York-based veterinary group VetPartners continues to expand with Wales practice

Jo Malone: Chief executive of VetPartners, which is continuing to expand across the UK.

York-based VetPartners, which owns more than 100 veterinary practices across the UK, has added Abbey Veterinary Centres to its group.

Abbey Veterinary Centre has four small animal surgeries in Abergavenny, Tredegar, Brecon and Monmouth.

However, Abbey Equine Clinic will not be joining VetPartners, but will instead retain its independent status under the management of clinical director Emma Jones.

Emma and husband Ben Hynes, along with fellow vets Gary Champken and Amanda Holland, have sold their shareholding in the small animal division to VetPartners.

Mr and Mrs Hynes will retain ownership of the equine practice.

“It was a personal decision to keep our long-established equine practice as a separate, independent business and everything has been conducted in an amicable and cordial way,” Mrs Hynes said.

She added: “We were most impressed with VetPartners and their approach to practices as they want to look after team members and ensure practices and people thrive in the future.”

VetPartners has 4,600 employees working in nearly 400 sites across the UK and from its headquarters in York.

Earlier this year, it acquired Clyde Veterinary Group. Jo Malone, CEO of VetPartners, said that acquisition strengthened the firm’s presence in Scotland.