Pets at Home expands its veterinary business with the acquisition of Vets4Pets

Pets at Home, the UK's largest pet store business, has bought Vets4Pets for around £40m, and will integrate the latter's 93 veterinary practices into its 166 in-store vet business.

The deal will net millions for Vets4Pets' founder, Peter Watson, a former Specsavers and Vision Express executive who set up the veterinary firm 12 years ago.

It will mean Pets at Home will become one of the largest veterinary chains in the country and practices could eventually overtake the number of stores.

The business has already expanded beyond selling dog food, scratching posts and bird cages, to offering grooming and de-fleaing services.

Its chief executive, Nick Wood, said: 'The expansion of our veterinary business is a key element of our growth strategy for Pets at Home, providing additional services to our customers within our stores or close to our customers' homes.'

Wood joined the retailer last year from American Golf, replacing Matt Davies, who went on to run Halfords.

Pets at Home has 346 stores, almost half of which already have in-house vets thanks to a linkup with Companion Care, which will continue to work alongside the new venture.

Wood added: 'Existing customers of both Vets4Pets and Companion Care will continue to receive the highest standards of pet healthcare services and treatments from their local Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices, and we hope to bring them new and exciting services and products in the near future.'

The purchase of Vest4Pets lead to the retailer having 210 veterinary practices in total. Pets at Home owns nearly 10 per cent of all surgeries across the UK with a turnover of £100m. It also operates 86 in-store grooming salons. Pets at Home was bought by privateequity group KKR three years ago, in a deal worth £955m.