THE flagship practice of Vets4Pets is being opened in Guernsey on Sunday. It will provide all the facilities of a modern surgery and will be used as an example to Vets4Pets practices in the UK.

All support services will also be relocated to the former Ruette Braye Garage site in Grande Rue, St Martin’s.

‘All our practices have been performing beyond our expectations, with some achieving 1,000 client registrations in just four months of trading,’ said managing director Peter Watson.

‘I’m proud to be opening our flagship practice in Guernsey, where I live, and am looking forward to expanding the Vets4Pets brand across the country.’

The company was set up in 2001 by the former director of Specsavers and Vision Express on the same principle of joint-venture partnership and franchising. Mr Watson wanted to bring together professional vets to work in partnership with a support team based in the island with expertise in the business side of the operation.

This allows vets to devote their time to caring for pets and clients, while administration, IT, marketing and accounting are handled by the support office.

‘Many vets aspire to run their own practice but there is a lot of paperwork, which takes up time,’ said marketing and PR executive Sammy Killan.

‘If they come with us we will do the research, finance and marketing for them for a management fee.

‘It is still their business and it leaves the vets more time to do what they are good at and it lets them be associated with a brand that is increasingly recognised by customers.’

The group has 20 practices around England and Wales and aims to open another 25 each year and to branch into Scotland, achieving 90% brand recognition in its target market. Researchers look at different towns and areas to assess where a practice might have success and conduct door drops. As the network of practices grows, the group will get more competitive prices on medication, which will then be passed on to customers.

‘We are quite a young company in terms of our staff and want the modern, up-to-date vets to join us,’ said Miss Killan, one of nine support staff based locally.

The surgeries are typically established in highly-visible locations on arterial roads, which is why the company chose the former garage in St Martin’s. There is adequate parking, with the support office based behind the surgery. Potential future and existing vets will be brought to the island to see how the business runs and to shadow the vets for best practice.

Full medical and surgical facilities are offered at the surgery including an advanced operating theatre, a high-tech X-ray machine, an isolation ward, a waiting room and separate cat and dog wards, as well as a children’s area.

Vets Les Van Blerk and Jonathan Niccol, both from South Africa, will be opening the new Guernsey practice to the public on Sunday at 10am.

Both previously worked in Newbury.

A sponsored dog wash, with proceeds going to local animal charities, and the final of the publicised Pet Idol will be part of the day’s activities. The jaguar statuette that used to be on display at the garage will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to the Guernsey Gosh appeal.

‘As well as raising money for charity, the open day will take the mystery out of visiting the vet,’ said Mr Van Blerk.

‘Guernsey pet owners will get to meet the Vets4Pets staff and have the chance of behind-the-scenes tours on the day to provide people with an insight into how the surgery functions.’

* Vets4Pets will open to clients on Monday and will on weekdays from 8.30am to 7pm except on Wednesdays, when it will be open until 8pm. Saturday hours will be from 9am until 1pm; there will be 24-hour emergency cover seven days a week.

All consultations are by appointment on 239101.