Banfield Pet Hospital facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Veterinary Services |
| Founded | 1955 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, Washington, U.S. 45°36′59″N 122°29′09″W / 45.616306°N 122.485809°W |
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Key people
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Mony Iyer, President Daniel Aja Sr. Vice President and Chief Medical Officer |
| Products | Veterinary care |
| Revenue | US$774.4 million |
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Number of employees
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14,000 (2014) |
| Parent | Mars Inc. |
Banfield Pet Hospital is a big company that runs animal clinics. They help take care of pets like dogs and cats. Banfield is part of the Mars Inc. family of companies. You might know Mars Inc. for candy bars like Snickers or pet food like Pedigree!
Banfield has clinics in the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Many of their more than 1,000 clinics are located inside PetSmart stores. This makes it easy for pet owners to get supplies and vet care in one place. Banfield is the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the United States. In 2014, Banfield Pet Hospital moved its main office to Vancouver, Washington.
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How Banfield Started
Banfield was founded in 1955 by Warren J. Wegert. It started in Portland, Oregon. The company's name comes from a nearby road called the Banfield Freeway.
In 1987, a person named Scott Campbell bought the single Banfield hospital. At that time, it made about $2 million each year. He created a new company called Medical Management International, Inc. (MMI) to own the clinic.
Growing with PetSmart
In 1994, Banfield teamed up with the pet store chain PetSmart. They started opening pet clinics inside PetSmart stores. These clinics were first called VetSmart.
By 1996, Banfield had grown a lot. They had over 150 locations in 18 states. They helped more than 600,000 pets every year. PetSmart received rent and a share of the profits from these clinics. They also owned part of MMI. In 2000, Banfield bought PetSmart's other clinics.
More Growth and New Ideas
By 2001, the company had more than 250 clinics. That year, MMI started a company to sell health insurance for pets. It was first called BluePaw, then changed to TruePaws.
In 2004, Banfield opened its first international clinic in England. They had 360 clinics in total by then. Banfield also became the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the U.S. They had over 4,000 employees worldwide, including 900 veterinarians.
That same year, Banfield opened 80 more clinics. They also helped fund teaching hospitals. These hospitals were linked to vet medicine programs at universities. Banfield clinics also started working with universities and health centers. They used pet health data to help keep an eye on pet health trends across the country.
By 2005, Banfield was helping 3.5 million animals every year. They had 450 clinics around the world. The Banfield Charitable Trust was also created. This trust helps pet owners who might not have enough money for vet care.
Changes in Ownership
In 2007, Scott Campbell, who had been the CEO for a long time, sold his shares of the company. He sold them to Mars Inc.. John Payne then became the new CEO.
Mars Inc. is a very big company. They are known for many products, including candy and pet food. In 2015, Mars Inc. bought another pet hospital company called Blue Pearl Hospital. Then, in 2017, Mars Inc. bought VCA Animal Hospitals for a lot of money. This shows how much Mars Inc. believes in pet care!
By 2008, Banfield had 725 locations. These were spread across the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
What Banfield Does
Most Banfield clinics are inside PetSmart stores. These clinics usually have about four veterinarians. They are about 1,800 square feet in size.
Banfield offers different types of veterinary care for pets. They also sell special discounted care packages. These are called Optimum Wellness Plans. These plans help pet owners get regular check-ups and care for their pets.
The company's main office in Vancouver, Washington, has a cool feature. It has an off-leash dog park that is open to everyone!
