Hi 👋, I'm Elliott.

I'm an animal kid. Always was. Now mostly grown up - and also a veterinarian, farmer, keeper, and breeder of various creatures - I'm finally embracing this somewhat unusual defining characteristic.

And I think you should, too.

It wasn't always easy, knowing there was something a little different about me. When the other kids at school were focused on football cards and video games, I just couldn't stop myself from designing turtle breeding enclosures for the science fair, starting a backyard chicken egg business, or placing ads in the school newspaper looking for a stud hamster to pair with my own cute little sow. Yep, hamsters are boars and sows!

Rather than LEGO, I spent hours reading and rereading the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. Every morning, I excitedly turned to the Pets & Animals section of the Washington Post classifieds. Just to see what was out there, and how prices were changing, of course! And when I discovered the Animals Exotic and Small magazine, my dreams expanded beyond the world of traditional pets and livestock.

Fast forward through college and vet school, I spent eight years on active duty as a military veterinarian and was privileged to serve and deploy with the Navy SEALs. I'm still in the Army Reserve and have been fortunate to train with our allies in 20+ countries.

As an entrepreneur, I've built, bought, and sold a few businesses. A couple of bad failures, and a couple of decent successes, as it often goes. These successes enabled me to fulfill a childhood dream of buying my own little farm, where I raise Scottish highland cattle, miniature donkeys, and homing pigeons with my wife and five children.

Now I find myself coming back around full circle and starting something new for people like me.

For animal people like us.

Creatures.com is here to empower a new generation of animal entrepreneurs who successfully and ethically makes a living doing what we love.

We believe it's possible to be responsible animal breeders who can pay the bills and even make a profit when all is said and done. There's no good reason for the default assumption that you need a "real" job in order to support an animal hobby. We don't accept the commonly held belief that farmers and ranchers need a "town" job in order to make things work.

There's nothing inherently wrong with using animals to make money, just like there's nothing inherently wrong with using other people's skills and labor to make money. When you think about it, that's what almost every type of business in the world actually does! It's the way it's done that determines the relative ethical position of those pursuing these goals.

Animal people like us often have strong opinions about the best and right ways to live alongside our creature companions. That's good, and only natural. These are living beings, after all. But Creatures is a no-judgment zone, where all who love and live with animals can thrive. From dog breed rescues to small-scale farmers, municipal animal shelters to wildlife conservation organizations – we're all Creature Keepers. And we all have a home on Creatures.com.

But if animals are suffering under your care? Or you're really just all about the money, with no regard for the unique and beautiful lives for which you're responsible? This is not the place for you.

So what are these fun and modern software tools we're working on?

Imagine Facebook, but where discussions about the buying and selling of animals are not only allowed, but encouraged. Where intuitive and easy auction and ecommerce tools are built right in. Where you'll connect with other successful breeders and social media influencers who can help you reach a wider audience of potential buyers.

You know the VIN for cars? A permanent ID, showing the true and verified history of any vehicle. We're doing that for animals. Every creature deserves to be known and cared for as it transitions through different phases of life.

And Airbnb for vacation rentals? A trusted system that does a pretty good job of taking away the stress of knowing that you're going to get what you expect. That you'll be able to pay and get paid without being scammed. Yep, we're making that for animals.

Come join us! Sign up here for updates and more.