The veterinary practices earning client loyalty right now aren't running the same playbook they were in 2022. Modern Animal now charges $199 a year for the membership that used to cost $129, Bond Vet and Small Door Veterinary just merged into a single 55-clinic network, and Veterinary Emergency Group has grown from roughly 30 locations to more than 130 under a new name, VEG ER for Pets. What hasn't changed is what actually earns loyalty: practices that treat client experience and team culture as the same problem, not two separate initiatives.
Here are 10 practices worth studying for what's working in 2026.
Apollo Veterinary | Wimberley & South Austin, TX
Apollo Veterinary built its reputation on modern, accessible aesthetics with a down-to-earth feel: complimentary drinks, curated treats, and comfortable seating in the waiting room. The practice has since added a second location in South Austin, and its team culture still leans on mentorship, CE opportunities, and encouraging staff to speak up, the same principles Hound's guide to building veterinary team culture points to as what separates practices with low turnover from the rest.
Bond Vet | Northeast, Mid-Atlantic & Midwest
Bond Vet built its name on calm, chic clinic design: two-level cat seating, a dedicated doctor's lounge, and 24/7 telemedicine, all aimed at making a vet visit feel less clinical. In July 2026, Bond Vet finalized a merger with Small Door Veterinary, combining into one of the country's largest premium veterinary networks, more than 55 clinics serving over 500,000 pets. The two brands are staying separate in the near term while leadership works out a unified experience.
Brandywine Valley Veterinary Hospital | Coatesville, PA
A beloved community practice that prioritizes its team's fiscal security first: high wages, full health care coverage, 30-minute appointments, and a dedicated nurse for every doctor. Happy, healthy teams translate to excellent patient care and client experience, and Brandywine Valley has kept that model intact.
Common Companion | Atlanta, GA
Common Companion brings a piece of Atlanta's shared city experience into the veterinary clinic: a colorful mural, a trendy waiting room, and wellness plans that help clients afford preventative care. The practice was acquired by AmeriVet Veterinary Partners, a private equity-backed consolidator, in 2022, though it still operates under its original name and local branding.
GoodVets | Nationwide
GoodVets partners with veterinarian leaders who want to run their own hospitals inside a shared brand: modern aesthetics, state-of-the-art tech, online and mobile booking, telehealth, kiosk check-in, and separate fear-free cat and dog experiences. The network has grown fast on the back of outside growth capital, from roughly 20 hospitals in 2023 to more than 60 locations nationwide today.
Modern Animal | Multiple US Metros
Modern Animal's mission is to build a better place for everyone who loves animals: beautiful clinic layouts, a proprietary electronic medical record (EMR) system, and 24/7 virtual care. The membership that eliminates exam fees has grown from $129 to $199 a year, and the company has expanded from its original Los Angeles base into eight metros. In late 2025, Modern Animal announced it was joining Chewy, with no planned changes to membership pricing.
Heart + Paw | 10 States Across the Eastern US
Heart + Paw combines veterinary care, grooming, and daycare under one roof, a bet that pet owners want fewer places to manage their pet's care, not more. The network has grown to 29 locations, and in June 2026 it launched personalized care plans across all of them within four weeks, giving members unlimited vet tech visits and bundled preventative care instead of a-la-carte pricing.
PAZ Veterinary | Austin, TX
Started as a mobile veterinary service, PAZ has grown into 4 welcoming clinics offering everything from Chinese herbals and acupuncture to laser therapy and advanced surgery. They still adapt deeply to meet the vast needs of their clients and their pets.
Small Door Veterinary | Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
Small Door built its reputation on membership-based care designed around human hospital standards: transparent pricing, 24/7 telemedicine, and spaces designed by animal experts to be stress-free. Small Door co-founder and CEO Florent Peyre now leads the combined company formed by its July 2026 merger with Bond Vet, and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has pointed to the deal as a case study in keeping accreditation standards intact through a merger of this size.
Veterinary Emergency Group | US & Canada
Open 24/7 including holidays, VEG has invested heavily in culture and people because a happy, supported team is more present and empathetic with clients. The company has grown from roughly 30 locations in 2022 to more than 130 hospitals across the US and Canada, and rebranded this year to VEG ER for Pets to make what it does clearer to a pet owner searching for emergency care at 2 a.m.
The pattern across these ten has less to do with clinic design or membership pricing than with a decision: treat client experience and employee experience as the same investment, not two separate budget lines. The practices that scaled fastest this cycle, the Bond Vet and Small Door merger, GoodVets' growth-capital expansion, VEG's rebrand and near-quadrupling of locations, all made that bet years before it paid off.