Pets at Home
| File:PetsAtHome.svg | |
| Company type | Public limited company |
|---|---|
| |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Anthony Preston |
| Headquarters | Handforth, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Ian Burke (Executive Chairman) |
| Products | Pet supplies |
| Revenue | Increase £1,476.6 million (2024) |
| Decrease £145.5 million (2024) | |
| Decrease £79.2 million (2024) | |
| Divisions | Vets for Pets Pets Grooming |
| Website | www |
Pets at Home Group PLC—commonly referred to as Pets—is a UK-based retailer focusing on products such as pet food, toys, bedding, and healthcare items.
Established in 1991 by Anthony Preston, the business runs 453 outlets across the United Kingdom alongside an e-commerce platform. It also provides additional services within stores, including grooming, veterinary care, and dog training.
The company went public with an initial public offering in March 2014 and is currently listed on the London Stock Exchange, forming part of the FTSE 250 Index.
History
The inaugural Pets at Home store launched in Chester in 1991. In December 1999, the company expanded by acquiring the UK branch of PetSmart, incorporating 140 stores under its banner.
In July 2004, private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital acquired Pets at Home for £230 million. By November 2007, the retailer celebrated the opening of its 200th location in Barnstaple.
On 27 January 2010, ownership transferred from Bridgepoint to American investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) for an estimated £955 million.
After its London Stock Exchange debut in March 2014, KKR progressively sold off its holdings, fully divesting its remaining 12.3% stake by January 2018.
Operations
Pets at Home currently manages 453 retail outlets, alongside 316 grooming salons and a network of veterinary services comprising 394 surgeries operated through joint ventures and 47 directly managed veterinary clinics. These joint ventures typically involve smaller enterprises that remit a portion of their revenue as management fees for administrative support. Additionally, the company offers a graduate training programme aimed at cultivating future joint venture partners.
The business owns Vets for Pets (previously Vets4Pets), a veterinary enterprise based in Guernsey that oversees a nationwide network of joint-venture small animal clinics. It collaborates with veterinary professionals—mainly surgeons or nurses—to establish new practices catering to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, and rabbits.
Controversies
In September 2012, the BBC consumer show Watchdog highlighted concerns regarding animal welfare at Pets at Home, alleging mistreatment of small animals and substandard conditions in certain locations. Pets at Home responded comprehensively to these allegations. In 2016, the BBC Trust recognized editorial errors in the initial broadcast and revised the programme to include Pets at Home’s rebuttal.
Additional reading
- "Unusual objects discovered inside dogs' stomachs, according to Vets4Pets". Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Retail businesses in the United Kingdom
- British firms founded in 1991
- Retailers established in 1991
- Companies headquartered in Cheshire
- Pet retail outlets
- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts portfolio companies
- Pets within the United Kingdom
- Veterinary service providers in the United Kingdom
- London Stock Exchange listed companies
- FTSE 250 Index constituents
- 1991 establishments in England
- Mergers and acquisitions in 2004
- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts companies