Veterinary care can be demanding — that is why we are dedicated to taking care of our own
"Because your pet's health shouldn't be based on what is in your wallet."
CEO & Co-Founder
myBalto's purpose is to make pet care more affordable and to improve the lives of pets, owners, and veterinarians.
About myBalto
As an emergency veterinarian, Dr. Robert often faced the distressing reality of pets not receiving adequate care due to their owners' financial struggles. The existing charitable options were frequently slow, burdened with restrictions, and unable to provide the immediate help needed in critical situations. This left many pets without the necessary care and their owners in heartbreaking predicaments.
Recognizing this critical gap, Dr. Robert turned to his brother, Nathan, for a solution. Together, they envisioned an innovative approach to ensure that no pet would suffer due to financial constraints. Their collaboration led to the creation of a system that allows veterinary hospitals to establish their own Angel funds. These funds are designed to provide swift, flexible support to pet parents facing financial hardships, enabling them to access the care their pets need when they need it most.
myBalto is inspired from the true story of Balto, the Alaskan sled dog who helped deliver life-saving medication to the children of Nome, Alaska during a diphtheria outbreak in the 1920's. To honor Balto and his fellow canine companions, we combined his name with "my" to help individuals recognize the medical purpose behind our mission (as is common with myHealth, myChart, etc). With myBalto, we are providing innovative ways for veterinarians to provide critical financial support to their patients, mirroring the life-saving ethos of Balto and his historic journey.
Meet the CEO
Inspired by Veterinarians, Start-Up Professionals and Innovative Thinkers
Robert Parkins
DVM, CEO
A life-long learner and health enthusiast, Dr. Robert’s passion has always centered around helping others and bringing people together. As an emergency veterinarian for the last seven years, he saw how having inconsistent access to his patient’s medical records often resulted in increased costs for pet owners. From that need spawned the creation of myBalto with his brother, Nathan. When not working to improve the lives of our pets, Dr. Robert spends time with his one-eyed husky, Loki, in the beautiful city of San Diego.
Board of Directors
Inspired by Veterinarians, Start-Up Professionals and Innovative Thinkers
Samantha Dawson
DM, President
Dr. Sam comes from a family of doctors, and grew up trying to save any creature she came across. In her practice as a small animal veterinarian, she strives to make caring for her patients stress free and as accessible to her pet parents as possible.
Working to help make the vision of myBalto a reality has been an inspiration to her, especially after seeing first hand the struggle some have to do what’s best for their pets due to cost of care and access to good information. She is a proud wife and mother of three human children, a goofy lab, and two rescue Guinea pigs.
Sheila McCullough
DVM, Secretary
Dr. Sheila McCullough is a highly experienced veterinarian with 36 years of dedicated service in the field. She is double boarded in internal medicine and critical care, which reflects her expertise and dedication to providing the best possible care to animals in need.
Dr. McCullough's passion for teaching is evident in her work, as she enjoys mentoring and instructing veterinarians at all levels. When not working, Dr. McCullough can often be found outdoors with her rescue dog, Newman. She also enjoys cooking, despite admitting that she's not too good at it!
Nathan Parkins
COO, Treasurer
As a serial entrepreneur and technology-lover, Nathan has spent 10+ years in the FinTech, start-up industry. Following graduation at DePaul University, Nathan found his niche in streamlining business operations and introducing technology to expedite production.
Since then, he has helped numerous companies create high-level MVP's, and has helped secure over 10M in financing through Series B rounds.
FAQ
Is the myBalto Foundation a registered non-profit or 501(c)(3)?
Yes, the the myBalto Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) and holds a tax-exempt status with the IRS.
Individuals who donate to the myBalto Foundation are eligible to claim a tax deduction on their tax return. We are also a registered non-profit in Canada as well!
How much does it cost to use the myBalto Charitable Fund?
Our goal is to help as many vet hospitals as we can and the best way to do that is to offer the myBalto Charitable Fund as a FREE service. However, to help cover our overhead costs, we only take 10% of the funds accumulated by each hospital. Fortunately, this number will only get smaller as more hospitals come on board as our long-term goal is 6%.
Are there any restrictions to what veterinarians can use their hospital's Charitable Fund for?
We think this goes without saying, but the only true restriction is no "cosmetic" procedures (i.e. lipoma removals, ear cropping, tail docking, etc). The goal of this fund is to serve as a last resort when options such as Care Credit, Scratch Pay, and other financial options have been exhausted.
How long does it take for our hospital to be reimbursed for the funds?
Once you submit the final vet bill and the claim is approved, we can initiate the transfer of funds within the next 2-3 business days depending on your bank.
Do you help all animals?
Yes! From hamsters to horses, we believe all animals deserve a "paw" from time-to-time. Zoo animals included!
Do you integrate with my practice information management system (PIMS)?
Yes, we are integrated with over 95% of the PIMS available including Avimark, Cornerstone, ezyVet, Shepherd, and many more (see list below for details)! If you don't see your PIMS available, please email us at foundation@mybalto.com as we may have already started the integration process or can reach out to them on your behalf.
Advantage+, AviMark, Cornerstone, DaySmartVet, Digitail, ezyVet, Hippo Manager, Intravet, Instinct, Impromed, NaVetor, NEO, Onward Vet, Provet Cloud, Pulse (eVetPractice), Rhapsody, Shepherd, VIA, VMS, VetSpire, ClienTrax, DVMax, HVMS, Stringsoft, TripleCrown, VTP, VetFM, VetView