Banfield launches telehealth service for on-demand veterinarian supportJune 5, 2019Banfield Pet Hospital is offering its Optimum Wellness Plan clients a new way to discuss their pet's health with a veterinarian. The company has launched a telehealth service on its app called Vet Chat, which offers clients on-demand access to pet care advice and support from a veterinarian anytime and anywhere. "At Banfield, we never take for granted being entrusted with the care of a beloved pet is to be invited into the emotional center of a person's life," says company president, Brian Garish. "To us, that means not only being with you throughout your pet's life—from puppyhood through the golden years––it also means being there during those unexpected, sometimes anxiety-ridden moments between visits. "Vet Chat marks the next chapter in the future of pet care, and we're thrilled to offer a service benefitting our clients, their pets, and our veterinary teams." In a pet owner telehealth survey, Banfield found 39 percent of respondents admit they sometimes struggle to decide when to call the veterinarian and nearly four in 10 say they prefer to consult the internet first. Ninety percent of veterinarians say they worry pet owners may unknowingly put their pet at more risk by taking bad advice …
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Mars veterinary reach grows with UK's Linnaeus, Europe's AniCuraJune 12, 2018Mars Petcare announced its plans to acquire European veterinary group AniCura. Founded in 2011 as the first merger of animal hospitals in the Nordic region, AniCura includes more than 4,000 veterinary professionals and 200 animal hospitals in seven countries across Europe, seeing two million pets every year, according to the company. Mars Petcare employs approximately 50,000 veterinary professionals and cares for more than 10 million pets annually. "Together, Mars Petcare and AniCura will both be in a position to benefit from each other's best practices and competencies, improving clinical practice and continuing to advance the veterinary profession in both North America and Europe," according to a statement by Mars. Mars' acquisition of AniCura isn't the company's first acquisition across the pond. Also this month Mars announced its acquisition of U.K.-based veterinary group Linnaeus. Both groups join the company's veterinary health business units, which include VCA Animal Hospitals, Banfield Pet Hospital, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, and Pet Partners. "Mars Petcare has a long and global history of providing nutrition, veterinary care, and science for pets across the globe," said Poul Weihrauch, president, Mars Petcare. "Our veterinary business until now has been in the United …
Banfield, NAVC call vets to AMR actionApril 18, 2017The issue of antibiotic-resistant superbugs is the reason antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the subject of the inaugural annual Veterinary Emerging Topics (VET) Report, produced by Banfield Pet Hospitals in conjunction with the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC).
