Pet Cremation Services (PCS) joined VetPartners on Friday as the York-based veterinary group continued its expansion.
Based in Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, PCS has a national network of pet crematoria, providing a cremation service for the clients of UK veterinary practices, as well as delivering bereavement training for veterinary professionals through its company, Compassion Understood. They also work directly with bereaved pet owners, who can attend their pet’s cremation.
After being established as a family-run business more than 30 years ago by Managing Director Glenn Tuck, PCS has grown into one of the UK’s leading pet cremation services with 153 employees working across 14 operational sites, from Cornwall to Ayrshire.
Some 150 of the most respected and trusted small animal, equine, mixed and farm veterinary practices are part of VetPartners, which has 5,500 employees working in 500 sites across the UK and from its headquarters in York. The group also has nine practices in Italy and is preparing for further European expansion in 2021.
Mr Tuck will continue as Managing Director and has welcomed the move that will enable PCS to continue to grow their services.
He said: “PCS was looking for the right partners who fitted our vision and our beliefs, and we believe VetPartners shares our values. VetPartners is all about working together as a team to provide the best care for pet owners. With their involvement, we hope to extend our offering.”
VetPartners CEO Jo Malone has personal experience of PCS through her own pets, and believes the caring service the company provides fits with the group’s own ethos of giving compassionate end-of-life care for owners and their pets.
Mrs Malone said: “Glenn and the team are passionate about end-of-life care, and I could not be happier that they are joining our team. My own three dogs were individually cremated at one of their sites and I know the level of care that they put into the service they provide.
“Being able to provide quality care for pet owners at this painful time is such a vital part of what our practices offer, so it was a natural decision to want to be part of that service more closely. We are looking forward to continuing the progression of PCS and the end-of-life care it provides.”
PCS was established more than 30 years ago and in 2015 sought investment from a private equity company to help grow the business from nine sites to 14 operational crematoria across the UK.
The acquisition of PCS marks further diversification by VetPartners, which also has a small animal veterinary nursing school, an equine nursing school, laboratories, research dairy and locum agency.
Their expansion is supported by leading international investment company, BC Partners, which has 17 billion Euros of assets under management in private equity and credit across the globe.