Since 1953, Central Sales has been serving Companion Animal and Large Animal Veterinarians across Canada. As a pioneer, we have been able to achieve the highest standards in operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
Our Founder
A World War II Veteran, an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Lorne Scots Regiment and a dedicated supporter of the Standardbred Canada Horse Industry, Edward “Gus” Lagerquist made a name and reputation for himself and Central Sales dating back to the early 1950’s. After attending the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 1949 for only a year, Gus often joked, “Vet school was much harder that I thought it was going to be.”
In 1953, Gus partnered with his lifelong friend and practicing veterinarian Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Stirk, establishing Central Sales Limited after recognizing the need for a distributor partner to the veterinary community. In the early days, Gus helped young OVC graduates in establishing themselves in business by allowing them to pay for their initial order(s) only when their practices were able to pay.
In 2013 and in honour of Gus’s 90th birthday, OVC established a new student award. The Gus Lagerquist Five “V” Award that honours Gus for his outstanding contributions as a “WWII Veteran who fought for Victory” who is “Very Valued by the Veterinary Profession.”
Our Past
Since our inception, Central Sales has continued to represent some of the leading products and solutions in the Canadian veterinary community. Some company milestones include:
- 1957 Haver-Lockhart Laboratories
- 1970’s Supporting and Partnering with the start-up
Canadian Co-operatives (buying groups) - 1980’s Hills Pet Products (Prescription Diets)
- 1986 Vertical Integration into the Companion Animal Channel (Pet Science Limited)
- 1990’s Apotex Canada
- 1991 Luitpold Animal Health
- 2000’s Abbott Animal Health
- 2012 Amalgamation with MEDI-Vet Sales Ltd.
- 2015 Jurox Animal Health
- 2016 EIDAP Inc.
- 2021 American Regent Animal Health
- 2024 Farmina Vet Life
Our Culture
Our team is focused on providing three core values: Service, Support and Education. Whether it is the people we work with, the products we represent, or the customers we serve; our team is driven towards achieving our mission in Canada.
Our Company
We are a dynamic company focused on providing value, an innovative product suite and meeting the needs of our customers. Our products are sold through our national member cooperatives and/or directly across Canada. We are a Health Canada certified facility possessing a Drug Establishment License (importation/wholesaler/distribution).
Together with our Western Canada partner, Pacific Veterinary Sales Limited, we represent our vendor partners nationally. We actively participate in trade shows and support veterinary associations across Canada.
Our Future
We are excited to explore new opportunities and continue to introduce innovative products and solutions to the Canadian veterinary community. As we continue to grow, our processes and strategies may change, but our commitment to our core values will remain the same.
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