WANTAGE-based Vets4Pets is spending £20m to more than double the number of its veterinary practices from 300 to 700.

Part of the Pets At Home superstores group, it teamed up with local vets to open practices in its stores, or on standalone sites.

An example is Dr Iva Todorova, 33, who opened a practice in the new Pets At Home store in Cowley’s Templars Retail Park last week.

It includes an operating theatre, digital x-ray facilities and laboratory which can carry out procedures from health checks to emergency operations.

In a joint venture, vets put in a sum of their own money and are given support with marketing, accounts and other administration.

Other Pets At Homes branches include practices in Oxford's Botley Road, Banbury and Bicester.

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Dr Todorova said: “I am incredibly excited and proud to open my own veterinary practice in Cowley.

“I have been lucky enough to find an excellent team that I am confident will provide the very highest level of care to the animals of Oxford.”

Amy Belcher, of Vets4Pets, said some of the practices could be in Oxfordshire and there would be between seven and nine new jobs created at each.

She said: “Practising vets approach us and ask if they can go into a joint venture with us, so they choose the location. Growth in the UK pet market has been ahead of retail generally, so we see potential for at least 700 practices.”

Vets4Pets was started in 2001 by Peter Watson, former managing director of opticians Vision Express.

It was sold to Pets At Home in April last year, when it was reported to be worth £50m.

Its main administration centre is still at Kingstone Lisle business centre, near Wantage.

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