The ‘Wonderfur tail’ of how a local family’s sick pooch helped launch an Australian-first in pet health

Sydney, 15 July: A local Double Bay family’s COVID lockdown experience has
spawned a unique new pet formulation that has been two years in
development., as Australia’s pet industry swells to $33 billion annually.

When Lloyd's family became pet parents for the first time ever during COVID lockdown and had their beloved puppy, Lucky in 2021, the last thing they expected was that this would lead to the launch of a brand-new business start-up.

According to Lloyd, while being a pet parent has brought great pleasure and joy to the family, it was also accompanied by worry soon after Lucky’s arrival to the household. “Lucky started to have very bad diarrhea and I was having to get up every night on the hour to attend to him as he was in a fair bit of distress,” he says.

“It was very worrying and became worse, leading to a dermatological condition that caused him to constantly scratch, and an ear infection also developed – it was worse than having a sick child,” he explains. After multiple visits to the vet the diarrhea eventually settled, but not completely and some of the other symptoms still lingered. The experience led Lloyd to the realization that there was no general health, or preventative nutritional pet products available that promoted the
general health of their dog, in particular for gastrointestinal health.

“We had tried feeding Lucky raw foods only, organic foods and even kefir (a fermented milk known to have potential benefits for gut health) and this helped. The problem was that these foods all have a very short shelf life, lasting no more than a couple of days, so it was not very practical or convenient for us to be endlessly buying them so regularly,” Lloyd says.

This led to a lightbulb moment for Lloyd - whose career is in the tech industry, ex-IBM. “I am firmly of the belief that technology can transform lives and so I thought, how can I harness some of these skills to tap into a solution for the gap I identified through my own real-life experience with my own pet’s digestive health,” he explains.

So that is exactly what he’s done. He saw a gap in the market where most cat and dog treats were meat-based and did not address specific health needs. He started by trying to better understand the process for keeping raw ingredients fresh through the freeze-drying process and after extensive consultation and partnership with reputable veterinary surgeons, laboratory scientists and animal nutritionists, Wonderfur was born.

The supplement is the first-of-its kind patented freeze-drying technology in Australian animal health, sourced with only Australian farm-fresh ingredients and prepared in TGA-approved facilities.

Linda Simon, a veterinarian, and a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, who has partnered with Lloyd on the development of the technology, says Wonderfur Bites are of an unusually high quality, and dogs and cats also enjoy the taste.

“Wonderfur Bites dog and cat supplements are made from all human grade ingredients. They contain green lipped muscles that help with joint pain and inflammation as well as lactose-free yogurts to support a healthy gastrointestinal system.

“I love how these treats are freeze-dried; preserving the active compounds and ensuring the ingredients retain their natural potency. The colostrum, lactose-free kefir and inulin in these bites all work together to bolster the immune system and improve the body’s natural defenses. Over time, this can lead to a smaller chance of getting sick and an improved ability to fight off any infection your dog or cat may face,” she said.

Other key active ingredients in the convenient cube-shaped supplement, that can be used as a food topper or treat/reward, include zinc, turmeric, which provides inflammatory and skin support and goji berry for immune health, eye, and skin health.

Lloyd hopes that his Wonderfur technology will help address the hidden problem of digestive health in Australian cats and dogs and hopes that it leads to many more pets like Lucky, across Australia feeling much healthier and happier, with healthier poo and better gut health.

“As a pet parent I know how helpless you can feel when your pet is unwell, and they are unable to communicate what the problem is. We have made such great strides as a society in the study and treatment of gut and digestive conditions for humans, and now Australians have access to a high-quality evidence-based treatment for pet digestive health.”