8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                               ------------------

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 13, 2002

                                VCA ANTECH, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

             Delaware                001-16783              95-4097995
  (State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission           (IRS Employer
        of Incorporation)           File Number)        Identification No.)

                          12401 West Olympic Boulevard
                       Los Angeles, California 90064-1022
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                 (310) 571-6500
                         (Registrant's Telephone Number)






ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

     Reference is made to the press release of Registrant issued on May 13,
2002, which is incorporated herein by this reference. A copy of the press
release is attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

          (c)  Exhibits.

          99.1 Press Release, dated May 13, 2002.



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                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


May 13, 2002                          VCA ANTECH, INC.


                                      By: /S/ TOMAS W. FULLER
                                         --------------------------------------
                                            Tomas W. Fuller,
                                            Chief Financial Officer


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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBITS

99.1    Press Release, dated May 13, 2002.



                                     Page 4

EX-99

                                                                   Exhibit 99.1


                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                   May 13, 2002


                       VCA ANTECH ANNOUNCES EXCHANGE OFFER

LOS ANGELES, CA, May 13, 2002 - VCA Antech, Inc. (Nasdaq National Market: WOOF)
today announced that Vicar Operating, Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary, is
offering to exchange $1,000 principal amount of its 9.875% senior subordinated
notes due 2009, which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, for each $1,000 principal amount of its outstanding 9.875% senior
subordinated notes due 2009. The notes will be exchanged pursuant to the terms
and conditions set forth in the prospectus and the accompanying letter of
transmittal. The exchange offer commences May 13, 2002. Vicar will accept for
exchange any original notes validly tendered and not withdrawn on or prior to
the expiration of the exchange offer, which is scheduled to occur at 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on June 12, 2002.

You may obtain copies of the prospectus and transmittal materials governing the
exchange offer from Vicar's information agent, Georgeson Shareholder
Communications, Inc., by calling (800) 223-2064.

Statements contained in this release that are not based on historical
information are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results may vary substantially as a result of a variety of factors. For a
further discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, the reader is
directed to the registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission relating to the exchange offer.

VCA Antech owns, operates and manages the largest network of free-standing
veterinary hospitals and veterinary-exclusive clinical laboratories in the
country.