EXHIBIT 99.1


                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                  JUNE 13, 2002





                VCA ANTECH ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF EXCHANGE OFFER

LOS ANGELES, CA, JUNE 13, 2002 -- VCA Antech, Inc. (Nasdaq National Market:
WOOF) today announced that Vicar Operating, Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary,
completed its offer to exchange $1,000 principal amount of its newly issued
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 exchange offer
expired at 5 p.m., New York City time, on June 12, 2002. All of the $170,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes were tendered in the
exchange offer.

     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. These
and other risk factors are discussed in VCA Antech's recent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and Vicar Operating's
recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-4, and the
reader is directed to these reports and statements for a further discussion of
important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements.

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