Independent veterinary practices can remain sustainable by strengthening what they can control: how the team’s skills are used, which technology solves real workflow problems, how clearly the practice defines its purpose, and whether future owners are being prepared. A 2025 U.S. study also found average business declines for independent practices after a corporate clinic entered the same census tract—but those estimates do not predict the outcome for every clinic or settle questions about care quality, prices, or access.
What corporate entry can mean for an independent practice
A 2025 study by Daniel Steinbach examined U.S. veterinary-business data from 2000 through 2021. It estimated the average effects on independent practices when a corporate veterinary practice entered the same census tract, whether by acquisition or by opening a new clinic.
| Estimated average change after entry | What the study measured |
|---|---|
| 1.9% higher likelihood | Likelihood that an independent practice exited |
| 5.7% lower | Employment at independent practices |
| 6.9% lower | Revenue at independent practices |
These are model-based estimates for the study’s dataset and census-tract definition of a local market, not guaranteed results for an individual clinic. Employment and revenue effects were stronger in urban than rural tracts. The study does not establish that corporate ownership necessarily changes veterinary-care quality or prices; it identifies those as questions for further study. Read Steinbach’s study in the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
How to build resilience with the team already in place
Delegate within each person’s qualifications
The 2025 SWOT analysis of independent U.S. practices recommends making better use of existing staff skills, including appropriate use of credentialed veterinary technicians. Review recurring tasks to identify work that qualified team members can take on, while keeping clinical decisions and duties within each person’s training, credentials, and applicable rules.
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Also look for nonmedical tasks that consume clinicians’ time. Administrative work, scheduling friction, or avoidable interruptions can reduce time available for patient care. A workflow review can show where responsibilities can be reassigned, clarified, or simplified without compromising care or overloading another role.
Use staffing data as a prompt, not a benchmark
The SWOT analysis cites AVMA data that 56% of veterinary practices had a practice manager in 2023. That figure describes the practices counted in the cited data; it does not establish that every clinic needs a manager or that adding one will improve results. A practice can instead assess whether management work has a clear owner and whether the people carrying it have enough authority and capacity to do it.
The authors’ practical recommendation is to optimize the existing workforce and allow staff to work at the top of their qualifications, rather than waiting for a larger veterinarian supply or a new category of non-veterinarian employee. The full SWOT analysis in Frontiers in Veterinary Science frames this as a strategy to consider, not a guaranteed financial or clinical outcome.
Choose technology for a specific operational need
Technology does not have to be an all-or-nothing upgrade. Start by naming the problem—such as phone congestion, appointment access, record handling, or follow-up—and then assess whether a tool will make the workflow more efficient or more convenient for clients. Consider setup time, staff training, ongoing costs, and how the tool fits existing systems before committing.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAVMA figures reproduced in the 2025 SWOT analysis show uneven adoption among companion-animal-exclusive practices:
| Technology or service | Share reported | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Practice information management software | 80% | AVMA figure for companion-animal-exclusive practices, reproduced in the 2025 analysis; the analysis does not state the underlying survey year alongside this figure. |
| Online appointment scheduling | 38.6% | AVMA figure for companion-animal-exclusive practices, reproduced in the 2025 analysis; the analysis does not state the underlying survey year alongside this figure. |
| Telehealth | 25.7% | AVMA figure for companion-animal-exclusive practices, reproduced in the 2025 analysis; the analysis does not state the underlying survey year alongside this figure. |
These figures are context, not targets: what is useful depends on a clinic’s clients, services, staffing, and existing systems. The analysis also reports that among independent practice owners who felt behind in technology, 31.3% cited lack of time and 26.3% cited cost. Because the analysis does not specify the exact survey year and population for those two figures in its summary, treat them as reported barriers rather than current national estimates.
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Make the practice’s purpose clear
A clear mission can help owners and staff make consistent decisions about services, client communication, hiring, and investment. The 2025 analysis reports AVMA survey data indicating that 46.7% of independent practices did not have a vision or mission statement; its summary does not identify the survey year and exact population for that statistic. Whether or not a clinic writes a formal statement, it can still discuss what it aims to provide, which clients it serves, and what standards guide day-to-day choices.
A mission is useful when it informs trade-offs rather than serving as a slogan. For example, a practice might use its stated priorities to evaluate whether online booking fits its clients, which services it can staff reliably, or where training would make the largest difference.
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Prepare for ownership continuity before a transition is urgent
Practice sustainability also depends on what happens when an owner wants to reduce their hours, retire, or sell. The SWOT analysis recommends developing associates’ finance, management, and leadership skills, and creating a clearer route into ownership. Those capabilities can help prospective owners understand both the clinical responsibilities and the business decisions involved.
Owners considering a transition can begin by identifying potential successors, documenting how the practice operates, and giving interested associates opportunities to learn about budgets, people management, and strategic decisions. A prospective buyer should assess the practice’s finances and operating needs as well as their own readiness; the analysis does not prescribe a single ownership or sale model.
For more detailed professional information on ownership, workforce, operations, productivity, people management, and technology adoption, the AVMA lists its paid 2025 Report on the Economic State of the Veterinary Profession.
How to compare ownership approaches without assuming one is best
Independent and corporate practices may differ in local decision autonomy, access to capital or shared services, staffing and career development, technology resources, succession options, and community connection. The evidence cited here does not establish that either ownership type invariably provides better medicine, lower prices, or greater access. For a specific clinic, compare how its actual ownership and operating choices affect the services and experience it provides.
How pet owners can find out who owns a veterinary practice
A clinic’s name alone may not reveal who owns it or how much local decision-making authority it has. Independent Vet describes independence in terms of locally rooted ownership and meaningful local autonomy. Its directory of locally owned veterinary practices distinguishes claimed, reviewed or verified, and unverified listings, and cautions that public ownership information may be incomplete or outdated. Use the directory as a starting point, not as a medical-quality endorsement, and ask the practice directly if ownership matters to your choice.
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