PD Turns Three, Celebrates 12 Insurance Milestones in a Year

August 2023 marked PD Insurance turning three years old! In the grand scheme of things, three years may not be a very long time. However, we’ve managed to reach many special milestones in that period. In this PD Insurance birthday article, we’re remembering the insurance milestones we’ve shared with pets and people.

(After all, that’s what this is about – the bond that pets and people share and helping keep that safe by financially empowering pet owners to choose the best vet treatments).

From the 20 milestones we achieved for our two year anniversary to those we’ve reached over the past year, let’s take a look.

PD Insurance birthday milestones aplenty

We’re celebrating our turning three with you. If you’d like to see some of the faces behind the scenes who’ve made this happen, click here.

After you’ve said ‘hello’, read on for some PD Insurance milestones we’ve celebrated over the past year. In no particular order, let’s enjoy them together!

#1. Partnering with Dogs NZ

One of the first PD Insurance milestones worth remembering is from February 2023. This is the moment that PD and Dogs NZ became partners. Partners in data against animal illness and injury, partners in advocating for healthy breeding, and partners in bringing the message of pet insurance to more people and pets.

Read about the Dogs New Zealand partnership and innovations from the kennel club, such as online dog registration.

#2. Dogs NZ pet insurance via PD – mega milestone

This August, Dogs NZ Insurance by pd.co.nz launched! They say dogs are a man’s best friend and anyone with a dog will agree. (They don’t really say cats are our best friends because many of us cat owners are never quite too sure…)

Regardless of whether we’re talking dogs or cats, purebreds, mutts or pedigrees, the national kennel club is helping more pets stay healthy via its shiny new pet plans, tailored to Kiwi pets.

#3. Launching the PD Pet Care Vlog, with Dr Cath Watson

One of the best PD Insurance milestones of the past year was launching the PD Pet Care Vlog. Hosted by none other than companion animal veterinarian Dr Cath, who many will also know as chair of Healthy Pets New Zealand, it’s a veritable gold mine of pet health information.

Not only does Cath know the biology behind keeping dogs and cats living their best lives but she’s great at explaining fancy medical jargon in a wholly relatable and understandable way.

As we celebrate our PD birthday, we’ve clocked up 45 number of vlog posts. Watch them here:

#4. World Oceans Day media event

Another PD Insurance milestone was the World Oceans Day event. Together with our partner the Department of Conservation and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s aquarium we held a once-off exclusive event for educating media about the Lead the Way programme.

This special celebration highlighted New Zealand’s coastline and the native wildlife and pet dogs who share that precious space. More specifically, it highlighted how to ensure a peaceful and safe co-existence between them. By promoting responsible behaviour and wildlife-friendly practices, we aim to create a safe environment for both dogs and coastal life.

The event included a live dog training demonstration with dog trainer and certified dog behaviour consultant Maria Alomajan. Additionally, the event introduced colour-coded leads to indicate a dog’s comfort level around people and other dogs. Take a look at the event pictures taken on the day at SEA LIFE, here.

#5. 2023 NZVA & NZVNA Conference

Another massive event on our calendar was the 2023 NZVA & NZVNA Conference. The conference was a unique chance to see many of the pet industry people under one roof. Naturally, since we all want happy, healthy animals, seeing each other in person was a chance to share insights in a meaningful way.

Learning about new veterinary advancements, diets, laser treatments and more was invigorating. There’s so much promise when it comes to keeping pets healthy. That’s why PD Insurance helped spread the message of how pet plans help give owners more choice around pet treatments.

#6. Hamilton Dog Fair

It means a lot to us to have paws on the ground. That means spending time in person with pets and pet enthusiasts of all walks, whether that’s a trainer, behaviourist, vet, pet owner or simply someone who wants to one day own a pet. Hamilton Dog Fair was just that – a chance to celebrate all things dog, right from our very own PD Insurance stand!

#7. Surveyed ~2,000 pet owners for Love Your Pet Day

Another tremendous win that makes the PD birthday celebration that much sweeter has been new research into pet ownership. For Love Your Pet Day, we surveyed close to 2,000 pet owners. The insights into how the pet ownership bond were valuable beacons on our pet insurance milestones journey.

Take a look at our Love Your Pet Day pet ownership research to see for yourself.

#8. It’s time for vet advocacy

This year was devoted, in part, to vet advocacy. In spite of New Zealand having one of the highest rates of pet ownership on the planet, we’re short staffed in our vet numbers. There’s also the burnout that comes from high work pressures such as long hours, managing pet owner expectations and seeing pet in pain.

In support of the many inspiring and dedicated vets, vet nurses and other vet staff across New Zealand, we dedicated an interview article to reducing vet burnout. The article, which is an exclusive feature with Royal Canin’s ANZ Chief Health Officer, Dr Bronwen MacRae, features many of her insights and wisdom around coping skills for the vet profession.

Across our YouTube channel, we also published a PD Pet Care vlog with practical advice for vets on managing the many difficult conversations with clients around things like costs around treatment options. In this vlog, Dr Cath Watson talks to Dr Meg Irvine for some expert advice – watch it here:

#9. Attending the Auckland Pet Expo

The Auckland Pet Expo, attended by over 20,000 people, was a resounding success with PD Pet Insurance co-hosting two stands alongside partners Dogs NZ and the Department of Conservation.

The event offered a unique opportunity for animal enthusiasts to learn about emerging pet trends, safety, health and tech while meeting pet experts. PD and Dogs NZ promoted canine wellbeing through our partnership, emphasising the importance of pet insurance and responsible pet ownership.

Together with the Department of Conservation we showcased the Lead the Way programme, focusing on responsible wildlife-wise pet parenting and conservation. The expo also spotlighted emerging pet product trends and offered insights into pet nutrition and wellness.

Take a look at the Auckland Pet Expo pics.

#10. Hello to the Partner News page

On our second birthday we launched the PD Industry News page of our website. Of the many PD Pet Insurance milestones that have helped make this year boom, this was an enjoyable endeavour that’s also celebrating its (one year) birthday.

The PD Industry News page is a place that allows us to share valuable interviews, launches, data insights, events and other news with our industry partners. Essentially, it’s a part of our online presence that’s a place for the industry to meld behind a shared idea: Happy, healthy pets (and as a result, people).

#11. MoneyHub award win

Hot on the heels of winning the 2022 Canstar Most Satisfied Customers Award – Pet Insurance, we were excited to learn we’d won the MoneyHub Editor’s Choice Award for ‘Favourite Pet Insurer’. We take pet insurance seriously, because it gives real protection to the canine and cat community while safeguarding their owners’ pockets.

Winning these awards has been testament to the fact that we’re doing a great job for our customers and partners. We’ll continue putting our best paw forward at every step of the pet insurance journey.

#12. Partner programme pages too, another insurance milestone

Another PD Insurance milestone is launching our pet care partnership programme. Any pet industry organisation that partners with PD to bring its customers the message of pet insurance can earn rewards. Sometimes this even means special offers for customers.

If you care about the health of cats and dogs and making sure their owners can afford vet care when it’s needed, maybe you’d like to join us? Become a partner, whether you’re a breeder, trainer, behaviourist, retailer, vet or more. Just click here to find out more!