Online Veterinary Marketplace PetGuru launched in Pakistan
A modern digital platform called “PetGuru” has been introduced in Pakistan to integrate the veterinary and animal care sector with digital technology. This digital pet platform aims to connect pet owners, veterinarians, veterinary clinics, pet shops, farmers, and animal-related service providers under a unified, integrated system. Dr. Rana Zabihullah, is the founder of PetGuru App and Digital Marketplace.
Need for PetGuru
He states that many people in Pakistan face difficulties in finding qualified veterinarians online, accessing animal hospitals, purchasing animal medicines and feed, or obtaining other animal care services. Currently, people often rely on personal contacts, social media groups, or WhatsApp to find the information and services they need. Meanwhile, veterinary professionals and related businesses also struggle to promote their services and reach potential clients.
Addressing these challenges, the development of PetGuru was initiated in collaboration with CodeX Link. The platform’s scope extends beyond just pets; it is designed to encompass birds, livestock, poultry, horses, fish, and various other animals within this digital ecosystem.
Features of PetGuru
According to Dr. Rana Zabihullah, ‘PetGuru’ comprises nine core sections: Services, Online Pet Shop, Animal Classifieds, Online Veterinary Consultancy, Veterinary Clinics, a Directory of Veterinary Doctors, Animal-Related Businesses, Veterinary Events, and a Pet Community.
He explained that through this platform, users can access a variety of services, including grooming, boarding, training, home visits, breeding, reproduction, animal adoption, and rescue. Additionally, the online pet store offers the convenience of purchasing animal feed, medicines, nutritional products, healthcare supplies, accessories, and other essential items.
Opportunities for Vets at PetGuru
He further noted that PetGuru includes an online veterinary consultation feature, enabling pet owners and livestock farmers to connect with veterinary experts across various specialties. Users can view the profiles of veterinary doctors, the services they offer, and other relevant information. Furthermore, PetGuru allows users to locate veterinary clinics and animal hospitals.
The directory includes a feature to search for clinics based on the specific medical facilities and equipment available, such as ultrasound, X-ray, CBC analyzers, ECG, and endoscopes.
Online Marketplace
Dr. Rana Zabihullah stated that the platform includes an ‘Animal Classifieds’ section, where users can list pets, birds, livestock, poultry, fish, reptiles, and related equipment for sale or purchase. Additionally, pet shops, veterinary clinics, and other relevant businesses can showcase their services and products.
According to the founder of ‘Pet Guru,’ a key feature of the platform is its special focus on the livestock and poultry sectors. He noted that, given the significance of livestock and poultry to Pakistan’s economy, the project aims to connect farmers with experts and organizations specializing in veterinary services, animal health, artificial insemination, pregnancy diagnosis, reproduction, nutrition, poultry health, and farm management.
PetGuru App
Dr. Rana Zabihullah explained that ‘PetGuru’ offers opportunities not only for individual users but also for veterinarians, clinics, pet shops, and other animal-related businesses. To this end, a dedicated ‘Provider App’ has been developed, allowing registered service providers to create profiles, list details of their services and products, manage pricing, and handle customer requests.
Integrating Veterinary and Pet Sectors
Dr. Rana Zabihullah states that the primary objective of ‘Pet Guru’ is to integrate Pakistan’s veterinary sector and animal care industry into an organized digital system, thereby ensuring easy access to services for the public while providing veterinary professionals and relevant businesses with better opportunities to showcase their services.
