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The company was started by Jack Carrier to solve a problem. The spark for his idea can be attributed to his old Chocolate Lab that is persistent in one thing: wandering off. One evening Maggie wondered off with out-dated tags that resulted in a complicated web of phone calls and worry before she was finally returned. Jack thought "there has to be a better way for a finder to get in contact with me, WITHOUT it depending on a phone number." Jack was traveling a lot which meant Maggie would be unprotected for long stretches of time, which was dangerous. That problem kicked off the idea and resulted in this company.
The solution to that problem was launched in May of 2010. "Virtual Leash" solves the problem by allowing pet finders to use a pet's unique website to contact MANY people INSTANTLY and simultaneously using voice (robo-call), text messages, email, and Twitter. It will also show any address you choose on a Google Map. It lets finders see important info about your pet immediately.
While Virtual Leash was in development, Dog Tag Art was started as a side project and grew in it's own right to become a community built around fun, art, our beloved pets, and giving back to Humane Societies. It continues to grow and attract more awesome artists and user-submitted "super-model" pet photos.
Scott Freshwater provided the seed funding and valuable business coaching. Soon after Jack moved into a Small Business Incubator at AB Tech College near Asheville, North Carolina where the company still resides. In August 2009, Jack won a "Technology Business Plan Competition" that was designed to give a boost to a company nearly "ready for production." A panel of judges chose Jack's plan and presentation out of 14 other businesses and granted the business $25,000.
We've got big plans for this company and some exciting projects in the works. Thanks for your support!
Our company is located in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina:
1465 Sandhill Road, Suite 2050
Candler, NC 28715
(it's 4 miles from downtown Asheville, NC)
Telephone: 828-348-4560
Email: hihowareyou [at] dogtagart.com
