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72
austinwoman
September 2009
by claire cella
I
n the year 2000, When angie o’brien loaDeD
up all o her belongings – including her dog and cat – to re-locate to Austin rom San Francisco with her husband, shehad no idea that nine years later she would be helping millions o pet owners across the globe, like hersel, do the same.Recalling the memories o the move, Angie laughs and shakesher head. “I remember at one point when we stopped in Las Vegas we were ready to just ship our cat back. She just was notenjoying the trip.”Now, thanks to Angie, pet owners can avoid similar unpleasantmoving experiences, by enlisting the help o a team o specialists atPetRelocation.com, the Austin-based pet relocation company An-gie, now CFO, and her husband Kevin, CEO, launched in 2002.Relying on the simple and undeniable love pet owners have ortheir animals – “Because I always say when moving, pet owners caremore about their pet than their couch” – the couple’s now multimil-lion dollar company has grown 1000% in the past fve years, she says.It is an impressive achievement since the company began as asmall, local pet taxiing service that Angie initiated as a side proj-ect when she frst moved to Austin in 2000.“I began to explore the possibilities o expanding it to an in-creasingly global and corporate market,” she says, describing theinception o the company. “And I slowly connected the dots andrealized that moving an animal rom point A to point B does nothave to just be local.” And although PetRelocation.com was originally started by Angie in its early years, (as Kevin was involved in other work), Angie says they now really act as a team. To be more precise, “likea ship,” she says.“I would say he keeps the ship moving orward and I keep itrom sinking,” she laughs. “And it’s been like that since day one.”In act, the couple developed and managed every aspect o thecompany by themselves until 2005, when they hired theirfrst employee.
»
1
MOVING DAY
Doesnt Have to Be Daunting
PetRelocation.com Makes Moving Fido
+
Fluffy Fun
”“
It’s like seeing the globewith a fl ashing ‘open’ sign.We can help anyone.Our options are endless.
74
austinwoman
September 2009
Now, he company employs 11 saf members ha help coor-dinae heir cliens’ moves, wih each specializing in he exensiveand someimes dauning requiremens o moving a pe o difer-en regions o he globe. A necessiy, since a majoriy o heir busi-ness, which includes a airly equal number o boh corporae andpersonal moves, does no even ouch U.S. soil. And wih he launch o a new, more user-riendly websie inMay, and he recen developmen o associaed websies such asMy Pe Move and wipes.com, he company is anyhing bulocal anymore.“I’s like seeing he globe wih a ashing ‘open’ sign,” Angiesays wih a smile as she makes broad, animaed gesures wih herhands. “We can help anyone. Our opions are endless.” Angie explains ha he specialiss a PeRelocaion.com han-dle every small deail necessary o pick your pe up a your olddoorsep and deliver hem saely o he doorsep o your new home – wheher i’s jus across own or across he Alanic Ocean,and wheher i’s a goldsh or a horse.Or, even wheher i’s shipping diabeic erres o Egyp, 40dar rogs o Swizerland or a Bea sh o Amserdam, all o whichPeRelocaion.com has helped successully execue, says Angie.Tere is a wide range o opions available o pe owners a PeRelocaion.com, rom ull services in which a specialis person-ally manages a majoriy o he process o a more do-i-yoursel mehod or he more ambiious. Angie says he company recenly released a new package orpe owners who canno aford heir ull services. Te Pe ravelKi includes checkliss o requiremens, various paperwork, cal-endars and useul ravel accessories – everyhing an owner needso be ully prepared and organized o relocae heir pe on heirown, cusomized o heir pe ype and nal desinaion.My Pe Move and wipes.com, also pioneered by Angie andKevin, provide oher educaional and social oules o learn moreabou he process rom oher pe owners, and enable pe ownerso ake on he endeavor by hemselves.Tese social neworking sies were creaed because “peopleare so crazy abou heir pes!” Angie says. “And I waned o creaea place ha would connec pe owners ogeher and allow hemo gaher and share heir experiences.” Angie says a lo o misconcepions exis abou pe relocaion, which is why i is imporan o ge eedback rom hose who know or have been hrough he process hemselves.For insance, “many people hink heir pes have o endure along quaranine once hey reach heir nal desinaion,” she says,“bu or a majoriy o he relocaions, ha’s no he case any-more.” Angie says relocaing a pe is jus a mater o being preparedand working closely wih local veerinarians o make sure all o he essenial and criical paperwork, vaccinaions and blood work are aken care o and up-o-dae beore he move.Crae raining your animal beore he move is also criical oran enjoyable experience, Angie sresses.“As soon as you know you are going o be moving, you should buy a crae in order o precondiion your animal o i beore hemove. You should ry o make he crae a amiliar and comorableplace or he animal – pu reas and pillows in i. On moving day,pu in somehing ha smells like you, like a pillowcase,” she says.
”“
Many peoplethink their petshave to endurea longquarantineonce theyreach their fnaldestination, butor a majorityo therelocations,that’s not thecase anymore.
See PETS on page 86
A representation o the process yourpet goes through while relocating.
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