VetPartners, a leading UK veterinary company, has announced the permanent closure of four Valley Vets surgeries in Cardiff, Caerphilly, Pentyrch, and Ystrad Mynach, citing a long-term shortage of veterinary staff. The closures, according to the company, aim to consolidate services at its Gwaelod y Garth animal hospital and streamline operations. However, the move has sparked significant criticism from Unite, the UK’s largest trade union, which claims the closures are a reaction to historic strike action over low pay and rising prices for pet owners.
Unite asserts that VetPartners, owned by the £138 billion private equity firm BC Partners, is prioritising profit over the welfare of both employees and pet owners. Sharon Graham, General Secretary of Unite, expressed concern about the company’s practices: “VetPartners’ behaviour shows why it is under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Its business model, based on the US healthcare market, mercilessly profiteers from people’s love of their pets.”
The union argues that the closures are a tactic to suppress worker discontent, with staff at Valley Vets previously striking over what they describe as “poverty pay” and the increasing cost of services. Unite reports that 80% of Valley Vets support staff have borrowed money to make ends meet, and 5% have had to use food banks. Despite these conditions, VetPartners claims it cannot afford to pay staff the real living wage of £12 an hour. In contrast, the company reported gross profits of £553 million in 2023.
Paul Seppman, Unite’s regional officer, condemned the decision, stating: “In the six years VetPartners has owned Valley Vets, it has become synonymous with low wages and ever-increasing prices. The company’s decision to close the surgeries shows just how much damage it is willing to inflict to continue underpaying workers and overcharging pet owners.”
Seppman also highlighted that the closures could exacerbate the existing shortage of vets. He argued that the company’s treatment of staff, especially during the strike action, has driven crucial employees away. According to Unite, Valley Vets staff are currently preparing to renew their strike mandate in response to the ongoing issues.
In a statement issued to Herald Wales on Friday, Valley Vets explained the rationale behind the closures, stating that the decision was driven by a shortage of veterinarians over the past four years. “By closing the branches, we will be able to make best use of our veterinary team, reduce our reliance on locum vets, and make our practice more sustainable,” the statement read.
The company acknowledged that a small number of employees in support roles are at risk of redundancy but emphasised that the closure is intended to secure a sustainable future for Valley Vets. The Gwaelod y Garth hospital will continue to provide emergency and critical care services for around 40 other practices but will no longer accept referral cases.
As the situation develops, tensions between VetPartners and its employees appear to be escalating, with Unite vowing to continue its campaign against what it describes as the company’s “abhorrent business practices.”
