BluePearl to join Mars Petcare, owner of Banfield Pet Hospitals

Mars Petcare and BluePearl announced today that BluePearl, a national provider of companion animal specialty and emergency care with 53 locations in U.S. states, has agreed to join Mars Petcare, one of the largest pet nutrition and pet health providers in the world. 

Once the transaction is completed, BluePearl will join Mars Petcare alongside Banfield Pet Hospital, enabling Mars Petcare to provide a continuum of high-quality care across the entire companion animal healthcare sector, company leaders say.

In a release from Mars, BluePearl CEO Darryl Shaw said, “This agreement is a natural fit for us-Mars is an iconic, family-owned organization with a very significant commitment to pets. Once completed, this exciting development will enable us to make key investments in our people, facilities, systems and infrastructure, allowing us to continue to grow and drive up standards of veterinary care.” 

Shaw adds that joining with Mars Petcare will help BluePearl provide support for local veterinary communities.

“We will continue to operate as a separate, distinct business unit maintaining our absolute commitment to serving the primary care veterinary communities where we operate hospitals because we know these relationships provide the necessary foundation for the best possible care for our patients,” he says. “We will also continue our commitment to offer high-quality referral specialty and emergency care and, consistent with our historical model, we will not offer primary care services.”

Mars has been in the pet care business for more than 70 years; it is the largest and fastest growing part of the Mars business. Completion of this transaction is subject to necessary regulatory approvals, and financial terms have not been disclosed.

Banfield Pet Hospital, which was acquired by Mars Petcare in 2007, today comprises more than 900 hospitals in the United States and Puerto Rico. It employs more than 3,200 veterinarians.