PetLynx Rebrands to Urban Animal; Offers a 22% Stake

Last week InfoStream caught up with PetLynx founder Larry R. Evans at his home near Crossfield, Alberta, Canada.

InfoStream (IS): We understand there are changes coming to PetLynx Corporation, our global audience now numbers over 320,000 and they would like to know more.

Larry R. Evans (LRE): Thank you for this opportunity to communicate with your audience.

IS: What is driving these changes at PetLynx?

LRE: Since 2013 we have observed huge changes in the pet industry and we believe there is much more to come. Because we have been ‘people centric’ in our approach, we could also see that our asset protection and recovery service under the HomeSafe™ brand has a much wider consumer base than we could reach from the pet industry. By late 2015 we identified the elements most important to people and the valuable things they wish to protect and recover.

IS: Does this mean the company is moving away from pets and pet owners?

LRE: Absolutely not! In fact, our pet owning subscribers will be the first to experience a broad range of new services that will give them ‘Fast, Cheap, Direct Protection of all things Valuable’.

IS: The press kit says you are rebranding the company. Why the name change?

LRE: In 2005, we developed the Urban Animal brand and used it extensively in our development of subject matter expertise through the Urban Animal Summit program.

The new name for PetLynx, Urban Animal Corporation, recently received the approval of our shareholders and we will move quickly to bring this brand to life in the market. I think everyone will agree that it is a strong brand that shows our ‘people centricity’ and will facilitate our move to ‘all things valuable’. People are the most important Urban Animal since they have votes, they have wallets and they have valuable things they wish to protect and recover.

IS: Why are you offering 22% of the company to outside interests?

LRE: In fact, we expect to part with even more of the company in a future round. We attract new investment to ensure that we have the capital to achieve our goals. In 2016 investors will provide commitments totalling over C$2 million dollars to acquire roughly a fifth of a company that we believe is now worth in the order of C$20 million.

IS: How can Urban Animal Corporation be worth C$20 million?

LRE: Let us first say that beauty and also value is in the eye (assessment) of the ‘beholder’. However, as we observe recent transactions (some involving pre-revenue or negative income companies) we can imagine how Urban Animal Corporation will be valued by investors.

I believe your readers can see a subtle change in the valuation of companies that represent large trusted ecosystems. As the global economy moves into the ‘post-digital’ environment, brands that haven’t been able to achieve their goals need to accelerate their e-commerce and digital programs to remain competitive.

Since 2013, we have observed transactions that have valued the acquisition of subscribers, members and policyholders (POPulation) at values ranging from C$23 to hundreds and even thousands of dollars per POP.

Brands have recognized they don’t have the ability or resources to achieve a timely competitive position except by acquisition or strategic partnership. At C$20 per active subscriber Urban Animal Corporation would be valued at just over C$20 million dollars today.

IS: Doesn’t it seem like development took a long time?

LRE: The Company has been fortunate to have core investors that have patiently invested more than C$7.4 million and eight years to be prepared for the day when the Company emergence would align with commercial activities.

Urban Animal now has a very strong position with 8 million public users and more than a million subscribers from which it has generated more than C$5.2 million in revenues. I might add that successful plays like Google, Facebook and Amazon have all taken more than a decade. However we can see the current pace of emergence has really accelerated.

IS: What makes Urban Animal believe it can be successful under current market conditions?

LRE: I think there are three elements that will lead us to achieve success:

• HomeSafe™ is the only Automated, Privacy Compliant, Online Recovery Service that provides Fast, Cheap, Direct Protection of all things valuable.
• Proven HomeSafe™ web services can be easily ported to the Android and IOS platforms and then bundled with Network services or OEM digital devices.
• We have assembled a stellar team of professionals that can take on the heavy lifting of finance, operations, marketing and administration.

IS: Can you identify the team you have assembled?

LRE: Our Merger and Acquisition team includes advisors from Bennett Jones (Legal/Tax/Structure), Deloitte (Capital Advisory), Armanino (Sell-side Support) and CAS Corporate Governance (Corporate Reporting/Administration). Deloitte Corporate Finance is contracted to prepare us for an additional round of investment in 2018.

Among the other professionals are Endeavor (Assurance), McRally (Real-time Financial Reporting), Andrea J. Parkins (Investor Relations), Cheryl Wallach Communications (Digital Media) and Cori Imberi Professional Services (Client Experience and Service Desk).

IS: We notice a strong marketing organization is missing.

LRE: There is currently much upheaval in this area as agencies and marketing organizations consolidate and move to more intimate success based roles with their clients. Even so, there are several candidates in view. We like the performance of Trone Brand Energy and Meredith Corporation in the US market.

The first major marketing activity will be the launch of the new brand and marcom development. We have a proposal from a local company, Venture Communications, that we like very much. By the second quarter of 2017, when we require a strong success based marketing partner we expect one of the organizations on our watch list will meet these requirements.

IS: Where does all this lead?

LRE: The Company is aimed at a moment in 2020 when it can attract a strategic partner or acquirer. At that moment, we expect the plan will deliver 42 million public users, 9 million active subscribers and a share value at or near C$0.90.

IS: Are you prepared to reveal the new services you alluded to?

LRE: We aren’t going to reveal new services until later. At that time there will be opportunities to share market data and reveal each new application (service).

IS:  Thank you for taking the time to update and clarify the plan for our audience.

LRE:  Thank you for this opportunity

INTERVIEW: Jennie Danyliw - Innovation Showcase Scholarship Applicant

Jennie Danyliw is the Regional Operations Director for Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) in Ontario. Her primary role is coaching in development of veterinary practices. Today Jennie will talk about AVC’s Paw It Forward program. 

InfoStream (IS): Why and when was Paw It Forward created?

Jennie Danyliw (JD): Paw It Forward was started about 2 years ago and it was created as all great ideas are, around a dinner table with different voices contributing to how we can give back to the community at a greater level. First born was Pet Pantry and then came the bigger umbrella of Paw It Forward. So basically, how can we take every action that we do and start to “Paw It Forward” and give back within the communities?

IS: What is your role in Paw It Forward?

JD: My role is sort of an off-shoot actually, and it’s better if I speak of it in regards to the clinics more. My role is to support and keep the momentum going but it’s really our veterinary hospitals that keep Paw It Forward alive. Our clinic team members fundraise for Paw It Forward so it is a self-funding program that we are able to run and it is a program that is run right across Canada. Our clinic team members link Paw It Forward with our Pet Pantry events where we are working alongside food banks in providing nutrition and very basic services such as nail trims to those in need within our community. For every bag of veterinary diet that we sell through our hospitals we donate $5 to Pet Pantry and it helps our team members feel really good about what they’re doing.

IS: What are the goals of Paw It Forward?

JD: Our original goal was to identify what the need was within the community for those that have fallen on hard times and are using local food banks and community services. So, our goal was to provide food, or fill tummies, of those that are in a less fortunate position.

IS: What issues or concerns has Paw It Forward been able to support? You mentioned Pet Pantry, has there been anything else included in Paw It Forward so far?

JD: Any of our fund raising events have the overall umbrella of Paw It Forward. There are a number of charities that are clinics work with all based in different areas of Ontario and right across the country. So, really, our initial issue was how can “we” break down some of the stigma around those who are in a less fortunate position and provide proper food to their pets.

IS: Can you tell us about a special experience that you’ve had through your work with Paw It Forward?

JD: Yeah, wow, there are so many that I could pick from and really it’s quite a shared experience across our entire group. I would have to say that when we run a Pet Pantry Paw It Forward event it’s one of the most humbling days that I’ve ever worked. My background is only veterinary medicine for the last 25 years that the ability to be able to give back, meet an abundance of new people that have fantastic stories to share and one thing that we’ve really learned is that pet means so much to that person who has fallen on hard times. That pet is their only connection left and we’re able to help and support that and listen to the stories. For me personally, I find it amazing that no matter where we go home at night or where we come from, you put a pet in front of us or a pet topic and we become exactly the same person. So we break down all of those barriers and there is not any judgment.

IS: Paw It Forward is funded through fundraising events held at the individual clinics and those funds come from food sales, nail trims, and other activities along those lines, is that correct?

JD: Yes, nail trims and other donations based events that we do. We have clinic staff going to Pawpolooza this weekend and they will be collecting donations for Paw It Forward. Our goal was really to set this up so that it was self-funding through our clinics. There are also our veterinary partners and those are companies that partner with us as well as a few pharmaceutical as well whereas they offer support as well and are with us at the food banks.

IS: Does Paw It Forward support all of the areas around AVC clinics?

JD: Correct, we run Paw It Forward right across Canada and we actually just finished another event in British Columbia last weekend. We have a goal to provide 250,000 meals by the end of this year and as of right now we’re half way to our goal.

IS: Is there anything else that you would like us to know?

JD: Maybe one last thing, is what I talked about at the Urban Animal presentation is that to challenge everybody that we can make a difference for those that have fallen on hard times.

INTERVIEW: Dr. Rebecca Ledger: Digital Journalist Scholarship Applicant

Dr. Rebecca Ledger writes for the Vancouver Sun about animal welfare issues including animal legislation, pet care/health, and animal behaviour. Her articles may also be found in the National Post, the Leader Post, the Calgary Herald, The Star Phoenix, The Windsor Star, the Montreal Gazette and the Ottawa Citizen. Dr. Ledger is also active on her Twitter account and in in the process of creating her Animal Behaviour and Welfare Consulting website.

Dr. Ledger is a Faculty Member at Langara College, teaching Basic and Advanced courses in animal behaviour, animal welfare, animal law and business. She was awarded her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of London, her Masters Degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare from the University of Edinburgh (The Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies) and her Doctorate in the assessment and treatment of behavioural disorders in shelter dogs from Brunel University.

InfoStream (IS): Your passion for animals is evident; tell us more about how this came to be.

Dr. Rebecca Ledger (DRL): I was just born this way! I can't remember a time when I wasn't drawn to animals and experienced a respect for them. I was lucky that my family were like-minded and nurtured this calling.

IS: The pet experience is big for you. Tell us about your pets.

DRL: We have a dog (Poppy, a 2 year old English Springer spaniel), a rescue cat called Gilly (11 years old) and recently we adopted two stray guinea pigs, Guiness and Fred. The g-pigs had been abandoned by a bus stop and were picked up by Vancouver Animal Control.

IS: How do you use media in the pet industry?

DRL: I have a privileged opportunity to write animal related articles for PostMedia. The articles are published biweekly in the Vancouver Sun, and often picked up by the other newspapers. So far, the articles have been reprinted in the The National Post, Ottawa Citizen, the Leader Post, Montreal Gazette, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal and the Windsor Star and the Star Phoenix. This provides an opportunity to bring animal-related news to the whole of Canada. It is astounding how many people these stories reach, both in print and on-line.

IS: What is the main focus/goal of your use of digital media?

DRL: To bring science-based information on animal health, animal behaviour and animal welfare to Canadians. There are plenty of non-science based opinions on 'the internet', pushing practices that are actually bad for animal welfare. My goal is to help Canadians make evidence-based, informed, effective and humane decisions regarding their pets.

IS: What do you see as the greatest risk for the pet industry as you know it? What is your greatest concern?

DRL: Overall, I have fewer concerns now than I did 10 years ago. Things are progressing and generally getting better. Dog over-population and humane training is getting better. And, I find that owners are now also better informed on positive pet keeping practices than they were before. But, some challenges still exist. Cat over-population and the management of feral populations is still a challenge. So too is where pet seekers should acquire their new pets from. As Canadians are becoming more responsible at spay / neutering and pet identification, so the number of adoptable pets in shelters is going down. This is good for pet welfare. So, where are owners getting their next pet from now? We are seeing an increase in un-regulated rescue groups and owners taking on challenging pets that have not been adequately vetted. I see owners with these challenges daily in my practice.

IS: What in your history has taken you to where you are now?

DRL: A very convoluted and complex career path, which I'm not sure could ever be easily replicated! Apart from years of study (a BSc in Biology, a MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour & Animal Welfare, a PhD in the behavioural assessment and treatment of dogs with behavioural disorders and three Fellowships in animal behaviour & animal welfare), I have had the good fortune to work with some of the best animal welfare scientists and organizations in the world, across Europe and North America. I think that the diversity of animal organizations that I have had the privilege to work with has given me both a deep and broad understanding of the field. These include humane organizations, Universities, the military, sled dog companies, pharmaceutical companies, pet food companies and the veterinary profession.

IS: What motivates you to share your knowledge to promote the well-being of pets?

DRL: The positive impact that I see it having. Seeing first hand how knowledge can transform how someone understands and manages their pet for the better makes it all worth while. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a pet and their owner live a happier, less stressful, more fulfilled life as a result of something you been able to teach them.

IS: Thank you!

INTERVIEW: Linda Townsend - Innovation Showcase Scholarship Applicant

Linda and Charlie

Linda Townsend was inspired to start Muddy Paws Adventures after seeing the effects of hiking on her own dog, Charlie. Along with improved fitness, the more time her otherwise timid rescue dog spent on the trails, the more he turned into a confident, trusting canine. Using her passion for the outdoors, nature and all things four-legged, Linda created a dog hiking service that feeds the souls of her clients and provides peace of mind for their humans.

InfoStream (IS): Your passion for dogs is evident; tell us about how this came to be.  

Linda Townsend (LT): I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t passionate about dogs or any animal for that matter.  I didn’t come from parents who were animal lovers and I had to beg to  have a hamster when I was a kid.  Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents who had a German Shepherd named Reika. He wasn’t overly friendly or trustworthy with most people, but I was bound and determined to make him my best friend despite the several warnings he gave me.  I started walking him everyday after school and eventually his indifference turned to the loyalty one would expect from a German Shepherd.  It wasn’t until 15 years later that I finally was able to get my own dog - a German Shepherd named Rudy that looked just like Reika.

IS: What in your history has taken you to where you are now?  

LT: For close to 20 years,  I worked for a  great company that provided me all the opportunities in the world, but with it came two hours of commuting every day and the guilt of leaving my dog home alone for a 10 hour stretch.   I wanted a lifestyle that would energize me, not one that left me feeling so drained that I couldn’t entertain the thought of  taking my dog for a much deserved walk.  Deciding to leave behind the security of my career meant taking a major leap outside of my comfort zone creating a whole new world of doubt and fears.  I spent many hours hiking with my dog Charlie contemplating what my new life would look like if I wasn’t heading into the office every day.  Every time the fears and doubts about my decision starting creeping in, I would throw on my boots, call Charlie and head for the trails behind our property. After an hour or so of connecting with nature and watching Charlie live his life to the fullest, I returned home reconnected to my commitment to find more balance in my own life. While I was getting my own life sorted out on the trails, I noticed Charlie making his own transformation.  Along with improved fitness,  my otherwise timid beagle/lab cross was turning into a confident, trusting canine.  As he got better at sniffing out squirrels and manoeuvring at high speeds through brush and fallen trees, his nervous accidents disappeared and he began greeting strangers with a wagging tail. Obviously all of this hiking had mind-body-spirit benefits for the both of us and  understanding all too well the pet owner’s guilt of not having the energy or time to take your dog for a walk, I decided to create  Muddy Paws Adventures.

IS: What is the main focus of the Muddy Paws Adventures?

LT: Muddy Paws Adventures has two objectives - to feed the souls of our canine clients and to provide peace of mind for their humans.  If you could ask any dog what is better than being off the grid free to explore with a pack of other well socialized dogs, they would tell you nothing! As for my clients, they are all  middle class folks who work hard for their money and love their dogs.  I consider it a huge responsibility to be entrusted with their dogs’ well being and always make sure they get their money’s worth.

IS: What is most rewarding about Muddy Paws Adventures; what makes it all worthwhile?

LT: There are a few things…

1. The excitement of the dogs when I pick them up for their hike.  It’s like they’ve won the lottery every time.  
2. Equally rewarding is the social enterprise I’ve been able to create through Muddy Paws adventures - Trails N’ Tail.  Last year, our charity hike raised $2000 for animal rescue and Paws Fur Thought  (see question 8 for more info).

The connections and partnerships I’ve made with people in my community and beyond.

IS: What feedback have you received regarding hike pictures on Facebook?  

LT: It’s amazing the number of people who are not even clients that look forward to seeing those photos posted. There is something therapeutic about looking at photos of a pack of happy dogs running through a field, swimming in a river or jumping over a fallen tree in the woods.  Imagine how therapeutic it is when you get to be with them on the hike!

IS: Are owners ever able to join their dog(s) on hikes?

LT: Yes!  I welcome all humans on our hikes with a donation to one of our favourite canine related charities.  The only prerequisite is that you love dogs, have some good hiking footwear and have enough energy to keep up with a pack of high energy dogs for 90 minutes.   

IS: To maximize success, what requirements do you have for dogs before they begin hiking?

LT: A Muddy Paws dog must be good off leash, have fairly good recall and be social with other dogs.  It’s also best if the dogs are in fairly good shape to prevent injury.  

IS: Tell us about your hikes to support Paws Fur Thought. What other fundraising does Muddy Paws Adventures do?  

LT: I’ve included my blog below with all the details on our Trails N’ Tails  Charity Hike.  

A Walk In The Park For Those Whose Life Isn’t

Last September, over 50 dogs and almost twice as many humans rubbed noses at the inaugural Trails N’     Tails charity hike raising over $2000 for canine rescue and veterans living with PTSD in need of service dogs.

This year, tails are wagging as Muddy Paws Adventures teams up with the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia to raise funds for their First Responder PTSD Service Dog Initiative.

The Foundation, in partnership with military veteran and PTSD service dog advocate Medric Cousineau (Paws Fur Thought), launched the initiative in November 2014  and has since raised enough funds to match 32 service dogs with first responders in need.

This year’s Trails N’ Tails charity hike takes place on Saturday September 19th. The 60 minute nature hike will weave through some of Hants County’s most picturesque trails in Uniacke Estate Museum Park, a perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors with your favourite canine. Participants have the option to make a donation or collect pledges.   In addition to helping first responders, proceeds from the on-site BBQ, draws and games will  go towards local animal rescue.

Along with raising funds for our favourite canine related causes, Trails N’ Tails is designed to expose the mental health benefits of spending time in nature and the therapeutic advantages of dogs.

More information may be found here.

IS: Is there anything else you would like us to know?  

LT: Just a little shout out to my Inspiration behind Muddy Paws Adventures, Charlie Dog -  2004-2015.

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.