Elspeth Chalmers –
Dr. Jeff Aramini has spent his career at the intersection of medicine, technology and accessibility. Now, as president of PetNation Inc., he’s bringing those elements together to rethink veterinary care in Toronto.
Set to open its doors on April 1, PetNation is a 13,000-square-foot, glass-fronted veterinary hospital in the heart of Corktown. The striking building at 445 King Street East was a purposeful choice — its transparency symbolizes Aramini’s mission to make veterinary medicine more open and accessible. PetNation’s innovative model is designed to provide high-quality pet care at an affordable price.
Aramini began his career as a veterinarian in the late 1990s, working in mixed animal practices across Alberta and British Columbia. However, he quickly found himself drawn to human healthcare, leading him to leave veterinary practice to work in public health, business and technology.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Aramini returned to small-animal veterinary work, spending time in emergency clinics in Waterloo and Toronto. It didn’t take long to recognize a major issue: the skyrocketing cost of pet care was making veterinary services inaccessible for many pet owners.
“It’s not the science, it’s not the drugs — it’s the price point,” Aramini says. Veterinary care prices have outpaced inflation by two to three times, forcing many pet owners to make heartbreaking choices.
PetNation aims to disrupt this model. The clinic is built around a membership system that offers pet parents the flexibility of either pay-as-you-go services or subscription-based plans.
“Our model shifts veterinary care from crisis management to proactive, ongoing treatment,” Aramini explains. “We want pet parents to come in early, before it’s a mess.”
Another major contributor to the rising costs of veterinary care is diagnostics, a challenge PetNation plans to address. “We’re going to have our own lab,” Aramini notes. By keeping diagnostics in-house, PetNation can offer faster results, lower costs and fewer barriers to care. The clinic will also integrate advanced patient management and artificial intelligence to streamline operations, an approach informed by Aramini’s background in human healthcare. “Human healthcare is about ten years ahead,” he says.
PetNation’s forward-thinking approach is attracting veterinarians eager to work in a practice that prioritizes accessibility and a broader scope of general care. “The number of vets wanting to join the team is incredible,” Aramini says.
Veterinarians are driven to the profession because of their love of animals. Seeing animals suffering or surrendered when treatment is financially out of reach can be difficult.
It’s personal for Aramini, whose love of animals has driven him. He has “at least 12 horses,” a Turkish Kangal named Cali, and three cats. “Two of them are friends, and the third one barely tolerates the others.”
With its official opening just around the corner, PetNation hopes to redefine veterinary care in Toronto. With a commitment to affordability, transparency, and cutting-edge technology, the clinic is setting a new standard. For more information , visit petnation.care.
