: Thrive is a multi-specialty and general practice veterinary platform operating hospitals and urgent care clinics across the U.S. It overlaps with Fern Hill's primary care and urgent care offerings but at significantly larger geographic scale.
• AmeriVet Veterinary Partners: AmeriVet partners with and acquires independent veterinary practices while preserving local branding. It represents a potential consolidator pathway or strategic peer for an independent like Fern Hill, operating many GP clinics across the U.S.
• Banfield Pet Hospital: Banfield is the largest general practice veterinary chain in the U.S., primarily co-located inside PetSmart stores. It competes directly with Fern Hill for wellness and preventive care visits across the Portland metro, though distributed across many sites nationwide.
• BluePearl Pet Hospital: BluePearl is a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital chain, also owned by Mars. It overlaps with Fern Hill on emergency referrals in the Portland market (like DoveLewis) but operates a specialty/ER model rather than primary care.
• WellHaven Pet Health: WellHaven is a corporate-owned network of veterinary hospitals that explicitly positions itself as community-focused and independent-feeling, mirroring Fern Hill's brand positioning but at larger network scale across multiple U.S. states.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA operates one of the largest networks of general practice and specialty veterinary hospitals in North America, owned by Mars. It competes for the same suburban Portland-area pet owners as Fern Hill but as part of a much broader corporate portfolio rather than a single independent site.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fernhillvetcare
• Instagraminstagram.com/fernhillvetcare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fern-hill-veterinary-care

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Fern Hill Veterinary Care