Who Owns Adelaide Vet Clinics?

Updated August 17, 2023

Ever wondered about how vet practices are owned? No? I’m not surprised; it really doesn’t matter that much.

For those with a passing interest, though, there has been a bit of a shakeup in the past few years.

Major acquisitions of vets by corporate entities have been happening across Australia. I personally received three letters of interest in one year!

As of 2020 there are three major groups active in South Australia. As vets near retirement and find how easy it is to sell to these groups, this list is sure to lengthen. I’ll try to keep it updated but given the fast pace of change and private nature of sales I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this list.

Does Ownership Matter?

It’s still early days, but I don’t think the corporates will cause any loss of quality or service. In fact, they may add a level of training and support unavailable to independent practices, and give a standardised level of care to patients.

Disadvantages might be a loss of diversity in opinion (raw bone feeding for example!), the inability to offer charity to special cases or a gradual escalation of pricing.

Here are the major groups in SA with interstate connections. There are also several large locally-based veterinary chains.

Greencross Limited

National group of over 150 clinics, affiliated with Petbarn. South Australian vets include:

  • AAERC
  • Animal Emergency Centre
  • Greencross Vets Findon
  • Greencross Vets Gawler
  • Greencross Vets Holden Hill (with PetBarn)
  • Greencross Noarlunga Centre (with PetBarn)
  • Greencross Vets Paradise
  • Greencross Vets Para Vista
  • Greencross Vets Seaton
  • Greencross Vets Strathalbyn
  • Greencross Vets Wellington Road Mount Barker

Vet Partners Australia Pty Ltd

International group of 150 clinics, most in Australia. South Australian vets include:

  • Aberfoyle Hub Veterinary Clinic
  • Adelaide Plains Veterinary Clinic
  • AdelaideVet Goodwood Road
  • AdelaideVet Prospect
  • AdelaideVet Stirling
  • AdelaideVet Trinity Gardens
  • Angle Vale Veterinary Clinic
  • Blackwood Veterinary Surgery
  • Cottage Grove Veterinary Centre
  • Golden Grove Emergency Hospital
  • Hawthorn Vet
  • Lincoln Veterinary Centre
  • Mawson Lakes Veterinary Hospital
  • Murray Bridge Veterinary Clinic
  • Northgate Veterinary Hospital
  • Ridgehaven Veterinary Centre
  • Salisbury Park Veterinary Hospital
  • Vets First Riverport Goolwa
  • Vets First Victor Harbor

Vets Central

21 Australian clinics so far, two in SA.

  • Aldgate Veterinary Clinic
  • Familypet Vet, Coromandel Valley

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here.

6 Replies to “Who Owns Adelaide Vet Clinics?”

  1. This is great info. I’d love a current up to date on how many more have been taken over by conglomerate. Thanks

    1. Hi Amanda. Have a look at the last updated date and it’ll give you an idea on how recent it is, but I keep it recently current.

  2. I recently visited my Vet practice in Salisury SA , as my little dog had a lump . I was told I couldn’t see the Vet until I paid up front . Then l couldn’t collect the prescription until I paid up front !
    Is this an order for the Wealthy organisation that owns them . ?

    1. Hi Janet. It’s not a standard practice so I’m not sure of their reasoning. It’s not normally associated with corporate ownership though.

  3. Dear Andrew ,
    great article with an excellent evidence based approach. Can you recommend any like-minded vet in North Sydney and its surrounds?

    1. Hi Antony. Sorry, I can’t. It’s a lot easier for me considering the size of Adelaide vs that of Sydney.

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