Thousands of Britons take their furry companions to see the vet every day. What they might not realise is that their local clinic probably belongs to one of seven companies which have slowly being consolidating the sector.

One of the seven is CVS, Britain’s largest provider of veterinary services for small companion animals (eg cats, dogs and guinea pigs), horses and livestock. The Aim-listed group was founded in 1999, when the industry was deregulated. It was backed by the private equity house Sovereign, with the idea of introducing a corporate structure to an industry dominated by thousands of small players.

Simon Innes, chief executive of CVS, right, who joined the company from Vision Express, says what happened to the veterinary industry 17 years ago was similar to the consolidation seen in the opticians sector. “Deregulation in the optical industry took place decades ago, which then prompted the likes of Specsavers and Vision Express,” he says. “Before deregulation in veterinary, it had been difficult for vets to grow their businesses.”

Innes has headed the Norfolk-based CVS since 2004. The straight-talking former Army captain, stepped up CVS’s expansion plans and helped navigate a successful Aim float in 2007. “We managed to complete it before the [financial] crisis, although only by weeks,” he says.