In the relaunched issue of Pet Industry News, we shone a light on those within the industry that had made a difference or excelled in their chosen field in our 30 Game Changers list.

One of those is Tim Mensforth, Managing Director of iPetz, who started breeding and keeping reptiles as a hobby in the 80s, never thinking it would lead to a life-long career in the pet industry.

Fast-forward to now and Mensforth is one of the country’s largest reptile breeders, operates a state-of-the-art breeding facility, and has his own brand of specialised reptile products in URS.

Pet: What led you to a career in the pet industry?

Mensforth: Back in the 1980s, when it all began, my hobby for these animals grew, but it was limited by the number of reptiles and range of products available at that time in Australia.  I started to see the opportunity to turn my passion into a business and fill a void that was clearly missing.

Pet: What is your proudest achievement so far in your career?

Mensforth: My proudest achievement is the development of the business over the years. From starting out at the back of our house, then continually upgrading through several warehouses to accommodate growth, to where we are today – operating from a custom-built warehouse. It began with a back shed, a few breeding animals, and a handful of products, and transformed into a state-of-the-art breeding facility with our own URS brand of specialised reptile products.

Pet: What are your goals for the coming year?

Mensforth: My main goals this year are to continue to grow and work on new products. We’re also stepping up our reptile breeding program from breeding 1000 hatchlings last year to over 2000 this year if all goes to plan. 

Pet: What impact would you like to leave on the pet industry?

Mensforth: I’d like to hope that by sharing the knowledge and experiences I have gained over the years in keeping reptiles, that my influence on the industry will be to have made keeping native reptiles as pets more educated, accessible, exciting and more popular in Australia.

Pet: How does it feel to be nominated in Pet Industry News’ Game Changers list?

Mensforth: I’m honoured and proud, but also humbled in the recognition of achievement by doing something I love.

The full game changers list can be seen in the May/June/July issue of Pet Industry News.

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