Premises for a vet?

Question

If i get a premises(rent), can i create a vet. Could i hire a veternaty surgeon and do it like that?

Has this been done?

Answer 1

I have a friend who is a veterinary technologist. That a Bachelor of Science degree (128 credits). Originally he was veterinary technician, which is only an Associate of Applied Science (72 credits). He can do a lot, but he is not a veterinarian, not yet at least. He has been working at the same practice for about 15 years.
He also has another interesting business of his own. The veterinarian doesn't have much room to board sick animals that need special care, like a diabetic cat for example. If you own such a pet, you will find few kennels or catteries willing to medicate orally, let alone inject insulin.
He has boarding for sick pets at his home, he has a large property with another building for the business. He has no problem injecting insulin,. etc, because he does this sort of thing all the time at his other job.
He's not taking in hospital patients. These are boarders. The veterinarian refers all the special needs clients to my friend for boarding. He also does grooming of the special needs pets. This is a lucrative business for my friend. This may be something you could invest in, then get a vet tech or technologist to run it. Better yet, go to school and become a vet tech and run it yourself.

Answer 2

Most vets leave university, work at an established practice for a while, then try to set up their own practice.
Its really expensive to train and set up a practice, they could be a quarter ofa million pounds in debt by the time they finish university and start a new paractice.
Then theres their wages, plus the usual running expenses of the business; the disposal of waste, and drugs. Its not a cheap business to get into.

If you have the money to sponsor a practice but no qualifications, you could be a 'business angel' and invest in a new practice.
But its unlikely that you'd know what a vets surgery needs, how much space and what kind of buildings, what sort of equipment, never mind about legal problems like planning permission. So even if you did loan someone the money to start up a practice, its not likely that you'd have much say in how it was run.
You really need business advice, somewhere like a local business advice centre might be a good place to start asking.

Answer 3

It is possible, but all of the vet practices that I know have a qualified vet as the owner and primary practitioner. The expense involved in setting up a practice requires a good relationship with the bank, and they are unlikely to fund a lay person in such an enterprise. There are also legal requirements when practicing veterinary medicine and it is unlikely that you would fulfill the requirements, without having a qualified vet willing to be in partnership with you, rather than working as an employee.

Check out this book on Amazon for more information about the complexities of vet practice management:
http://www.amazon.com/Veterinary-Practice-Management-John-Gripper/dp/0632057459

Answer 4

I have no idea. But if you do and are anywhere close to me and my pets, do I get a discount. As long as you are legit I mean. Otherwise, watch out for those law suits. That would hurt...