Noncontrolling Interests

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Noncontrolling Interests [Abstract]

Non controlling interests

13. Noncontrolling Interests

We own some of our animal hospitals in partnerships with noncontrolling interest holders. We consolidate our partnerships in our consolidated financial statements because our ownership interest in these partnerships is equal to or greater than 50.1% and we control these entities. We record noncontrolling interest in income of subsidiaries equal to our partners’ percentage ownership of the partnerships’ income. We also record changes in the redemption value of our redeemable noncontrolling interests in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in our condensed, consolidated income statements. We reflect our noncontrolling partners’ cumulative share in the equity of the respective partnerships as either noncontrolling interests in equity, mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests in other liabilities or redeemable noncontrolling interests in temporary equity (mezzanine).

a. Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests

The terms of some of our partnership agreements require us to purchase the partner’s equity in the partnership in the event of the partner’s death. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value and classify them as liabilities due to the certainty of the related event. We recognize redemption value changes in the obligation in interest expense. At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, these liabilities were $3.1 million and $1.7 million, respectively, and are included in other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets.

b. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests

We also enter into partnership agreements whereby the minority partner is issued certain “put” rights. These rights are normally exercisable at the sole discretion of the minority partner. We report these redeemable noncontrolling interests at their estimated redemption value and classify them in temporary equity (mezzanine). We recognize changes in the obligation in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests.

The following table provides a summary of redeemable noncontrolling interests (in thousands):

	Income Statement Impact		Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
Balance as of December 31, 2009			$	4,369
Noncontrolling interest	$	582
Redemption value change		-		582
Formation of noncontrolling interests				1,390
Distribution to noncontrolling interests				(515	)
Balance as of September 30, 2010			$	5,826
Balance as of December 31, 2010			$	5,799
Noncontrolling interest	$	660
Redemption value change		547		1,207
Formation of noncontrolling interests				510
Distribution to noncontrolling interests				(625	)
Balance as of September 30, 2011			$	6,891