Papaya Veterinary Care expands Los Angeles presence with Culver City facility

Emerging veterinary services provider targets high-density pet markets with third California clinic, blending medical technology and wellness-first care

Papaya Veterinary Care®, a rising full-service veterinary health network, has officially launched its third California clinic with a newly constructed facility in Culver City, intensifying its push into premium urban pet markets across Southern California. The facility, located at 11924 Washington Boulevard, introduces an upgraded model of integrated pet healthcare, offering primary, urgent, and dental services in a nearly 4,000-square-foot wellness-focused environment.

The expansion deepens the American veterinary care provider’s urban footprint and reflects growing investor and institutional attention toward pet health infrastructure. With rising pet ownership rates and consumer willingness to invest in preventative and urgent veterinary services, providers like Papaya Veterinary Care are positioning themselves to meet both emotional and clinical expectations of modern pet owners.

The Culver City facility is led by Medical Director Dr. Tony Nitido, a California-trained veterinarian with a background in finance and medicine. The launch marks a continuation of Papaya‘s stated strategy to enter affluent, pet-dense zip codes with a care model that combines medical transparency, advanced diagnostics, and staff wellbeing.

“Our vision is for veterinary medicine to feel both cutting-edge and deeply human,” said Dr. Nitido, who completed his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences. “We’re creating an experience where every pet gets care tailored to its unique needs—and every owner feels seen and supported.”

Why is Papaya Veterinary Care opening a clinic in Culver City?

The new clinic underscores Papaya Veterinary Care’s strategic decision to grow within the Los Angeles metro market, one of the largest and most competitive pet services regions in the United States. Culver City, located at the intersection of the tech, entertainment, and startup ecosystems, offers dense demographics with high pet ownership rates and disposable income—key attributes for the expansion of premium pet care offerings.

The decision also aligns with a broader trend among veterinary services networks to vertically integrate diagnostics, surgery, and urgent care under one brand while capturing market share from fragmented independent practices.

The veterinary services sector in the U.S. is valued at over $60 billion and is growing at a CAGR of 7.4% through 2029, according to industry research. Much of this expansion is driven by urban millennials and Gen Z pet owners who prioritize preventive care, wellness environments, and digital-first engagement—all elements core to the Papaya model.

What services will the Culver City clinic offer?

The Culver City facility is designed to act as a full-service hub, offering both routine and acute veterinary care. The layout includes a high-tech dental suite with digital imaging, fully equipped surgical areas, an in-house pharmacy, on-site diagnostics lab, and private staff wellness zones.

Appointments at the clinic cover primary care consultations, vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, dental cleanings, travel certificates, and same-day urgent care cases. Operating hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with bookings available via phone or online.

This approach allows Papaya Veterinary Care to offer end-to-end medical pathways within a single location—reducing referral churn and strengthening long-term client retention.

Who is leading the Culver City clinic and what is their expertise?

Dr. Tony Nitido, the clinic’s Medical Director, brings a multidisciplinary background to the role. Raised in Fresno, California, Nitido first earned a degree in Business Administration and Finance from California State University, Fresno, before completing his pre-medical studies at UCLA and ultimately earning his veterinary doctorate from Western University of Health Sciences.

This blend of clinical and business training is central to Papaya Veterinary Care’s model, which emphasizes not just pet outcomes but operational sustainability and employee retention.

Institutional trends in veterinary care have increasingly emphasized clinician leadership at the site level. By equipping local teams with autonomy and strong medical leadership, networks like Papaya aim to combat burnout and ensure clinical consistency across locations.

What makes Papaya Veterinary Care’s model different?

Founded on the principle that veterinary medicine performs best when delivered with empathy, transparency, and autonomy, Papaya Veterinary Care is positioning itself as a next-generation provider amid sector consolidation and private equity expansion.

While many national players have focused on scale through acquisition, Papaya’s network is built around greenfield development—constructing new clinics from the ground up to reflect modern care workflows and ergonomic efficiency. This approach allows for purpose-built spaces that support both patient comfort and staff wellness, two critical factors in long-term clinic performance.

The clinic design emphasizes calming atmospheres, intuitive client flow, and low-stress environments, distinguishing it from older legacy layouts. Each facility includes designated quiet spaces for staff decompression, supporting the company’s goals of reducing industry turnover and improving team longevity.

What are investors and institutional players watching?

Though Papaya Veterinary Care is privately held and not yet publicly listed, institutional sentiment within the pet care ecosystem has remained bullish. The success of public market comparables such as IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ: IDXX) and Covetrus prior to its privatization signals sustained demand for diagnostics, software integration, and all-in-one medical ecosystems.

Analyst coverage across the animal health space has identified wellness-focused, digitally enabled, and culturally differentiated clinics as likely outperformers in competitive metros. Clinics with strong regional brand loyalty and customized service models are being prioritized in M&A activity and funding rounds.

While Papaya has not disclosed funding details, the network’s growth trajectory—three clinics within an early-stage timeline—suggests backing by investors interested in differentiated urban veterinary infrastructure.

What does the future outlook look like for Papaya Veterinary Care?

With the Culver City facility now operational, Papaya Veterinary Care is expected to continue expanding in high-income zip codes across California and other urbanized pet-centric regions. Future sites are likely to replicate the company’s blueprint: custom-built clinics, integrated diagnostics, and strong local leadership.

As consumer expectations in pet care evolve toward greater convenience, transparency, and emotional connection, networks like Papaya that invest in both physical environments and staff culture are likely to gain traction.

Pet services providers capable of building trust-based relationships—while offering same-day access and evidence-based medicine—will be well-positioned to compete in what remains a largely fragmented sector.