A New York City tech-enabled veterinary care provider is expanding into the Bay State.
Small Door Inc., which goes by the brand name Small Door Veterinary, has opened a new practice in Newton Centre. This marks the company’s first expansion outside of its five New York City locations. Small Door also plans to open a location in Brookline this spring.
The company uses its app to help pet owners better connect with their veterinarians through bookings for same or next day appointments and accessing 24/7 telemedicine. The app also gives pet owners immediate access to their medical records.
“We’ve invested a lot in technology. It just makes the experience for the consumer more convenient and makes the (practices) run more efficiently,” said Josh Guttman, co-founder and CEO of Small Door.
Small Door operates on a membership model that costs $169 per pet, per year. The practices serve dogs and cats. The membership fee includes one exam a year. Additional appointments cost $99.
Guttman said Small Door’s practices only serve members and has found success with this model.
“What we’ve discovered is that (the membership) has attracted a certain segment of pet owners who are very engaged and ended up being really, really good customers for us,” Guttman said.
Guttman co-founded Small Door to improve the pet and owner experience. He personally encountered and witnessed pet owners struggling to make timely appointments, speak with their veterinarians and access health records. He saw transformations happening in patient experience and technology for human healthcare, and he wanted to bring these to pet care.
Guttman said they began working on Small Door in 2017, but raised their first capital and began building their first location in 2018. The company most recently announced a $40 million Series B round in December. Guttman said Small Door is approaching 10,000 members at its locations.
Small Door says it is a certified B Corp with practices that are American Animal Hospital Association-accredited.
The company is also trying to be conscious about employee well being. It says employees have benefits like parental leave, no non-competes, a mental health program and competitive pay.
Dr. Sarah Gorman will be managing veterinarian of Small Door’s Newton Centre facility. Gorman earned her veterinary degree from The University of Tennessee. Dr. Jennifer Power will be senior veterinarian. Both Gorman and Power are from Massachusetts. Guttman said they’ve also developed a roster of specialists, such as cardiologists, to consult on appointments as needed.
