Pet food and supply retailer PetFoodDirect.com acquired ThePetCenter.com, an Internet animal
hospital.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Under the terms of the agreement, ThePetCenter.com will remain a separate
site, but will be linked and co-branded with PetFoodDirect.com.
T.J. Dunn Jr., a veterinarian who founded ThePetCenter.com in 1997, will
serve as director of veterinary services for the combined organization, which
is positioning itself to become a major player in the fast-growing Internet
pet products market segment.
“The additional resources and expertise we have gained from this transaction
will enable us to introduce many exciting new programs to our customers in
the future,” said Jon Roska Jr., chief operating officer for
PetFoodDirect.com.
“Our goal is to build more and more content into our site
to make every customer’s visit a rewarding and enjoyable experience.”
Dunn originally created his Internet animal hospital to give animal owners a
place to get sound pet healthcare advice 24 hours a day.
He structured the
site to offer visitors a virtual tour of a real animal hospital, with
potential stops at the Waiting Room, Exam Room, Surgery Room, X-ray Room, and
Lab/Pharmacy, among others. He has also included photos of various surgical
procedures and pet disorders.