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 & Small Door Veterinary | Northeast, Mid-Atlantic & Midwest
Bond Vet and Small Door Veterinary finalized a merger in July 2026, forming one of the country's largest premium veterinary networks: more than 55 clinics serving over 500,000 pets. Small Door co-founder and CEO Florent Peyre now leads the combined company, 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.
The two brands are staying separate for now. Bond Vet keeps its calm, chic clinic design: two-level cat seating, a dedicated doctor's lounge, and 24/7 telemedicine. Small Door keeps its membership-based pricing and spaces designed by animal experts to feel stress-free. Leadership is still working out what a unified experience looks like.
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.
Petfolk | 17 Metros in the South, Midwest & Mountain West
Founded by veterinarian Dr. Audrey Wystrach, Petfolk is built on the idea that medicine, not real estate or growth targets, should lead the model: Gentle-Handling-certified teams, clinics open seven days a week, transparent pricing, and 24/7 in-app chat with the medical team. The network has grown to 50 care centers across 17 metros, with new 2026 openings stretching from Salt Lake City to the Houston and Indianapolis suburbs. A PetfolkCare membership runs $199 a year and layers round-the-clock support on top of standard visit pricing.
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.