We’re delighted to be celebrating after having our commitment to the community cemented by becoming the UK’s first veterinary group to be awarded Community Interest Company (CIC) status.
Animal Trust was originally set up in 2012 with a vision of developing a group of veterinary surgeries that provides the best access to good care. Our nine surgeries provide free face to face consultations with a vet and affordable, all-inclusive care to everyone, regardless of income or location.
“Since we first opened, the demand for our services has only continued to grow, proving how important it is for pets to be able to access affordable veterinary care, and that pet ownership should not just be accessible for the wealthy.” says CEO and Founder Owen Monie.
A Community Interest Company is a transparent and regulated structure with a primary aim of delivering value to society and not to make a profit. Once awarded, the community benefit is protected by law and can’t be lost.
Speaking about the exciting announcement, Owen said; ‘’Being awarded CIC status is an important milestone for us. Our priority is always the health and care of the patients that we see and our CIC status cements this commitment in law and it is an achievement that we’re extremely proud of.’’
At Animal Trust we provide a range of veterinary services and more advanced care that isn’t always found in many general practice vets. Across the Animal Trust group owners have access to; orthopaedic surgery, including total hip replacement, CT scanning and 24/7 inpatient and emergency care. It’s by providing advanced services at accessible and transparent prices that see many owners travelling long distances to access our services.
“We find our clients travel from all over the UK to obtain the care their pets need, with patients travelling up from more southerly locations including central London, Sussex, Portsmouth, and Bristol, particularly for our orthopaedic treatments as they find that, even with their travel included, it’s still more affordable than veterinary practices in their hometown.’’ adds Owen.
Becoming a Community Interest Company doesn’t impact who can join us, as we’re still open to everyone and there is no eligibility criteria to meet — we just want all pets to benefit from having the best access to good care.
“The status is a huge reflection of our amazing team and their dedication towards caring for pets, and we hope that by setting this in law, we’re creating a trend for the future and how veterinary care should be delivered — in the hope that other veterinarians will follow our lead.’’
As always, face to face consultations with our vets remain completely free of charge for everyone and joining us is quick and easy to do online. Learn more about our transparent and accessible pricing here.
