I’ve always been an animal kid. You know, that odd type who could usually be found catching some wild creature or scheming about how to convince the parents about one more pet.
Now I’m mostly grown up, and also a veterinarian, farmer, soldier, husband and father, and I’m finally choosing to embrace this somewhat unusual defining characteristic.
I hope you will, 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.
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 a Veterinary Corps Officer 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.
I’m building Creatures.com to empower a new generation of animal entrepreneurs who successfully and ethically make a living doing what we love.
We believe it’s possible to be responsible farmers, ranchers, and 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 probably need a “real” job in order to support an animal hobby. We don’t accept the commonly held belief that farmers and ranchers should 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 in the Creatures community.
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 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. We make it easy to keep every animal’s photos, videos, pedigree, and records all in one place.
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.
And you know QuickBooks, the bookkeeping software every small business loves to hate? We’re building that for animals too, except ours actually understands what you do. It tracks the true cost and value of every creature as it grows, breeds, and sells, so the finances I used to keep in a spreadsheet I dreaded opening finally live in one place.
And it’s not just about buying and selling. We’ve made it possible to be part of an animal’s life from anywhere in the world, whether or not you ever bring it home.
Why should long-term boarding be restricted to horses? With Boarding, you can own an animal that lives somewhere else entirely, cared for by a vetted provider you trust. Own a small herd of white rhinos on a game reserve in South Africa, or build your own registered cattle program in Wyoming from your apartment in Denver. The animal is yours. The day-to-day care is not.
What I’m most proud of is Stewardship, the flip side. It lets rescues, sanctuaries, and conservation organizations invite the people who love an animal to help care for it, even when they’ll never own it. Become the steward of a donkey at a local rescue, a screech owl at a wildlife center, or an endangered mountain gorilla in Rwanda. You don’t have to own a creature to be part of its life.
Come join us! I can’t wait to meet your animals.
Elliott Garber, DVM
