Social-Impact

Tech for Good: Innovations for Pet Welfare

Photo credit::ThisIsEngineering on Pexels

In our latest Reboundog Sofa Meet-up titled “Tech for Good” hosted by myself, three experts in technology and animal welfare shared insights on how technology can enhance the lives of pets and their owners. Our guests were Simon Robinson, CEO of Holonomics (Worldwide), Sheryl Joyce, Founder and CEO of Pet Pardon Ltd., and Zach Moore, Founder of nala. Each guest articulated their visions and initiatives aimed at improving shelter animal welfare & more while integrating the ethical use of technology.

Simon Robinson introduced Holonomics and presented a “Deep Tech Manifesto” that advocates for a responsible and values-driven approach to technology. He emphasised the significance of human values in creating sustainable technology and how this can positively affect various ecosystems, including animal welfare initiatives. Sheryl Joyce elaborated on her Pet Pardon App, focusing on facilitating pledges for shelter pets in need and addressing the shelter crisis in the U.S. and Canada. Zach Moore showcased nala, a tech platform that uses AI to provide personalised insights for pet health, aiming to enhance the human-animal bond.

Virtual Pet Care Revolution: Gaming Meets Real-World Animal Welfare!

The conversation also explored the systemic issues surrounding pet overpopulation, the role of community relationships in rescue operations, and how technology could be leveraged to streamline pet adoption processes and promote pet-friendly policies in workplaces. Solutions such as improving transparency for rescue groups, utilising AI for health management, and reducing the stigma surrounding certain dog breeds were highlighted as critical to fostering a more humane society.

Highlights

🐾 Purposeful Technology: Simon Robinson defines “Deep Tech” as technologies developed from human values that aim to solve complex issues while fostering conscious relationships.
🔗 Pet Pardon’s Mission: Sheryl Joyce’s App combines pledges with social media to facilitate immediate rescue efforts for shelter animals amid a growing shelter crisis.
💡 A Health Co-Pilot for Pets: Zach Moore’s nala platform uses AI to provide actionable health insights for pets, enhancing pet care and owner involvement.
📣 Community Engagement: The importance of building relationships among shelters, volunteers, and potential adopters is fundamental to addressing the pet overpopulation crisis.
📊 AI for Wellness: The guests discussed ways technology could assist in creating long-term bonds and address mental health by incorporating pets into therapy and community activities.
💼 Workplace Integration: Introducing pets into workplaces could improve employee well-being, and technology can support this by providing behavioral records to ease landlord and employer concerns.
🌱 Transformative Solutions: The necessity for tech solutions that adapt to societal needs—taking the focus away from just managing overpopulation to addressing root causes like unsound breeding practices and mental health challenges.

Key Insights

🌐 Human-Centric Innovation: The essence of “Deep Tech” is the marriage of advanced technology with the five universal human values of peace, truth, love, righteousness and non-violence.. This approach is increasingly essential as technology permeates all aspects of life. Simon Robinson’s Deep Tech manifesto emphasises that technology development must include consideration of its impact on humanity and the environment.
🏠 Shelter System Crisis: Sheryl Joyce identified a disturbing trend of increased pet surrenders due to factors like backyard breeding & escalating veterinarian costs leading to overcrowded shelters. Her work with Pet Pardon represents an initiative to mobilise resources and community support to combat this issue by leveraging technology for crowd-sourcing funds for rescue efforts.
🤖 Empathy in AI Applications: Zach Moore emphasised the ethical use of AI in nala, a platform aimed at bridging the gap between pet care and technology. By focusing on personalised insights for pet health management, nala intends to enhance the bond between pets and their owners, showing technology’s potential to support emotional and mental well-being.
💬 Trust in Community Networks: The discussion revealed the vibrant role of community networks in fostering caring relationships among rescue organisations, shelters, and potential adopters. By building trust and connectivity, initiatives like Pet Pardon can effectively mobilise assistance for pets in need.
📈 Advancing Pet Welfare Policy: Zach highlighted the critical role technology can play in reforming policies that affect pet ownership. Improved data accessibility regarding pet behaviour can help combat breed-specific legislation and influence more compassionate pet policies at the organisational and governmental levels.
🙌 Collaboration for Lasting Impact: Simon’s advocacy for collaborating between for-profits and nonprofits stresses that impactful solutions often arise from shared efforts, rather than isolated initiatives. This interconnectedness is vital for significant change in pet care and animal welfare.
🕊️ A Shift in Perspective: The expert guests called for a cultural shift towards viewing the pet/owner relationship as symbiotic. Recognising pets not just as companions but as contributors to human emotional health and well-being can change public perceptions and influence policy in favour of more humane treatment of animals.

You can watch the recording on Reboundog.tv Our YouTube Channel Please Subscribe Here

Future Events

Reboundog Global Networking

Redefining Networking: Connecting for Impact

We bridge the gap between business networking, global connectivity, and using business as a force for good. Our approach fosters meaningful, long-term relationships with inspirational individuals who share a vision for positive change. Networking done right is a "long-term game with long-term people."

"Seldom in life do we come across a person who has the connections and foresight to help networks and individuals excel. Spencer’s global network to advocate for disenfranchised dogs and people has been very timely and empowering".

Beth Miller, Wagtown®️ 501(c)(3)

POSTPONED

We have taken the decision to postpone our 1st in-person event due to organising the logistics in a relatively short time-frame.

Instead our live stream producer Ben Phoenix of Nexi.tv & I will concentrate on developing our virtual Sofa Meet-ups to the point where you have the time booked in your diary every 2nd Thursday of each month for a can't afford to miss event.

SEEKING FUTURE GUESTS IN CONVERSATION FOR OUR SOFA MEET-UPS

NB: Theses conversations on the sofa are akin to you being in your favourite hotel or venue ( I have fond memories of the Art Hotel in Budapest & Schumacher College in Devon) with trusted colleagues having an in depth curious & transparent conversation whilst others can listen in & comment.

Just imagine if one golden nugget from your conversation on the Reboundog Sofa inspired a person just starting out in their career or a business start-up to create social good at scale?

They are not individual podcast interviews nor opportunities for egos & self-promotion to prevail.

Member News

Joanna Dumas Latest newsletter is Identify & Heal Canine Trauma from an Adoption Angle

Beth Miller Hot News.... Congratulations from all of the Reboundog community on your recent appointment as Director & Lecturer, Herr Venture for Change, University of Dayton Ohio.

To quote Beth

As Director of the Herr Venture for Change program, I’m part of a growing effort to reimagine how higher education prepares students to engage with a rapidly changing world. We’re in the early stages of building a dynamic program and certificate in social entrepreneurship—one that blends academic insight with hands-on application, cross-sector thinking, and meaningful collaboration. My work includes designing curriculum, guiding student experiences, and helping to shape a culture of innovation that reflects both the values of the University and the realities of today’s global challenges. In addition to my work on campus, I actively connect students and faculty with a diverse network of entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and change agents around the world. By bridging the classroom with the broader marketplace of ideas, we’re creating opportunities for students to see how bold thinking and purposeful action can drive real impact—locally and globally.This is about building what comes next, together—with education as both the foundation and the launchpad.

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