Petropolist

About 2 or 3 years ago I read a post that Roger DeGregori had written on LinkedIn questioning the plight of the abandoned big box stores on every corner while wondering what could be created within those structures... He had some ideas and fast forward to today Roger and his team have envisioned, repurposed, and constructed a vibrant community of independent pet businesses called Pet Yards.  

Jeff Bezos made this statement when asked about entrepreneurship at a re:Mars Amazon conference: "You have got to have some passion for the arena you're going to develop and work in, otherwise, you're going to be competing against people who do have passion for that and they're going to build better products and services." 

Roger checks every box for merging entrepreneurship, passion, community, and pets - He is one of the good ones in the industry and one to watch. 

Learn more about Pet Yards

Learn more about the Fish Gallery at Pet Yards

Pet business expert and investor David Levy begrudgingly :) allowed me to interview him about his opinion of the Independent Pet Partners Bankruptcy filing and the current state of the pet space.

Using the Tably app, a photo of your cat says a thousand words - or maybe just a few - helping your cat tell you whether they’re having a good day or a bad one. Tably’s highly accurate AI model assesses a photo against validated veterinary pain scales. The model has assessed hundreds of thousands of photos with over 90% precision. It utilizes proprietary machine learning algorithms to empower cat parents to make informed decisions about their cat’s health. Tably employs a number of artificial intelligence processes: object detection, image suitability detection, object extraction, image categorization, and result analysis. To minimize errors, we have configured our algorithm to validate the presence of a feline face in the image before sending it to the AI model for further analysis. Tably is the first product created by Sylvester.ai, a company that creates predictive healthcare products powered by artificial intelligence to improve animal health outcomes across species. Sylvester.ai believes animals can live healthier, longer lives when humans can be more proactive in their care.

Meet Dr. Liz Bales

Liz Bales, VMD is a 2000 graduate of The University of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine who has gained a special interest in the unique behavioral and wellness needs of pets. During her nearly two-decade veterinary career, Dr. Bales has practiced equine, small animal, and feline only. Dr. Bales is a writer, speaker and a featured expert in all things pet around the globe including appearances on Fox and Friends, ABC News, and Cheddar.  She is the founder of Doc and Phoebe’s Cat Company and the inventor of The Indoor Hunting Feeder for cats.

Dr. Bales is a writer and has been a guest speaker at The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and The University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She sits on the Dean’s Alumni Council at The University of Pennsylvania, the Advisory Board for AAFP Cat-Friendly Practice, and the Advisory Board of Fear-Free.

Meet Tably Founder Susan Groeneveld:

A co-creator of multiple, globally recognized, award-winning companies; Susan is an expert in marketing consultancy, business model development, and marketing outcome approaches for national and multinational corporations. Susan has worked with Bayer, Novartis, Roche, Elanco, Canadian Lentils, UPL, Purina, General Mills, Federated Co-operatives, and Royal Canin to name a few. Susan wonders about the problems we can solve and is inspired by the power of humanity to do good.

Learn more about the research used to validate the use of facial AI to help predict pain in cats here

Check out this bonus episode and make sure you share the @hands2paws app with anyone looking to bring a dog or cat into their lives - They will be matched with the right pet for their life and will be directed to shelters and the breeders that are NOT puppy mills or the toxic backyard breeders that are causing disease and devastation for so many animals and their unknowing buyers.  

Please choose to ADOPT - The shelters are full of pure and mixed breeds that were displaced because, for many, their previous owners chose to NOT educate themselves, chose to buy impulsively, and did not think about the welfare of the animals. 

You can also watch the interview on The Petropolist YouTube page

*The views, information, or opinions expressed during The Petropolist podcast or youtube video series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the host or the employees of The Petropolist. The primary purpose of this show is to educate and inform. This show does not constitute medical or other professional advice or services. Please contact a medical professional/veterinarian for all questions regarding the health of your pet.  The Petropolist show and podcast are available for private non-commercial use only. You may not edit, modify or re-distribute this show.*

"Reeaallyy...Is it really pets come first"  - so many brands make this statement, so many brands plaster it all over their products but are they being truthful?  We all know who they are...hell you may even be one of the people who make this claim about your products but reeaallyyyyyy and honestly do pets come first for your brand or products?   

Mark Scott & Tony Ottley brought together the vision of community, quality, and health when they created Bella & Duke, UK's fast-growing and leading raw pet food subscription company. 

Listen to this episode to learn why Mark Scott's vision should be what every brand that claims pets come first should strive to be before they make the statement. 

*The views, information, or opinions expressed during The Petropolist podcast or youtube video series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the host or the employees of The Petropolist. The primary purpose of this show is to educate and inform. This show does not constitute medical or other professional advice or services. Please contact a medical professional/veterinarian for all questions regarding the health of your pet.  The Petropolist show and podcast are available for private non-commercial use only. You may not edit, modify or re-distribute this show.* 

Did you know that the majority of female-run and owned businesses are under the moniker of "Small Business"  (fewer than 500 employees)?

I often wonder why we choose to remain small - I understand starting small but remaining small is something I was questioning after my conversation with Cindy Dunston Quirk, founder of Scout & Zoe's. 

The conversation also took me back to 2011 when I wanted to invest in a home-cooked pet food brand that had just launched 2 years prior - The 2 woman owners were so freaky, frightened, and protective of the two products that they continuously got in their own way during the investment and partnership conversations... At that time I thought they were so ahead of the pet industry's thinking pattern about food that if they got investments, the right partnership and mentoring, and included a cat food in their line of products there could be very profitable magic....but their need to control and be right was too overpowering for the duos' growth and for my sense of self so I threw my hands up and wished them luck.  They are still a small...small business and the home-cooked sector in pet food is growing like wildfire with more junk than quality.  So as a woman and a business owner and consultant in the pet sector I am going to scream at the top of my lungs and tell women to give up the need to be in control and perfect. Get rid of the riff-raff in your workplace and your mind- you don't need other people's drama, get out of your own way and ask for help.  This world is full of opportunities and if you are a creator and a do-er it's time to start kicking ass and taking names. You got it. 

Check out Scout & Zoes'and Catazztic Cat treats here 

In this episode, we delve deeply into what CAN BE DONE to eliminate these death facilities and how you can reach out to your state representatives and Pet industry lobby group executives at the Pet Advocacy Network and demand that they start doing what they CLAIM they are doing...These backyard breeders and puppy mills are disease-carrying toxic grounds and they are pumping out SICK animals from sick animals - THEY need to be shut down and the REAL breeders who breed for health and breed integrity and our animal shelter facilities and workers need the support NOT the criminal puppy mills. WHY is the Pet Advocacy network choosing its current path of supporting the disease-ridden puppy and kitten factories?  I would love to have a member of PAN (formerly PIJAC) delve into how we can come together to eliminate the bad apples (You can find them on the HSUS Horrible 100 - MANY are repeat offenders that the USDA has allowed to continue operating).

Below is one of the Hands2Paws blog posts about the USDA.

In the United States, there are an estimated 10,000 commercial dog breeding operations, also known as puppy mills. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) license is required for any breeder who sells wholesale to pet stores or brokers, but not for breeders who sell directly to the public. This means that thousands of puppy mill operators are not subject to any federal oversight or regulation.

As a result, these breeding facilities can get away with appalling conditions, such as dogs being kept in small cages with no room to exercise, unsanitary conditions, minimal veterinary care, and little to no socialization. The dogs in these mills are often sick and passed along to unsuspecting consumers who paid top dollar for a healthy pet.

The USDA’s current system is failing both puppies and their consumers. By only inspecting kennels that sell wholesale to pet stores or brokers, the agency is effectively giving a pass to thousands of puppy mill operators who sell directly to the public. As a result, these breeding facilities can get away with appalling conditions, such as dogs being kept in small cages with no room to exercise, unsanitary conditions, minimal veterinary care, and little to no socialization.

Not only does this cause immense suffering for the dogs involved, but it also dupes unsuspecting consumers who paid top dollar for a healthy pet. The USDA has the power to make a difference for these animals by holding all commercial breeders accountable and inspected—but instead, the agency has chosen to turn a blind eye to this growing problem.

It’s time for the USDA to do better for both puppies and their consumers. The agency has the power to make a difference for these animals by holding all commercial breeders accountable and inspected—but instead, the agency has chosen to turn a blind eye to this growing problem. If you care about animal welfare, please contact your representatives and demand that they hold the USDA accountable for its failures. Together, we can make a difference for these innocent creatures who deserve better lives.

Michelle Griffin's The Culture Club goes beyond the use of biotics to impact digestive health.

 In 2022 there have been over 200 science articles identifying the beneficial systemic effects of pre-pro & postbiotics. It is no surprise that Michelle's company is on a path to superstardom for pets that need microbiome diversity no matter the basis of the diet they are being fed.  

Check out Mutt Gut and support the health of your pet while supporting an amazing woman-owned brand created from Faith, Perseverance, and Science.

*The views, information, or opinions expressed during The Petropolist podcast or youtube video series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the host or the employees of The Petropolist. The primary purpose of this show is to educate and inform. This show does not constitute medical or other professional advice or services. Please contact a medical professional/veterinarian for all questions regarding the health of your pet.  The Petropolist show and podcast are available for private non-commercial use only. You may not edit, modify or re-distribute this show.* 

This is a fun and super informative episode about HOW to play with your cats and WHY it should be included as an important part of your cats' health regimen. 

Listen & Learn from my dear friend and guest Dr. Rachel Geller, Cat behaviorist, author, and speaker. 

Always stay Catazztic

I'm going to keep this brief...David Levy is in Da House !!!!! 

David is a 22-year veteran in the US pet industry. He founded one of the top pet supply distribution firms Zeus & Company as well as the investment firm Pet Product Innovations where he currently hangs his hat. 

In his career span, David has invested in and brought to market over 40 brands.

I recently tried the Zen Clipper and I love it, so for those of you that need to clip your pet's nails (ehhhmmmm - all of us), check out this offer that the amazing crew at Pet Product innovations is giving my listeners:

20% off your purchase of Zen Clippers when you use the code TAZZ20