PetVet247 exists because of a little Jack Russell who loved his food, his walks and his people, and because of the moments I spent not knowing how to help him.
I'm Neil, the founder. This is Max's story, and why I built the place I wish I'd had.
Max was my van companion, and pure energy. Walks by the water, muddy adventures, then fast asleep in his bed next to my desk while I worked. Food was the highlight of every single day.
If you've ever loved a dog like that, you'll know he wasn't "just a dog". He was family.
Looking back, Max had seemed slightly quieter than normal for a few weeks. We put it down to age. It was a slow, subtle change, and that's very easy to miss in a dog you see every day.
Then he started finding it hard to eat. His gums bled more than they should. He'd turn away from his usual food, and he'd go and sit on his own in other rooms. He just wasn't himself.
These aren't just "old dog" things. They're worth checking.
Max was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, a rare and aggressive cancer. Even his own vet had never seen it before.
What followed was months of confusion, specialist referrals, CT scan debates and over £5,000 spent trying to understand what was happening. The love was never in question. What was missing was a trusted place to go, at any hour, for clear, calm guidance.
We explored every option. Because of where it was, curative surgery wasn't possible, so we focused on keeping him comfortable and pain-free for as long as he could still enjoy his life: pain relief, palliative care, and being close to the people he loved.
From the first signs to saying goodbye was around ten months. Some of those months were good ones, and we made the most of every single day.
When he could no longer eat comfortably, the thing that had always made him happiest, and the light in his eyes started to dim, I knew. It wasn't one moment. It was a quiet realisation that keeping him going would be for me, not for him.
Max passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, with dignity, in a home full of love. He wasn't in pain at the end. That matters more than I can say.
If something feels off with your pet, trust that instinct. You know them better than anyone.
An earlier vet visit might not have changed the outcome, but it would have given us more time to prepare. And if a vet has never seen something before, push for a specialist referral. Rare doesn't mean untreatable.
During Max's illness I was in the same position as every worried pet owner: it's late, something isn't right, and there's no trustworthy, independent place to turn. All I wanted was a calm, honest answer to "how worried should I be, and what should I do now?"
By day I'm a CISO, a Chief Information Security Officer, with more than 30 years in technology. I've led ISO 27001 security certification and ISO 42001 AI governance work for global platforms. So I built PetVet247 the way I'd want it built for my own dog: safe, private, and on your side.
The dog in our logo is Max. Every triage, every reminder and every health record in PetVet247 is built with him in mind, and with love for every pet and the people who care for them.
If Max's story has helped you, please share it. And if you have a story of your own, we'd love to hear it. Stories like these save lives.