Corporate group
Linnaeus
Last updated 3 May 2026
At a glance
Linnaeus is the UK veterinary arm of Mars Veterinary Health, owned by Mars Inc. — the same parent company as Mars confectionery and Royal Canin pet food. Linnaeus operates first-opinion practices, referral hospitals, and emergency / out-of-hours care across the UK.
Ownership and structure
Linnaeus is owned by Mars Veterinary Health, the veterinary services division of Mars Inc. Mars Veterinary Health is the world's largest veterinary group by global practice count, operating Banfield Pet Hospital and BluePearl in the United States, AniCura in continental Europe, and Linnaeus in the UK.
Mars Inc. is privately held by the Mars family. The veterinary services division is one part of Mars's broader pet care business, which also includes Royal Canin and Wisdom Health (DNA testing). The integrated structure across pet food, pet care, and pet health is unusual among the corporate vet groups and was specifically noted in the CMA's market investigation.
Scale in the UK market
Linnaeus operates a substantial network of UK first-opinion small-animal practices alongside referral hospitals and emergency / out-of-hours care. The UK practice count is disclosed via Mars's private reporting rather than public filings, but the CMA's 2024 market investigation named Linnaeus as one of the six largest UK corporate vet consolidators.
What the CMA's transparency remedies require
Every Linnaeus-owned UK practice must comply with the CMA's 2025 price-transparency order: publish prices on its website, disclose Mars Veterinary Health corporate ownership, surface lower-cost treatment alternatives where clinically appropriate, and disclose prescription dispensing fees alongside the right to a written prescription.
Frequently asked
Who owns Linnaeus?
Linnaeus is owned by Mars Veterinary Health, the veterinary services division of Mars Inc. Mars Inc. is privately held by the Mars family. Mars Veterinary Health is the world's largest veterinary group by global practice count, operating Linnaeus in the UK, Banfield and BluePearl in the United States, and AniCura in continental Europe.
Is Linnaeus the same as Mars?
Linnaeus is the UK trading name for the veterinary services owned by Mars Veterinary Health, which is in turn part of Mars Inc. — the same parent company as Mars confectionery and Royal Canin pet food. The integrated pet food, pet care, and veterinary structure was specifically noted in the CMA's 2024 market investigation.
How many UK vet practices does Linnaeus own?
Linnaeus operates a substantial network of UK first-opinion practices alongside referral hospitals and emergency care. The exact UK practice count is disclosed via Mars's private reporting rather than public filings; the CMA's 2024 market investigation named Linnaeus as one of the six largest UK corporate vet consolidators.
Is Royal Canin owned by the same company as Linnaeus?
Yes. Royal Canin pet food and Linnaeus veterinary services are both owned by Mars Inc. via Mars Petcare. The CMA's 2024 market investigation noted the integration of pet food, pet care, and veterinary services within a single corporate group as a specific feature of the UK market.
Find Linnaeus practices near you
Search by postcode and filter by ownership group to see published CMA Vet Services price-transparency disclosures.