Confession: I am not someone who goes crazy over pets. (I know, my kids don't understand either.) I grew up in the "country" around animals (family ranch, close family dairy in Sonoma County) and always had pets as a kid, but since then not so much. But I am not naive. I am a student of the consumer and the family and you only have to look around at our workplaces, stores, homes, dog parks, message boards, social media and even airplanes (I do have a thing against pet mini horses on planes though) to know that today pets are viewed as family in a way they never have before. And these hard trends only continue.

And if you look beyond the pet photos with Santa and the Instagram photos whenever someone gets a new puppy, there is also a clear and continued shift in how pet owners are caring for and loving their pets, opting for more products and services to extend lifespan and healthier living, and driving a higher frequency of vet visits with a higher level of transparency and experience expected (and deserved). And it makes sense - if the healthcare experience is changing dramatically for the humans (see Forward, One Medical, etc), it's time it changed for our pets and candidly for pet owners and providers, building physical and virtual experiences that are better for everyone.

Today, Modern Animal is launching to redefine the veterinary experience for not only animals in need of care but also their humans who care for them. Much like the existing member-based medical providers for humans, the Modern Animal model of veterinary care allows members and their pets a more accessible, more personalized and yes, more modern experience, and a higher quality and expanded level of service than currently available.

Any pet owner will tell you that even taking your pet for basic preventive or wellness visits is hard to schedule and usually traumatic for everyone involved, and it often has nothing to do with the quality of practitioner. That's why Modern Animal has focused on tech-driven solutions and services including access to a veterinarian or technician 24/7 through chat, call or video; drop off and walk in appointments in addition to scheduled appointments; accessible medical records and invoices; and beautiful facilities that allow owners to stay with the pets from exam to discharge, in an environment designed to reduce the typical vet office stressors.

For practitioners in a field with disproportionately high rates of depression and stress, that means offering advanced back office technology to allow them to focus on the pet, not the paperwork, and a culture that puts balance and mental health at the forefront paired with a first-of-its-kind in-clinic design. In other words, Modern Animal is dedicated to creating a veterinary experience that provides the right tools for both owners and practitioners to make confident, educated medical decisions for the benefit of their beloved pets.

I believe that the mission to create a new veterinary experience that responds to the needs of today’s pet owners and practitioners by delivering a different level of care through technology and design is incredibly powerful both emotionally and economically. It's also not easy to build - not by a long shot. Fortunately, Modern Animal has some of the best at the helm.

Founders Steve Eidelman and Ben Jacobs have worked for more than eight years in the category having previously founded the Mars Petcare-acquired Whistle and then spent time leading digital health for Mars (who happens to be the world's largest veterinary health provider). They've lived this problem from both sides and are incredibly passionate about the market, not to mention uniquely positioned to disrupt an outdated industry.

And while I may not be a pet owner (which I believe actually makes me uniquely qualified as an investor here) the entire Upfront partnership and I are excited to put our experience in consumer services and retail to work for Modern Animal, as well as our expansive local talent network and launch partner relationships in LA (the company's near-term geographic focus). I'm also excited to work with co-investors Scott Nolan and Founders Fund and our friends at BAM, BoxGroup, Susa and Wonder Ventures.

And mostly, I can't wait for us to open our first clinic in Los Angeles in early 2020, led by former Petco Director of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Christine Long, DVM.

As investors, we often talk about the importance of "fit" and I believe there are no better examples of "Founder- Market Fit" than Modern Animal with no team better equipped to transform pet care than Steve and his team. And there's no better place to do it then #LongLA (I mean have you driven on Sepulveda Blvd before? How many old-fashioned vet hospitals do you see there?) and no better time than now.