Australian entrepreneur Jaryd Koenisgmann, 25, has launched myNewPet, a world-first, end-to-end pet classified platform with the mission to counter puppy farms and save rescue animals.
Koenigsmann, a Young Melbourne Entrepreneur of the Year runner-up and Australian Entrepreneur of the Year nominee, founded the platform after his own negative experience rehoming one of his five dogs, which almost cost it its life. He is now in talks with the UK government to launch the platform here following the success of Lucy’s Law.
MyNewPet aims to bring new levels of oversight, security and compliance to the breeding, re-homing and adoption process through microchipping documentation, animal health records, breed verification, vet certificates, transport and logistics, and more.
For breeders, owners and buyers, strict security and compliance is enforced on the platform. This includes government ID verification, ASIC business checks, mandatory breeder license verification, breeding site condition assessment using images and GPS location confirmation, and an escrow service.
To help save some of the dogs and cats euthanised, the platform offers a free service for rescues and shelters to facilitate adoption of rescued animals.
Koenigsmann said: “One of my dogs, Jerry, came very close to dying because of the lack of oversight in the online rehoming process. He was cleared to fly by the breeder and a vet when he never should have been due to his age, which I’d been misled about.”
In rehoming Jerry, Koenigsmann found that, despite countless hours searching online classifieds, often even the most basic information about the dogs and breeders was difficult to find. And even when it was, the transaction process leaves a lot to be desired.
He added: “There’s a lot of blind trust that goes into negotiating with the owner or breeder on the other side of the country, handing over money, and hoping my dog would turn up at the other end – and be healthy and safe.”
Frustrated by the process and concerned for the millions of pets adopted and rehomed each year, Koenigsmann founded myNewPet in August 2017. Now, 18 months after being established the platform has gone live.
Koenigsmann said: “We’re starting in Australia and have plans to quickly expand to New Zealand. From there, we see the UK and USA as our next steps. Our aim is to revolutionise the global adoption, re-homing and transport of pets.”
