A Vet Student's Challenge

Hey, I’m Jack, a third-year veterinary student at the University of Missouri who is passionate about animals and solving problems.

I bought my first horse, Chance, when I was 17 at home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since then, Chance has traveled across the country with me to 6 states including Colorado, Montana, and Kansas just to name a few. Chance is basically just a 1,200-pound lap dog! He’s been with me every step of the way since leaving for college and is my sense of security and comfort.

At the start of vet school, for some reason, I thought it would be a great time to rescue a blue heeler. And let me be the first to tell you — this was nearly a huge mistake! Suddenly, I had a 9-month-old energetic pup named Heidi running around my house, pooping everywhere and causing trouble. I love her, but she knows how to test my patience. I have to give her a little credit because she makes my days brighter and ultimately inspired my business idea.

I soon discovered that Heidi has a rare medical condition called EPI, a disease where her pancreas doesn’t function properly. Because of this, she requires prescription dog food, pancreatic enzymes that cost $150 per month, and various other monthly supplements. All of these things add up and make her dad a little crazy every time he gets a bill. Her disease, or should I say, her vet bills, was a driving force behind Murray Kennel Company. Every bill we would receive, I would ask Heidi, “How are you going to pay for this?”

After a ton of vet expenses and no answers from Heidi as to how she would pay her way, I realized that this dog had to start bringing in money or we would both be living on the streets. As a graduate student with an incomprehensible amount of student debt living in a duplex with roommates, money is very, very tight. Eventually, I realized that while Heidi might not be able to get a job, she could inspire a product that may eventually pay off for both of us. And that’s how it started.