We’re David, Katie, and Stanley (yes, Stanley’s a labrador), and we believe pets deserve great care without the delays or big bills. With our shared love of animals and tech, we built HELPP.Vet to give pet owners another way to reach accessible and trusted advice—faster, simpler, and more affordable.
Using video, we connect pet families with vets, nurses, and techs in minutes - supporting the care you get from your local clinic and making expert help easier to access.
Where it all began...
David spent 16 years as Digital Lead at New Zealand Rugby, one of the country’s most loved brands. While working with the All Blacks, he learnt about video technology that allowed players to share their stories securely - capturing interviews without ever revealing private details. That innovation showed him how technology could connect people safely and meaningfully, and it planted a seed that would later grow into something bigger.
Having grown up on a farm in Central Hawke’s Bay, David always had a deep love of animals. When Covid hit and his role at New Zealand Rugby came to an end, the timing felt right to take that seed of an idea and bring it to life. If video could connect fans with their sporting heroes, why couldn’t it also connect pet owners with veterinary professionals - quickly, securely, and affordably?
In 2020, HELPP Vet was born. The two Ps reflect the person-to-person connection at the heart of the platform. Alongside his co-founder Katie and their labrador, Stanley - the self-appointed Chief Tasting Officer, David began building HELPP Vet from a Wellington bedroom.
By late 2024, HELPP Vet had soft-launched and was growing fast. Vets, vet nurses, and vet techs were joining the community, choosing their hours, and helping pet and livestock owners through live video calls. Starting at just $25, HELPP.Vet makes trusted veterinary advice more accessible, affordable, and human - bringing peace of mind to owners and better outcomes for animals, no matter where they are in the world.
Today, HELPP Vet has grown into a truly global community. Our veterinary professionals span 11 countries and speak 9 different languages. So no matter where you are or what you need, there’s always someone who understands and is ready to help.
We’re proud to now partner with the SPCA and are beginning to work with a growing number of New Zealand corporates to make our service available 24/7.
From a pet parent’s perspective, we’ve already seen amazing stories - families saving hundreds of dollars and avoiding stressful late-night trips, simply by being able to connect with a vet from home.
And from a vet professional’s perspective, HELPP Vet has opened doors too. We’ve helped highly skilled vets, nurses, and techs continue practising in ways that fit their lives - whether they’re new parents at home, living in remote rural communities, or travelling the world and funding their journeys along the way. For us, it’s about giving veterinary professionals the chance to stay in the career they love, while finding a work/life balance that works for them.
