A Pet Life isn't a publicly traded company it doesn't have share holders. Plus, share holders don't have much say in the direction of a company, except that an IPOs dynamic is more align with profit over most other things.
A VC is a group that invests in companies they see potential. Usually they identify ways to streamline processes in a means to be more profitable, one way is to buy multiple companies and consolidate resources. Which is what we're seeing. In this case by doing so, it stiffles innovation and healthy competition.
To say "shareholders", is confusing. It was worth pointing out because it speaks volumes to the posters understanding of the subject and dictates how the information that follows is received.