Headquartered in Luton, VioVet has grown rapidly since it was founded by Luke Cousins in 2008 when he was 16. The company operates across the UK offering excellent value on a wide range of over 35,000 pet-focused products including leading brands of food, medication, toys and equestrian supplies.
Charles Cattaneo and Martyn Pilley of Cattaneo LLP led the deal on behalf of the VioVet shareholders.
Pethealth is part of Toronto Stock Exchange-listed Fairfax Financial Holdings (TSX: FFH) and is the leading provider of management software to North American animal welfare organisations through its cloud-based application as well as being the leading provider of RFID microchips to the North American companion animal industry. Pethealth is also one of the largest providers of medical insurance for dogs and cats to pet owners, operating in the United States, Canada and the UK.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the team at VioVet and to welcome them to the Pethealth and Fairfax family,” said Sean Smith, PetHealth CEO. “The previous ownership team are staying on as shareholders of the company and we believe this represents an outstanding opportunity to continue to grow and enhance the already great organisation that has been built”.
Pethealth’s position in the animal welfare industry will complement VioVet’s strong standing as the number one independently rated online veterinary retailer in the UK.
“This is a marvellous step forward in the development of VioVet”, said John Cousins of VioVet. “Now that we are part of Pethealth and Fairfax we are excited about the new possibilities this will allow for our future.”