Greencross Vets Aitkenvale extends lease to meet ‘pet humanisation’ demand

A growing trend in how we treat our pets is driving demand for pet-centric businesses around Townsville. Read why this vet is thriving.

Neville Smith and Michael Hooper from Burgess Rawson at the building housing Pet HQ and Greencross Vets at 251 Ross River Rd has sold to a southern buyer for $5.4m. Picture: Evan Morgan

A growing trend called “pet humanisation” is supercharging trade at Townsville’s pet-orientated businesses, including Greencross Vets Aitkenvale, which recently signed a long-term lease to continue supporting local pet owners.

The trend refers to people who treat their pet, and their relationship with their pet, no different from humans.

With pet ownership in Australia soaring from 61 to 69 per cent of households over the past two years, this trend of caring for fur babies like they were part of the family was expected to grow rapidly in coming years.

Greencross Vets Queensland general manager Dean Robinson has seen a surge in the pet population, along with pet parents seeking the very best for their fur baby.

“Over the past year, Greencross Aitkenvale has seen 4000 different dogs and 1000 cats and 71 birds,” Mr Robinson said.

Michael Hooper and Neville Smith from Burgess Rawson at the building housing Pet HQ and Greencross Vets at 251 Ross River Rd has sold to a southern buyer for $5.4m. Picture: Evan Morgan

Greencross Vets Queensland general manager Dean Robinson has seen a spike in demand due to the 'pet humanisation' trend. Picture: Supplied

“We are able to meet the health and emergency needs of a wide range of animals in the region and invest significantly into the ongoing learning and development of our teams in each clinic.”

Glen Richards founded Greencross Vet in 1994 after purchasing a local veterinary practice, opening Greencross Vets Aitkenvale in August 2006, before merging with Greencross Vets 2014.

Greencross Vets forms part of Greencross Pet Wellness Company, Australia’s largest pet care company, which owns 150 Greencross Vet clinics, 23 animal hospitals, and 200 Petbarn stores.

Inside Greencross Vets Aitkenvale, at 251 Ross River Rd. Picture: Supplied.

Greencross’s long-term lease extension helped secure the $5.4m purchase of the commercial building at 251 Ross River Rd by Brisbane-based investment and development group Aurelius Property.

Aurelius Property director Michael Maguire said the property ticked all the boxes with its “good fundamentals, exposure, ease of access, upgrade parking, and the nucleus of a good tenant mix”.

“Aurelius Property likes to target properties with strong fundamentals, where we can take some leasing risk, with the confidence that we’re going to find a strong tenant for any vacancy,” Mr Maguire said.

Michael Hooper and Neville Smith from Burgess Rawson at the building housing Pet HQ and Greencross Vets at 251 Ross River Rd has sold to a southern buyer for $5.4m.Picture: Evan Morgan

Following their successful sale, which settled in late September, he tapped Burgess Rawson’s commercial agents Michael Hooper and Neville Smith to market the building’s remaining 1154sq m leasable space.

“When we marketed the property, we had some preliminary interest from a few large format retailers … also other alternative interests from Allied Health, and commercial offices to be accommodated at that centre,” Mr Smith said.

“We’ve got a couple of interested parties and we anticipate with the centre changing hands, the new owners will undergo a refurbishment and an update of that centre.”

Originally published as Greencross Vets Aitkenvale extends lease to meet ‘pet humanisation’ demand