Destination Pet, the corporate owner of 46 veterinary clinics as well as grooming, day care and boarding facilities, has started the new year by removing noncompete clauses from all current and future veterinarian contracts.
Dr. Ashley Harris, the vice president of veterinary operations, and Kathryn Smith, director of DVM recruiting, called noncompete clauses “archaic.”
“Being a creative innovator is a core value (for our company),” Dr. Harris said. “We want to do the right thing for people and pets.”
In January 2023, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a rule that, if approved, will ban all noncompete agreements, with limited exceptions.
When asked why Destination Pet was eliminating noncompete clauses now, Dr. Harris said: “We like to go first. It’s the way of the future, and it should be standard.”
Dr. William Thomas, a University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine neurology professor and interim hospital director, told VIN News: “You can make the argument that noncompetes are against the public interest, especially in veterinary medicine. By preventing a former associate from working in the region, it restricts the ability of clients to choose their veterinarian.”
Smith encourages veterinarians to ask for contracts without a noncompete.
“[Veterinarians shouldn’t] be afraid to say that they are not willing to be locked in a box in terms of where they work,” she said.