Brandtree

Who owns VCA Animal Hospitals?

VCA Animal Hospitals is owned by Mars (the United States), which acquired the brand on 12 September 2017, as part of a $9.1 billion deal that also included Banfield Pet Hospital.[1][2] VCA Animal Hospitals was founded in 1986 in the United States and was independent until 2017.

Evidence: Mars, Incorporated — our brands. Last checked .

Key facts

Current owner
Mars, Incorporated reported
Owned since
· deal details
Deal price (whole deal)
$9.1 billion (enterprise value) for 2 brands
Previous owner
Independent (1986–2017)
Owner HQ
🇺🇸 United States, McLean, Virginia
Origin
🇺🇸 United States
Founded
1986
Category
Pet & animal care › Pet supplies & services › Veterinary services
Trademark registrant
Vicar Operating, Inc. (USPTO)
Last verified
· 3 sources

About VCA Animal Hospitals

VCA Animal Hospitals is a North American veterinary hospital chain founded in 1986 that grew by acquiring independent practices. Mars acquired it in 2017 for about $9.1 billion, a purchase that made Mars one of the largest providers of veterinary care in the world.

Trademark record for VCA Animal Hospitals

The USPTO record for the VCA Animal Hospitals mark lists Vicar Operating, Inc. as the owner of record (serial number 78253902). A trademark is often held by a group company rather than the listed parent, so the registrant's name can differ from the owner named above.[3]

Ownership timeline of VCA Animal Hospitals

Owners of VCA Animal Hospitals over 1986 to 2026 Mars 2017–present Mars 1990200020102020
  1. 2017 – present Mars — acquired 12 September 2017 [1][2] reported

Where VCA Animal Hospitals sits in Mars

Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.

Where VCA Animal Hospitals sits in Mars Tree of 42 brands under Mars. Mars Kellanova Cheez-It Crunchy Nut Eggo Extra Nutri-Grain Pop-Tarts and 4 more VCA Animal Hospitals Altoids Banfield Pet Hospital Ben's Original Bounty Celebrations and 26 more

Open the full Mars ownership tree →

See the full Mars brand portfolio (42) →

Other brands owned by Mars

Mars controls 42 brands on Brandtree, 11 of them in pet & animal care.

Also in pet & animal care

Founded in the 1980s

All Mars brands →

Other brands in veterinary services, and who owns them

The 45 brands in veterinary services on Brandtree belong to 7 owners. The largest is Zoetis, with 17; Mars has 2.

BrandOwnerOwner based in
Apoquel Zoetis 🇺🇸 United States
Advantage Elanco 🇺🇸 United States
Caniviton Vetoquinol 🇫🇷 France
Enroxil Krka 🇸🇮 Slovenia
Chewy Vet Care Chewy 🇺🇸 United States
Rejensa Phibro 🇺🇸 United States
Cerenia Zoetis 🇺🇸 United States
Convenia Zoetis 🇺🇸 United States

Every brand in veterinary services and its owner →

About the owner: Mars

Mars is a family-owned company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States, founded in 1911. Brandtree records 42 brands under its control.

Mars is one of the largest privately held companies in the world, owned by the Mars family since Frank Mars began making sweets in Tacoma in 1911. It publishes no financial statements. Its four segments are snacking, pet nutrition, food and Mars Wrigley, and it agreed to acquire Kellanova in 2024.

Mars: full profile, brands and acquisition history →

🇺🇸 VCA Animal Hospitals and other American brands

Brandtree records a controlling owner for 2,549 brands that began in the United States. 478 of them (19%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country; VCA Animal Hospitals is not one of them.

All American brands and who owns them →

Deals involving VCA Animal Hospitals

Acquisition closed

Mars acquires Banfield Pet Hospital and VCA Animal Hospitals

Mars acquired VCA Inc., the largest chain of veterinary hospitals in the United States, for about $9.1 billion including debt. Mars already owned Banfield, and the combination made the largest pet food company in the world also the largest provider of veterinary care.

Value
$9.1bn
Buyer
Mars
Seller
—
Regulatory
None recorded

Frequently asked questions

Who is the parent company of VCA Animal Hospitals?

The parent company of VCA Animal Hospitals is Mars, a family-owned company headquartered in the United States.

Is VCA Animal Hospitals American?

Yes. VCA Animal Hospitals originated in the United States in 1986 and its owner, Mars, is also headquartered in the United States.

When did Mars buy VCA Animal Hospitals?

Mars completed its acquisition of VCA Animal Hospitals on 12 September 2017, after announcing the deal on 9 January 2017. The deal, which also included Banfield Pet Hospital, was valued at $9.1 billion (enterprise value).

Who owned VCA Animal Hospitals before Mars?

VCA Animal Hospitals was an independent company from its founding in 1986 until Mars acquired it in 2017.

Is VCA Animal Hospitals still owned by Mars?

Yes. As of 27 September 2026, VCA Animal Hospitals is still owned by Mars. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.

Sources (3) & corrections

Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.

  1. [1] Mars, Incorporated — our brands — Mars, Incorporated, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
  2. [2] VCA Inc. Form 8-K — completion of merger with Mars, Incorporated — SEC EDGAR, SEC Form 8-K, published 12 September 2017; retrieved 16 September 2026.
  3. [3] USPTO: VCA, serial 78253902 — United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark registry; retrieved 27 September 2026.

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