Sunny Ray talks with Brad Pauer, co-founder of Kruiz, a company that uses AI to simplify pet travel health certificates for veterinary clinics. Brad explains that Kruiz began after a painful $3,000 mistake, when UK regulations changed overnight during a trip with his dog and no one could guide him. The company started as a consumer app, then pivoted to B2B after Brad spoke with more than 50 clinics in about five days and found that over 80% shared the same pain. He walks through why pet travel is so complicated, what a health certificate is, and why late planning causes problems. He describes the roughly 17 steps clinics manage, the liability vets carry, and how Kruiz cuts the work to under half an hour per certificate. Brad also discusses where technology helps and where humans are still needed, shares a sobering story from a Southern California clinic, and previews what is next, including partnerships and wider country coverage as the platform leaves invite-only beta.
A $3,000 pet travel disaster turned into an AI platform that cuts vet health certificate work from hours to under thirty minutes.
What is Kruiz and what problem are you solving?
Kruiz, spelled K-R-U-I-Z, makes it easier for people to travel with their pets. It started after a $3,000 disaster when UK rules changed overnight and we had no support. It began as a consumer app, but we learned the problem starts with vets and the health certificate. Mid-year we pivoted to B2B and now sell directly to vet clinics.
Why is pet travel so complicated?
People assume you just put the pet in the car, and that works for many domestic road trips. Flying adds airport rules, airline rules, destination airport requirements, and strict country regulations for that animal. Once owners see all the rules and timelines, many give up. I travel everywhere with my dachshund, and I don't want people to miss that because of paperwork.
What do pet owners usually get wrong about the process?
They think a vet can put the certificate together at the last minute. Many owners start researching a week or two before departure, and by then it's too late. Most certificates need weeks of planning, and some countries need months. That delay frustrates everyone, and clinics get blamed when they're just doing their job.
What happens if the paperwork is wrong?
The vet signing the certificate puts their license on the line. If something goes wrong, the vet and clinic can be held liable, and some have been sued over missed fields or incorrect entries. Animals can be stopped at customs, quarantined, or in the worst cases euthanized. Kruiz acts as a second and third pair of eyes with up-to-date information.
How does Kruiz make it easier for clinics?
A health certificate involves around 17 steps and takes a clinic four to five hours on average, sometimes 10 to 20. One practice manager spent over 12 hours on a single certificate to India. We handle research, admin, coordination, and government submission, bringing it under half an hour per certificate so vets can focus on medicine.
How did you decide to pivot from a consumer app to B2B?
The consumer app had thousands of downloads, but the pain kept pointing to vet clinics. I ran a rigorous sprint and spoke with over 50 clinics in about five days, driving around, calling, and meeting people in person. Over 80% shared the same pain and said they'd pay for a solution. We landed our first clinic on the vision alone.
What can technology handle, and what still needs a human?
Vets still want a human in the loop, and the actual exam work needs them. But clinics don't have time for all the admin, and AI gets faster and smarter every month. Technology can support receptionists and managers, especially with strict, time-sensitive regulations. Vets who lean in can reduce stress and take on more clients.
Building something daring? Sunny talks to founders like this every day. Fifteen minutes to see if your story belongs on the stage.
Claim your pre-interviewSend a founder here and we will know it was you.