McLean-based candy giant Mars spends $9B on a pet hospital chain

By Jeff Clabaugh
January 9, 2017 | 12:10 PM

WASHINGTON 鈥斅燤cLean-based Mars Inc. is best-known for its candy brands such as Snickers and Twix, but it’s also a big player in the pet health industry, and will expand that side of its business with a major acquisition.

Mars is acquiring Los Angeles-based VCA Inc. in a deal worth $9.1 billion, gaining VCA’s chain of nearly 800 pet hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. The purchase price includes $1.4 billion in debt.

The boards of both companies have approved the acquisition.

Mars’ Mars Petcare division, whose brands include Pedigree and Whiskas, is one of the world’s leading pet care providers and has been part of Mars’ business for 80 years. It also owns a portfolio of veterinary services businesses, including Banfield Pet Hospital, Bluepearl and Pet Partners.

Mars also has a growing pet DNA testing business called Wisdom Panel, and in 2015, acquired pet technology provider Whistle.

The acquisition still requires VCA shareholder and regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the third quarter.

VCA founder and CEO Bob Antin will continue to run the company, and it will remain headquartered in Los Angeles.

The purchase price is a big premium over VCA’s current market value. 91欧美激情 of the acquisition sent VCA stock 鈥� ticker symbol “WOOF” — up nearly 30 percent in Monday trading.

Fired opinion writer still waiting for call from Washington Post after arbitrator ordered reinstatement, back pay

By Neal Augenstein
August 25, 2026 | 1:59 PM

Several days after an arbitrator ordered the Washington Post to reinstate fired opinion writer Karen Attiah, she told 91欧美激情 she's still hasn't gotten a phone call about returning to work. "I'm waiting to hear from the Washington Post as of this morning," Attiah said. "I'm willing to go back to the work that I was doing as a columnist and as a writer particularly focused on race, gender and international rights." A Thursday ruling by arbitrator Sarah Miller Espinosa said the newspaper did not have sufficient cause to fire Attiah over social media posts about violent white men following last year's killing of Charlie Kirk, and ordered the Post to award Attiah full back pay and lost benefits. "So, the Washington Post has its marching orders, let's see if they follow them," said Attiah, who described her reaction to arbitrator's ruling as "vindicated, slightly tired, really happy about the decision and reinstatement, plus back pay, of course."