07/29/2026
The Trump Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating veterinary consolidation amid petflation costs.
The Trump FTC has issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs)—legally binding requests requiring companies to produce documents and information—to all parties involved in the proposed Covetrus-MWI Animal Health merger as part of an investigation into potential antitrust concerns.
If approved, the merger would reduce the number of major national veterinary distributors from three to two, with the combined Covetrus-MWI company controlling up to 75 percent of the market.
Local antitrust attorney Joel Thayer told the Daily Caller the merger would dramatically reshape the veterinary distribution market, arguing it would leave one company with overwhelming control over prices and terms.
“It’s looking more like it’s going from, instead of a 3 to 2, it’s looking like it’s going to a 2 to 1, where one company is going to basically dictate all the terms and prices for that type of veterinary service.”
Research from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has also found that some pet owners have surrendered their animals because they could no longer afford or access necessary veterinary care.
Recent numbers also show that 22 percent of pet owners now carry more than $2,000 in pet-related debt, as the lifetime cost of owning a dog has climbed to roughly $35,000, with the cost of owning a cat not far behind, according to a Gallup poll.
Full story: http://dlvr.it/TTlFw4
