VCA Animal Hospitals facts for kids
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Trade name
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VCA Animal Hospitals |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founders | Neil Tauber Robert Antin Arthur Antin |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Number of locations
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1000+ animal hospitals (2020) |
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Areas served
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United States and Canada |
| Revenue | US$2.1 billion (2015) |
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Number of employees
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27,100 (2018) |
| Parent | Mars Petcare |
| Subsidiaries | Sound/Antech Imaging Services Camp Bow Wow |
VCA, Inc. is a company that runs over 1,000 animal hospitals. These hospitals are located across the United States and Canada. The company is known as VCA Animal Hospitals. Its main office is in Los Angeles, California. VCA was started in 1986.
What is VCA Animal Hospitals?
VCA Animal Hospitals helps pets stay healthy. They offer many services for animals. These include regular check-ups, emergency care, and special treatments. They have many vets and nurses who care for animals.
How VCA Started
VCA was founded in 1986. Three people who worked in healthcare started it: Neil Tauber, Robert Antin, and Arthur Antin. The letters "VCA" stand for "Veterinary Centers of America." However, the company does not use this full name anymore. In 1987, VCA bought its first animal hospital. It was called West Los Angeles Veterinary Hospital.
Growing the Company
Over the years, VCA grew by adding more services.
- In 2004, VCA bought a company called Sound Technologies. This company made special equipment for vets. This equipment helped vets see inside animals, like with X-rays and ultrasounds.
- In 2009, VCA bought another company, Eklin Medical Systems. This company also made imaging tools. Sound Technologies and Eklin Medical Systems joined together. They became Sound/Antech Imaging Services.
- In 2014, VCA bought Camp Bow Wow. This company offers dog day care and boarding. It had about 140 locations in the US and one in Canada. VCA also started working with the Barkley Pet Hotel & Day Spa brand.
Joining the Mars Family
On January 9, 2017, a big company called Mars Inc. announced it would buy VCA. Mars Inc. is famous for making candy and pet food. They bought VCA for $9.1 billion. VCA became a part of Mars Petcare. Mars Petcare is a part of Mars Inc. that focuses on pet care. Even after the sale, Bob Antin, who was the boss of VCA, stayed in his job.
