Case Study: How We Matched a Multi-Location Veterinary Practice With the Right Buyer

Selling a veterinary practice is never simple, and a multi-location veterinary practice adds complexity: more staff, more facilities, more leases and a larger leadership team. This case study shows how we matched a growing veterinary group with a buyer who fit, and how the sale protected what the owners had built. Details are kept anonymous to protect the owners and their team.

The seller: a growing multi-location veterinary practice

Background

The owners had built a group of veterinary clinics with a strong reputation for animal care, a loyal client base and a supportive workplace. They had grown steadily over the years through hard work and careful hiring.

Motivation

As the practice kept growing, the owners wanted a transition plan. Their aim was to step back from daily operations while preserving the values that made the practice successful, and they wanted a buyer committed to quality care and community involvement.

Concerns

The owners had three main concerns: that the new owner would fit the existing culture, that the transition would be smooth for staff and clients, and that the financial terms would protect both them and their team. These are the same questions we cover in what happens to employees when a veterinary practice is sold.

The challenge

A targeted search versus broad marketing

The first question was how to approach the market. The owners wanted to reach buyers who genuinely understood the practice’s values and community role, without exposing the practice more widely than necessary.

Specialized buyer needs

A multi-location veterinary practice needs a buyer with both veterinary experience and the ability to run several sites, while keeping the practice’s community relationships. Finding buyers who met all of those criteria was the key to a good match. Our guide to finding buyers for a veterinary practice explains how buyer types differ.

Our approach

Discovery

We started by understanding the practice in depth: its operations, financial health and culture. Conversations with the owners clarified what made the practice attractive and what they needed from a buyer.

Targeted matchmaking

With that picture, we identified buyers from our network who met the owners’ criteria, and checked each for financial capability and alignment with the practice’s mission. See how matchmaking works.

Introductions

We introduced the owners to the buyers who fit, and stayed involved to keep communication clear and address concerns as they came up, so trust built on both sides.

The results

A strong cultural fit

The owners were matched with a buyer that had the financial resources and a shared commitment to high-quality veterinary care and community involvement. That alignment was central to a smooth transition.

An efficient timeline

The sale closed in 14 weeks. The owners then stepped back from daily operations, handing responsibilities to the new owner in an orderly way.

Terms that worked for both sides

The final terms worked for both parties: the owners were satisfied with the outcome, and the buyer acquired a well-respected practice with its community ties intact.

Lessons for other owners of a multi-location veterinary practice

Direct connections save time

Introductions through an established network let the owners reach a qualified buyer quickly and avoid a long, open-ended search.

Preparation pays off

A clear understanding of the practice’s operations and culture helped the owners negotiate well. Our checklist for preparing to sell lists what buyers ask for.

Support matters

Selling a practice is complex and emotional. Having experienced support, whether a matchmaker, a broker or a trusted adviser, makes the process easier. Every sale is different, and timelines vary: most take 6 to 18 months from the first call to closing.

Is your practice next?

If you own a veterinary practice, single-site or multi-location, and you’re considering a sale, start by understanding your options. Try the veterinary valuation calculator for an educational estimate, read selling to private equity vs. an individual buyer, or learn more about selling a veterinary practice. When you’re ready, get introduced to a buyer on a 15-minute call. There is no cost to the seller.