During a recent discussion with Mr. Arun Vasudevan, CEO at MaxPetZ, we delved into the innovative strides the brand is making in revolutionizing pet healthcare across India. Arun Vasudevan sheds light on the transformative journey and exceptional practices driving MaxPetZ to the forefront of the veterinary care landscape.
In recent years, India has witnessed a shift in people’s relationship with their pets. People now see themselves more as pet parents instead of pet owners. This shift is fueled by better incomes, changing family plans, and knowing more about pet care. However, issues like breeding problems, pollution, and poor diets mean more pets are getting sick with serious problems like heart and bone issues. This has led to a big demand for advanced pet healthcare. And MaxPetz has emerged as a leader in this field, providing state of the art multi-specialty veterinary hospitals and clinics to ensure the well-being of pets across the country. Born from the merger of two of India’s pioneering veterinary practices — Max Vets in Delhi/NCR and Pet Zone in Mumbai/Goa, MaxPetZ is a testament to the amalgamation of expertise, dedication, and over 70 years of unwavering commitment to pet care.
- Tell us about MaxPetZ and the efficient team of doctors onboard. What are the exceptional factors about the brand and the team?
MaxPetZ is India's leading chain of multi-specialty veterinary Hospitals & clinics created by merging two of India’s pioneering and renowned multi-specialty veterinary practices- Max Vets based in Delhi/NCR and Pet Zone based in Mumbai/Goa. With India’s highly reputed veterinary doctors at the helm, MaxPetZ’s mission is to provide compassionate care and exceptional medicine in order to improve access to quality pet health care and wellness to pet parents. Our founding doctors have extensive practicing experience ranging 15 -50 years and together cover multiple specialties. Moreover, we have developed a reputation over 70 years for quality, professional care with a compassionate touch. This is testament not just to our sustained commitment but also our concerted focus on innovation – whether it be, in introducing new treatments/ procedures or diagnostic capabilities.
- How have the hospitals/clinics grown over the past years, keeping the effects of two iconic brands (Maxvets and PetZone) coming together?
The idea for MaxPetZ was conceived with a vision to revolutionize the pet healthcare industry in India. The inspiration behind this venture dates back to 2018 when we envisioned scaling up and expanding through a doctor-owned and doctor-led model for veterinary care in India, leading to a setup that provides compassionate care and medical aid. By bringing together the expertise of renowned veterinary doctors, the brand aims to improve access to top-notch pet healthcare and wellness for pet parents across the nation. Together, we're now equipped to provide the same quality care when you travel with your pets across cities where we're located. Moreover, our expanded services, treatments, specialties, and specialist doctors ensure your pets receive the best care, no matter where you are.
From humble origins of being single clinical practice to becoming India’s most reliable tertiary healthcare provider, we have consistently been the flagbearer of industry leading practices through launch of super specialized surgical procedures and advanced diagnostic capabilities.
Although the two brands were separate entities and operated independently, they shared the resolute belief and similar values of providing the “Triad of Care” -where we are uniquely placed from being your family vet to being able to offer super specialty animal healthcare. This entails being ready to take care of all your pets regular needs, and when the situation demands, deal with highly complicated medical and surgical cases. Our vets are ready to walk pet parents through your options from the start, during and after diagnosis and conduct treatment, both medical and surgical. The health and happiness of your pet is the number on goal for everyone in the Triad of Care.
Today we are a chain of 15 hospitals/ clinics that work in the Hub & spoke model. Majority of the expansion has occurred in the last few years.
- Tell us about your geographical expansions, you recently opened in Lucknow. How is the healthcare industry expanding across the country?
Currently, we are present across New Delhi/ NCR, Mumbai, Goa, Jaipur, Mangalore and yes most recently opened the first MaxPetZ branded multispeciality clinic in Lucknow. We have an ambitious vision to build a vertically integrated pan-India veterinary ecosystem to improve access to quality pet healthcare and wellness. So, we intend to augment our services and presence in existing geographies as well as enter new markets in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. We are crystal clear that we will be prudent in our expansion plans as the cornerstone of our success is the ability to provide quality pet health care consistently and sustainability. This necessitates having a pipeline of trained vets, paravets and support infrastructure. In order to do this, our senior vets continuously mentor and coach junior vets across specialties that they are interested in and provide them a career path. In other words, we do not intend just to grow for growth's sake.
With regards to industry, it has been and is extremely fragmented, and there are several pain points from pet parent’s perspective such as limited access and proximity to quality care, low efficacy treatments/ therapies and limited awareness of available pet health care treatments options. The veterinary sector is ripe for disruption and transformation. As a result there have been a few new entrants that have forayed into the sector, albeit still at a nascent stage. We are pleased to observe that both new entrants as well as some existing practices are also aspiring to expand their services. This bodes well for all stakeholders including veterinary professionals and pet parents. They help in raising awareness of pet parents and reduce proximity to pet healthcare. However, most of these players are predominantly focused on basic primary care, which is a start.
- Tell us about the technological advancements in the healthcare industry and how MaxPetZ has achieved feats with many ‘firsts’ in the surgical aspect.
MaxPetZ is the most trusted and widely recognized pet healthcare platform in India, built on the back of consistent and compassionate treatment of pets, and client education. We have over the years consistently strived to introduce new treatments/ procedures complemented by state-of-the-art medical infrastructure. For e.g., we are one of three veterinary institutions in the country with CT scan. We have been pioneers in pet health care since 1952, when the first private clinic was established in Old Delhi by Dr. S.D. Sharma and have been a trendsetter since. Just to name a few of the several first in the country;
- 1st Brain Surgery
- 1st pacemaker implantation in a dog which is recognized by the Limca Book of Records
- 1st total hip replacement
- Most recently introduced a cutting-edge oncology treatment that was a privilege of select few pet wellness hubs in US & Europe- Electrochemotherapy for effectively managing the progression of tumor lesions which are crucial for cancer treatment
- What are your thoughts on how the tertiary care market spanned out in 2023 and how it will grow (your expectations) in 2024?
First and foremost, there has been a paradigm shift in human and companion animal relationship; from being pet owners to pet parents. This change along with other several secular trends, rising income, delayed parenthood, and rising awareness of treatment options has been positive for tertiary pet health care as well. So, in a sense pet health care is progressing towards and now more akin to pediatric care both in perceptions and expectations of pet parents. Furthermore, several factors such as inbreeding, environment/ pollution, poor nutrition/ diet, lack of active lifestyle required for healthy pets are contributing to increase in the number of cases that require tertiary care. These are wide ranging from bone deformities, skin, kidneys, lungs, cancer and cardiac ailments to name a few.
As a result, the demand for tertiary care far outweighs the supply. From what we witness across our clinics, we firmly believe the tertiary pet health care sector will grow rapidly and evolve as has been witnessed in developed markets. Furthermore, we expect to see a rise in penetration of pet health insurance, which too will be favorable for tertiary care demand. For e.g., there are firms which have recently begun or are considering offering employees pet health insurance coverages as part of employee health benefit plans.
- How does the demand for specialized veterinary care impact the overall dynamics of the pet tertiary care industry in India especially in tier 1&2 cities?
As stated earlier, there is significant latent demand for specialized veterinary care or tertiary veterinary care in India, however it does remain a relative white space as there is a lack of sizable players with Tertiary Care Capabilities even in Tier 1 cities.
- Highlight the key surgeries undertaken by MaxPetZ and what sets you apart from other practitioners in India.
Our highly acknowledged, skilled and experienced vets have been vanguard in introducing and successfully conducting several complex surgeries and treatments across specialties. We have built a culture of looking after our patients across their lifecycle from their daily needs and minor ailments to serious medical problems, from puppyhood through senior care and from things as simple as nail clips to complex neurosurgery, orthopedic surgeries, cardiac interventions, ophthalmology, or cancer care. With coverage of 15 specialties, at MaxPetZ we ensure some of the best in-class treatment options for pets are available.
- Anything you would like to highlight about the pet healthcare industry, MaxPetZ as a brand?
The pet healthcare industry is at an inflexion point driven by a significant rise in the number of pet parents making it a huge market opportunity. Based on conservative estimates, the pet health care market is currently at about Rs 4,000-4,500 crores. Furthermore, the future growth is expected to be robust, due to tailwinds from the expected growth in pet population at 12-14% CAGR over the next decade. Consequently, the pace of health care growth will be higher as the current access to quality pet healthcare is ~30%. This penetration will rise due to the same secular trends stated earlier such rapid urbanization, nuclear families, double income households, delayed parenthood etc.
Globally pet care is an organized market with a strong focus on healthcare. In India, we are just embarking on this journey or evolution. We are the largest pet healthcare chain and only organized scaled up player with tertiary care capabilities. Most importantly, we are driven by a passion for our calling, and we practice exceptional veterinary medicine. But that’s not the only reason why our clients drive past many other veterinarians to get to our door.
As the dynamics evolve, MaxPetZ remains committed to leading the way, ensuring that the health and happiness of pets remain at the heart of everything they do. They stand as a testament to what's possible when passion meets purpose. As they continue to grow and innovate, one thing remains constant - their unwavering dedication to providing exceptional veterinary medicine, making them the preferred choice for pet parents across the nation.
