A new health and wellness company specifically for pets has launched in Dallas. And, in the era of COVID-19, it’s created a virtual network that provides an affordable, on-demand connection to local veterinary resources and knowledge centers.

Petzey Technology, Inc. recognized that access to veterinary experts was vital now more than ever. As people across the country practice social distancing, pet parents still need a designated space to access healthcare for their animals.

That’s why Petzey aims to eliminate the uncertainty that many families face when it comes to the wellness of their pets.

The Petzey Network of Virtual Vets is available on the free Petzey app for any registered users to engage with a qualified community of veterinary professionals. It’s a convenient, transformative new approach that fills an essential service going forward, Chairman Bob Moran says.

“The Petzey team is dedicated to creating a more joyful world, and we believe that begins with the health and safety of our families, including pets,” Moran, also the former Chairman and CEO of PetSmart, said.

Petzey said medical, technology, and industry leaders contributed to building the platform so it could create national coverage and large-scale support. It explained the variety of benefits the Petzey Network of Virtual Vets provides:

• Affordable access to pet healthcare;
• Local, on-demand pet care for every situation, from behavior issues to life-threatening conditions;
• Proprietary routing technology, PetzeyMatch, that ensures the right vet is connected to every pet (Petzey has filed a preliminary patent on this);
• Real-time virtual health and wellness consultations;
• Straightforward usable interface for pet parents; and
• Availability as an employee benefit for organizations of all sizes.

About Petzey

Petzey is backed by its founders’ passion for animals, technology, and innovation. The overall goal is to make both the pet and parent happy—company leaders say it’s the only network of its kind and the future of pet health and wellness.

“Petzey is committed to pets and our unconditional love of them: we want people to know and feel that ‘Petzey is your friend that is a Vet,'” CEO Mike Ortega told Dallas Innovates. “You can call us anytime with any questions on your pet’s health, care or behavior. It’s extremely fast, accessible, simple, and affordable.”

[Photo: Courtesy Petzy]

Petzey also aims to elevate the veterinary profession, especially during a time when it’s in high demand. In the new sharing economy, Petzey is able to create job opportunities for veterinary practitioners, which generates new incomes in a “one-click” market. 

“It is hard to witness the events that are happening around and across the world. It is the new norm and there will be innovative companies and models that will be created and come out of this pandemic as industry leaders,” Ortega says. “Petzey, with our unique network platform and proprietary routing and matching algorithm, will be one of these companies. Petzey has a once in a generation opportunity to create a new approach to pet healthcare and how everyone engages with it.”

It’s a timely company launch, especially when more than 70 million households in the U.S. have one or more pets. In 2019, nearly 70 percent of households had one, according to Ortega.

“The last 10 years have seen a dramatic shift in pet ownership and care, transforming the pet business sector to an $85 billion segment that is expected to grow 5 percent a year for the next five years. This growth has been driven by the transition of pets from companions to part of the family. It’s been said by our advisory team that pets have gone from outside to inside the house, onto the bed, and under the sheets.”

Ortega is a networking infrastructure veteran who has built five startups, including internet infrastructure provider InterNAP. On the Petzey leadership team, he’s joined by Moran; Dr. Dan Cox (chief veterinary medical officer), a veterinary professional currently on the Advisory Council at Petco; and Patty Brewer (chief product officer), who has two decades of marketing and product management leadership with her experience at Nav and Intuit.

“Petzey follows a great line of forward-thinking entrepreneurship in the Dallas region,” Ortega says. “We’re brand new and working virtually these days, having been founded in the ‘different by nature’ beautiful city of McKinney.”

Petzey employees are currently working remotely—like most in the region—but Ortega says he’s curating a culture of “Experiences and Curiosity” at the company. He even believes it’s the future of work.

“People want to live where they want to live, work when they want to work and take time off when they want time off,” he says. “They can do that and still be aces at their jobs, especially when you’re working for an organization with a cause like Petzey.”

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