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Noncontrolling Interests

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Noncontrolling Interests [Abstract]

Noncontrolling Interests

12.

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 consolidated income statements. Noncontrolling interest in income of subsidiaries was $4.5 million, $3.9 million and $4.2 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In addition, we reflect our noncontrolling partners’ cumulative share in the equity of the respective partnerships as noncontrolling interests in our consolidated balance sheets. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, noncontrolling interest was $10.1 million and $10.6 million, respectively.

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 changes in the obligation as an interest cost in the consolidated income statements. At December 31, 2011 and 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, 2008						$	4,008
Noncontrolling interest		$	632
Redemption value change			—				632

Formation of noncontrolling interests							370
Distribution to noncontrolling interests							(641	)

Balance as of December 31, 2009							4,369
Noncontrolling interest		$	757
Redemption value change			—				757

Formation of noncontrolling interests							1,390
Distribution to noncontrolling interests							(717	)

Balance as of December 31, 2010							5,799
Noncontrolling interest		$	840
Redemption value change			716				1,556

Formation of noncontrolling interests							510
Distribution to noncontrolling interests							(901	)

Balance as of December 31, 2011						$	6,964

The entire disclosure for noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries, which could include the name of the subsidiary, the ownership percentage held by the parent, the ownership percentage held by the noncontrolling owners, the amount of the noncontrolling interest, the location of this amount on the balance sheet (when not reported separately), an explanation of the increase or decrease in the amount of the noncontrolling interest, the noncontrolling interest share of the net Income or Loss of the subsidiary, the location of this amount on the income statement (when not reported separately), the nature of the noncontrolling interest such as background information and terms, the amount of the noncontrolling interest represented by preferred stock, a description of the preferred stock, and the dividend requirements of the preferred stock.

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