INTERVIEW: Follow-Up with Larry Evans about HomeSafe™ and AnimalTRACS™

On June 30th InfoStream met with Larry Evans the Managing Director of PetLynx Corporation to discuss what makes PetLynx offerings different from other registries and return to owner services. Read the first part of this interview. Today InfoStream will delve into the business aspects of PetLynx Corporation.  

HomeSafe™ is the brand associated with Canada’s only automated national online registry and lifetime Return to Owner (RTO) subscription for pets. Pet owners can use any online device to access and maintain current information about their pet without charge during a lifetime of human/animal experiences. AnimalTRACS™ is a portal that allows ‘ethical’ service providers in each community to assist clients, to identify pets and to support automated recovery services.

InfoStream (IS): Recently we’ve heard about some invoicing confusion. Can you help us understand what this confusion is about?

Larry R. Evans (LRE): Yes, this situation came about without warning and it was very disappointing.

Access to the AnimalTRACS™ portal is provided with an annual subscription. Until the 2009/2010 subscription year (June 1 - May 31) PetLynx invoiced Authorized Service Centers directly for this subscription. In 2009, Petsecure launched a National Microchip Program that was a collaboration that included PetSecure, PetLynx and CDMV. The Petsecure program allowed service providers who supported the Western Financial Insurance brand to have a free AnimalTRACS™ subscription, low cost microchips and certain other benefits. Although the program brought a great deal of growth to HomeSafe™, management changes at Western Financial Insurance Corporation in late 2012 made the program uncertain and WFIC financial support was suddenly cancelled in 2014.

Recently, CDMV and PetLynx collaborated to launch a new National Identification Initiative (NIDI) that expects to provide every cat and dog in Canada with a pet owner managed online record and Return to Owner (RTO) service before the end of this decade. Two invoices were sent to many Authorized Service Centers, a credit ($472.50) invoice to eliminate outstanding 2014 receivable and an invoice ($126.00) for the 2015/2016 AnimalTRACS™ subscription. The confusion stems from service centers who were supported by Petsecure, who did not recognize the involvement of PetLynx or CDMV and because they became involved after 2009 may not have received an invoice for the AnimalTRACS™ subscription.

IS: With that clarifying the confusion, can you describe what happens if a service centre no longer wishes to be involved in the HomeSafe™ program?

LRE: All PetLynx programs are opt in. When service centers are no longer active or do not wish to participate in the HomeSafe™ program, we ask for a warm introduction to another service provider in the community and remove them from the subscription billing routine, the map of authorized service centers and remove their password/access to the AnimalTRACS™ portal.

IS: Can you describe why a service center might choose to opt in to the HomeSafe™ program and maintain access to the AnimalTRACS™ portal?

LRE: In my recent discussions, there seem to be four reasons why existing service providers opt in and new service providers choose to enroll in the HomeSafe/AnimalTRACS™ program:

• They already serve some of the hundreds or even thousands of animals and pet owners registered in their community and they see this a way to continue enriching the lives of people and pets in their community.
• They enjoy being able to eliminate paperwork and immediately register microchips, tattoos and other identification in each animal record regardless of the microchip/ID supplier.
• Some service providers like pet walkers, pooper scoopers, pet daycare, groomers. kennels and breeders see HomeSafe™ as a security element for their own services and enjoy the immediate online access to the animal’s care profile, medications and contacts if an emergency occurs.
• Finally, a majority of service providers bundle the HomeSafe™ life time RTO subscription with their service as an added value. An AnimalTRACS™ subscriber may purchase bulk HomeSafe™ subscriptions from CDMV at a very attractive price ($2.00/subscription) and provide the subscription as a ‘freemium’ or discounted subscription for their clients. Clients pay $29.00 for a HomeSafe™ lifetime subscription online so a HomeSafe™ lifetime animal subscription from a veterinarian or other service provider will generate goodwill and eliminate or reduce the cost of this benefit for the pet owner.

IS: How can PetLynx sustain the HomeSafe™ system with such a low cost?

LRE: That is our ‘secret sauce’ to some degree. Suffice it to say, PetLynx has discovered a way to re-purpose brand influencer and loyalty dollars while eliminating or reducing the costs of agencies and services that require access to clients and animal information. PetLynx executes this monetization strategy while protecting the privacy and electronic commerce  aspects of each client relationship. This unique PetLynx monetization strategy lifts the funding burden from the shoulders of the pet owner, re-purposes the dollars brands already spend and ensures a more efficient model for providing services across the Urban Animal industry.

IS: Why has PetLynx moved into the lead as a provider of online services?

LRE:  We spent 8 years trying to move PetLynx services through traditional Urban Animal channels. In 2014, Dr. Drew Van Niekerk took the reins at PetLynx so I could take time to examine what was driving our success. I discovered consumer’s were driving the HomeSafe ™ program far more effectively than channel partners. At the end of 2014, PetLynx announced a ‘Moonshot’ program to register every dog and cat in Canada before the end of the decade. Now PetLynx looks for channel partners both inside and outside the Urban Animal industry who enrich the lives of people and pets in their community.

The new AVC collaboration (300,000 registrations) is a great example of the new priorities. Other programs like the vaccination/ID clinics set up by Dr. Jeff Rabinovitz to collaborate with retailers in 14 Ontario communities added 1,300 registrations to HomeSafe ™ and showed what can be done when everyone works for a common goal. Jeff has already started plans for the 2016 campaign and we will support this initiative.

IS: Thank you for taking the time to help InfoStream readers. Can readers contact you if they have questions or if they have program ideas?

LRE: Absolutely! I have learned a lot from such calls and I enjoy interaction with those who work on the frontlines where the ‘rubber hits the road’. They can call me at 1.866.PET.LYNX (738.5969). Leaving a message sends me an email with their contact information.