Welcome to an edition of Interview with a pet blogger! Today we’re chatting with Kathryn Mailler, a writer and editor of the great blog Trupanion. I love Kathryn’s blog because she shares many useful and informative articles which helped a lot of pet owners. Let's find out some interesting facts about her and Trupanion.
The Interview
1) Trupanion has a pet blog which has inspired and helped many pet owners with a lot of useful articles. Why did you decide to start Trupanion Blog?
Our team started the Trupanion blog in 2008 to celebrate dogs, cats, pet health, and medical insurance for pets. We are incredibly pet-passionate, and we have some great veterinary resources at our fingertips.
We wanted to create a resource for pet owners everywhere to get valuable, fun, and insightful information to help them give their pet the best care.
2) What is the story behind the name, Trupanion?
Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs. The name stems from our relationship with our constant companions—our pets.
For almost two decades, the company has helped provide peace of mind to pet owners so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress.
3) What was your inspiration to establish Trupanion?
Trupanion was founded in 2000 by Darryl Rawlings in Vancouver, BC, as a way to solve the problem of economic euthanasia.
When Darryl was 14, his family had a dog who fell ill with a treatable stomach illness. Unfortunately, his parents could not afford the treatment, and the family left the veterinary hospital without their dog.
From that day forward, he wanted to develop a way for pet owners and veterinarians never to have to go through that same heartbreaking experience. He wanted to give pet owners and veterinarians a chance to provide the best care possible to cats and dogs—so Trupanion was born.
4) I heard that you are surrounded by dogs and cats in your office. It’s really lovely. Can you share some interesting experience with them?
Every day is a good one when you have dogs at your feet and cats perched on a desk nearby. The pets in the office keep the atmosphere light, reduce stress, and are a very visual reminder of why we do what we do.
Most of the time they’re asleep at our feet, but we also have designated playrooms and on-site dog walkers in the office to make sure they get exercise.
If you need a break from your computer screen or are trying to work through writer’s block—you can always take a quick break and snuggle with a dog.
5) What is the most important thing you have learned in all your years working in pet insurance field?
I didn’t know medical insurance for pets existed before coming to the field about 4 years ago.
But working in medical insurance for pets and adopting a dog on my own for the first time, I am able to see the amazing advancements in veterinary care and the value that insurance can bring to a pet owner.
With insurance for my own pets, I know I can do whatever it takes to get them better, and I’ve seen so many stories from our policyholders who have really been able to say “do whatever it takes” and save their dog or cat’s life.
It’s a growing industry, and I think it will be just as prominent as human health insurance one day.
6) What are your goals in the next 6 months?
We want to continue publishing valuable content for our readers on the Trupanion blog and grow the readership of our pet owner newsletter, which curates and delivers some of our most entertaining and relevant articles each month. We love hand-picking the topics we think our readers will enjoy the most.
Ending
Kathryn Mailler and her colleague all love pets, and they welcome you to join their community of paws, fur, wet noses, and stepping on stray pet toys in the middle of the night. Trupanion Blog is a great place celebrate pets, pet health and medical insurance for cats and dogs.
