Funding wave backs pet care growth in Europe and India
Bottom line
A new round of funding announcements points to continued expansion in pet care across Europe and India, with capital flowing into nutrition, veterinary services, and convenience-led retail. In the UK, plant-based dog food company Omni Pet raised £11 million in a Series A round led by IW Capital and Redrice Ventures, with plans to expand retail distribution, test the U.S. market, and develop a canine weight-management supplement. In India, pet healthcare platform Vetic raised $40 million in an internal round led by Bessemer Venture Partners to grow its clinic footprint, veterinary workforce, at-home care, insurance, wellness, and technology capabilities. Separately, Bengaluru-based FirstClub raised $55 million in Series B funding to expand its premium quick-commerce model, including into pet care and household categories. (thecheckout.eu)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the clearest signal is where investors see durable demand: integrated care models, recurring services, and digital infrastructure. Vetic’s expansion plan centers on clinics, emergency care, home visits, e-pharmacy, insurance, and AI-enabled workflows, reflecting a broader shift toward connected pet healthcare platforms rather than standalone practices. That fits a wider market pattern: even as pet-sector growth moderates, veterinary services and other essential care categories are holding up better than discretionary spending, and digitally positioned companies are expected to benefit. (moneycontrol.com)
What to watch: Watch whether this funding translates into faster clinic rollouts, more competition for veterinary talent in India, and broader pressure on European and Asian pet companies to pair products with services, subscriptions, or care ecosystems. (moneycontrol.com)
Fresh funding across Europe and India is giving the pet sector another push, but the mix of deals is as important as the dollar amounts. Recent raises by Omni Pet in the UK, Vetic in India, and FirstClub in India show investors backing three different growth bets at once: premium and differentiated nutrition, scaled veterinary care platforms, and convenience-led commerce that can expand into pet categories. (thecheckout.eu)
The backdrop is a pet market that’s still growing, but with more discipline than in the pandemic-era boom. Morgan Stanley said in June 2026 that rising costs are making pet parents more selective, while veterinary services are gaining share as healthcare becomes a higher-priority spend. The same report said digitally positioned players may be better placed as online purchasing and subscription-based care continue to expand. That helps explain why capital is landing not just in products, but in platforms that combine care delivery, technology, and repeat purchasing. (morganstanley.com)
Among the three companies, Vetic has the most direct relevance for veterinary professionals. The company said it will use its $40 million round, announced June 18, 2026, to expand its clinic network, add veterinarians, roll out at-home veterinary services nationally, deepen insurance and wellness offerings, and invest more in technology and AI. Moneycontrol reported that Vetic now operates more than 65 clinics across 11 cities, 15 emergency care facilities, employs more than 250 veterinarians, and has more than 60,000 subscribed members. It has also built software to store pet health records and standardize care protocols across its network. (moneycontrol.com)
Omni’s £11 million Series A, announced June 23, 2026, reflects a different part of the market: specialized nutrition and premium positioning. The London-based company said it will use the funding to expand UK retail distribution, acquire more online customers, test the U.S. market, and continue development of LeanPaws, a drug-free weight-loss supplement for dogs. The round was led by IW Capital and Redrice Ventures, with participation from RootBridge Capital, Digitalis Ventures, and Lever VC. Omni says its products have reached more than 300,000 dogs and that revenue grew more than tenfold over the past year, though those company-reported figures should be read as unverified operating claims. (thecheckout.eu)
FirstClub is not a pure-play pet company, but its funding still matters for the category because it highlights how pet products may ride on broader convenience and premium-retail infrastructure. TechCrunch reported that the Bengaluru-based startup raised $55 million in a Series B round co-led by Peak XV Partners and Sofina, reaching a $255 million valuation. The company plans to expand beyond Bengaluru and into additional categories including pet care. Its pitch is built less on speed alone and more on curation, quality checks, and higher-value baskets, a model that could appeal to urban pet parents buying food, supplements, and health-related essentials alongside grocery orders. (techcrunch.com)
Investor commentary around Vetic suggests why veterinary platforms are drawing attention. Bessemer’s Vishal Gupta said the company has turned a fragmented, doctor-led trade into a consumer healthcare platform, pointing to both clinical standards and unit economics. That framing mirrors a broader industry shift: veterinary care is increasingly being packaged with pharmacy, diagnostics, wellness plans, insurance, and home services, creating more touchpoints and recurring revenue streams than a clinic-only model. (moneycontrol.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this isn’t just a funding story. It’s a sign that investors increasingly view pet healthcare as infrastructure, not an add-on. In India especially, expansion by platforms like Vetic could accelerate formalization of care delivery, create new employment pathways for veterinarians, and raise expectations around standardized protocols, digital records, emergency access, and home-based care. At the same time, more capital in adjacent channels, including e-pharmacy, insurance, and quick commerce, could reshape how clinics compete, partner, and retain client relationships. (moneycontrol.com)
What to watch: The next question is execution. Watch for Vetic’s clinic and workforce expansion over the second half of 2026, any evidence that Omni can translate niche nutrition funding into broader retail traction, and whether premium commerce platforms in India make pet care a meaningful category rather than a side assortment. If that happens, veterinary practices may face a more connected, more competitive ecosystem, especially in urban markets. (moneycontrol.com)