Digital vet care firm offers free consults to owners turning to crowdfunding

A digital app which provides vet consultations is offering free advice to pet owners turning to crowdfunding for help with vet bills during the cost of living crisis.

Following on from the news that there has been a steep rise in pet owners using crowdfunding to pay vet bills due to rising inflation, Joii Pet Care is today announcing that pet owners who have resorted to setting up crowdfunding pages will be able to access a vet consultation with one the firm’s RCVS-registered vets at no cost.

Co-founder of Joii Pet Care, Dr Robert Dawson, said: “The rise in inflation and cost of living crisis is placing an incredible amount of pressure on pet owners, which in turn risks a worrying rise in the number of animals suffering. The increase in crowdfunding pages is a clear demonstration that people need affordable vet care.

“There’s a real and significant risk to the health and welfare of animals in the UK if people do not access the high-quality veterinary care that is needed. That’s why we are stepping in to offer a free initial vet consultation to those who have made a very hard decision to resort to crowdfunding. It’s so important that owners have access to professional veterinary advice.” 

Dr Dawson, a vet with more than 30 years of experience, added: "The good news is that because of the technology at our disposal now, digital vet-tech services can open up options for affordable access to high-quality veterinary advice. The ‘111’ service for human healthcare gives access to great medical advice remotely and the same is true of veterinary consultations.”

Access to digital vet care packages with Joii Pet Care either come at no cost or minimal cost, making advice even more accessible to a wider variety of people. Joii Pet Care has a free symptom checker and free registered veterinary nurse health checks. It also partners with insurers including Animal Friends Insurance, Purely Pets and Asda - giving customers free access to Joii Pet Care vets. Vet calls cost just £24 anytime night or day for those who don’t have access to the app via insurance partners.

The vet team at Joii Pet Care also advocate for preventative vet care as a way of caring for animals well while reducing owner costs. Joii Pet Care shares advice on how to prevent pets from getting ill in the first place, as well as how certain measures can reduce the need for physical intervention by vet staff; again reducing costs. Preventative care includes worming, flea treatment and nutritional advice.

Dr Dawson added: “Pet owners need to be given the choice as to where and how they access affordable and preventative vet care. Having a great preventive pet care regime in place can stop pets from developing health problems, identify any issues earlier which make them easier to treat, keep vet costs down and improve the health and wellbeing of pets.

“Joii Pet Care has been and continues to be a lifeline to thousands of pet parents across the UK, offering veterinary care at a fraction of the price without any compromise on quality of care.”

Joii Pet Care is an app from Research and Development company Vet-AI which launched spring 2019 to tackle the rising costs of a vet care for pets by offering pet owners remote consultations with real vets and nurses, via their smartphones.

Anybody with a crowdfunding page who would like to organise a free vet consultation can contact the Joii Pet Care team on contact@joiipetcare.com to request a consultation code. 

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Editors notes

Founded in early 2017 by tech expert Paul Hallett and experienced veterinarian Robert Dawson, Vet-AI is an R&D company developing a number of solutions that focus on supporting pets, vets and giving pet parents the tools to access care more affordably and conveniently when their pets need it most.

The company’s flagship brand Joii is set to launch in April 2019. Built by a team of experts with cutting-edge, bespoke technology, Joii is an app for pet parents to diagnose and receive recommended treatment for pets from the comfort of their home. Dedicated to improving and updating the animal health industry in-line with some of the ground-breaking innovations seen in human health, Paul approached one of the largest animal health companies in the UK and met his business partner, Robert Dawson.

The founders spent 18 months researching and understanding what pet parents’ needs are, and what technology is currently available for pet diagnosis. The more research Paul and Robert carried out, the more exciting their idea became.

Investors in people, the co-founders have built a team of industry experts including vets, PhD level data scientists, and technology programmers. The team consists of OBE award-winning entrepreneur Jonathan Sands alongside chief data scientist Trevor Hardcastle, a renowned computational solid-state physicist and frequent presenter at international conferences with 19 published papers to his name. Also joining the company is one of the most highly regarded veterinary dermatologists in the UK, Sarah Warren, former head of AI at push doctor Josh Sephton, and Monocle- and Forbes-featured designer Guy Buchan. With more than £500,000 investment from co-founder Robert, £100,000 investment from law firm Lupton Fawcett and £175,000 from award-winning design studio Elmwood, the firm will be seeking further investment in 2019 to support its continued growth. The firm, which launched in the UK in 2019, has its sights set on going global; Australia and the US next, followed by Europe and Asia. It has already received recognition across the UK, reaching the final in Tech Nation’s Rising Star awards and nominated for ‘Innovation’ and ‘Newcomer’ in the upcoming Yorkshire Business Masters awards. The company plans to partner with charities in the near future, with animal welfare at the forefront of Vet AI. Co-founders Paul and Robert are keen to donate part of the firm's profits to mental health and animal welfare organisations. Paul and Robert are looking to employ another 30 people in 2019 and are set on continually developing the company's AI technology to automate diagnosis, improve healthcare, and enhance how our pets live.

View the website at www.vet-ai.com and follow the consumer app on Twitter @Joii_app.