Entrepreneur Takes Bite Out of Dog Eat Dog World

Tired of the uncertainty of where the next foot would fall and the stress on himself and his family of starting over practically every year for the past several, Tom James decided to start his own company, PetTravelCenter.com. The business is an online community that caters to pet lovers who take their beloved members of the family with them when they travel.

“There are no guarantees in any job,” James said, “but after having gone through job loss five times as the result of a shift in business direction or company mergers, I decided enough was enough. I realized there were too many things out of my control that were having a huge impact on my family and me.”

James, recently the director of marketing for two international companies, admits that even with owning one’s business there are lots of things that can affect success or failure. But in contemplating the decision, he felt the experience he had honed over his career could guide him through the challenges that will inevitably come.

“The difference is that now I call the shots, and I’m not at the mercy of an employer who may decide to cut heads to save dollars or be gobbled up by a larger company for greener pastures,” James said. “Business is business and survival is survival, no matter which side you’re on. I decided to be on the side where I had the most control,” he added. “The toll on one’s family during job loss can be very stressful. And although I may have lots of experience, I’m at the age where a lot of employers would rather look the other way because they can either get a younger or greener employee for less money, or they’re concerned about the number of years I may be looking at before retirement.”

James’s venture provides information about pet-friendly hotels and destinations, RV parks, dog parks, campgrounds, recreational activities with pets, and offers general tips for traveling by various modes of transportation. The website also promotes articles by pet experts and sends a monthly newsletter to PTC Club members that contains even more benefits for the pet traveler.

In addition to the site’s vast resources, an e-commerce section offers pet travel-related products to its visitors. James notes that pet product manufacturers have introduced innovative travel products in recent years to ensure better safety for these special members of the family.

Pet car seats, strollers, dog packs, travel bowls, leashes, harnesses, and seat belts are a sampling of the merchandise available.

“Just as any adult or child should be restrained in a vehicle for safety reasons,” he said, “more and more people are looking at their pets in the same way. You wouldn’t want your precious child unrestrained in the event of a crash or sudden stop. It just makes sense to protect your pets and your family by reducing the risk,“ he said.

The easily navigable website hosts special sections, such as “Ask the Vet” where visitors can post questions to the site’s expert veterinarian; a photo gallery to upload images and comments of travels with pets; and a community calendar to list pet-related events happening around the world.

“Our mission is simple,” James said. “We want to provide the most reliable information and resources for people traveling with their pets and to offer safe and dependable product solutions to make the pet travel experience fun and easy. We're a dynamic, online community serving pet lovers everywhere,” he added. “The top of mind resource for people to get the best information and products they need — and have fun doing it — is what we’re all about.”