VetUK facts for kids
| Type | Limited Company |
|---|---|
| Foundation date | 2005 Thirsk, North Yorkshire, U.K. |
| Headquarters | Thirsk, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
| Area served | United Kingdom, Europe |
| Founder(s) | Iain Booth |
| Key people | Iain Booth (MRCVS), Dr. Lyane Haywood |
| Industry | Internet, online retailing |
| Owner | VetUK LTD |
| Employees | 35 (October 2014) |
| Website | (original UK site) (French) |
| Type of site | E-commerce |
| Available in | English, French |
| Launched | 2005 |
VetUK Ltd. is an online retailer that sells products for pets. They offer many items like toys, accessories, pet food, and special medicines for animals. The company started in 2005. They reached one million orders in 2012 and two million orders by 2014.
What is VetUK?
VetUK's main office is in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. They also have an IT office at York Science Park, near the University of York. In 2010, the company made about £10 million in sales.
By 2012, VetUK had 32 employees. They sold around 10,000 different products for pets. The company was growing fast, about 30% each year.
VetUK sells its products in the UK and other parts of Europe. They use brand names like Max and Molly, Nutrecare, and PetUK. Iain Booth leads the company. VetUK mainly gets new customers through word of mouth, meaning people tell their friends about it. The company also works with charities like the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
How Did VetUK Start?
VetUK was created in 2005 by Iain Booth, a vet, and Lyane Haywood, a scientist. They wanted to sell pet medicines that didn't need a special vet's note. Iain Booth said he heard from pet owners that there weren't enough choices and products were too costly.
He first tried selling items on eBay to see if people were interested. When he saw it was popular, he launched the VetUK website. The company started with its own money and first operated from Iain Booth's living room.
Important Moments in VetUK's History
- In 2010, VetUK launched a phone app called "V-E-T." This app helped people find the closest emergency vet if their pet needed urgent help.
- By 2011, VetUK was doing very well. They were nominated for a "Large Business and Retailer of the Year" award. At this time, the company had 22 employees and sales of £10 million each year.
- In August 2011, VetUK launched its own brand of pet food and accessories, called PetUK.
- In August 2012, VetUK bought another company called Nutrecare. They kept the Nutrecare brand name for its products. The operations moved from Kidderminster to Thirsk.
- About a month later, in September 2012, VetUK processed its one millionth order. This was a big achievement for the company!
