Dog lover’s experience with dodgy breeder leads to protection website

After a rough experience with a dodgy dog breeder, a Sunbury entrepreneur made it his mission to stamp out puppy farms. Here’s how he is doing it.

Jaryd Koenigsmann has launched his third start-up myNewPet to help pet welfare/stamp out puppy farms. Picture: Rob Leeson

A Sunbury entrepreneur has come up with an innovative solution to help tackle dodgy pet breeders.

Jaryd Koenigsmann, 25, experienced issues with breeders after buying a sausage dog, Jerry, from an online interstate breeder.

He discovered the puppy was only three weeks old when he arrived.

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“From there, he had a lot of trouble — he almost died and now has severe problems like anxiety,” Mr Koenigsmann said.

“It was ridiculous — I just realised the whole industry needs to change.”

Mr Koenigsmann’s new business, called myNewPet, works with government-level identification certification and is aimed at improving transparency and accountability with breeders and potential owners.

“All users wanting to buy and sell pets have to provide their ID and details,” he said.

“When someone pays, the site holds the money in an escrow account and it is released when the pet arrives — everyone is held accountable.”

Jaryd Koenigsmann has launched his third start-up myNewPet to help pet welfare/stamp out puppy farms. Picture: Rob Leeson

After a year under development, the site launched six weeks ago.

While the platform is still new, it has already attracted international attention.

Mr Koneigsmann said he had locked in support from the UK Government to expand into England, plus a new partner in a huge international pet transport company.

“There is absolutely no way for someone to be scammed or to receive a pet that has been abused through our sites,” he said.

“No one will be able to harm an animal again because we keep records.”

Mr Koenigsmann, who owns five dogs, said the project had been driven a passion for animals.

“I’ve had every single animal under the sun — goats, alpacas, dogs,” he said.

“Our mission is to improve animal welfare globally.”