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Pet Age spoke with Alan Cook, founder of BrilliantPad, during Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, to learn more about the innovative product and how he expects it to impact the cat sector.

After launching Lucky Litter products like ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box and FroliCat electronic toys, what inspired you to create BrilliantPad?
A few years after selling ScoopFree and FroliCat to Petsafe, I met veterinarian Brett Shorenstein through the University of Pennsylvania alumni network. Brett was tired of coming home to dirty puppy pads and showed me a puppy pad machine concept. I shared my ScoopFree experience and subsequently we worked out a deal and formed a new company.

How long did it take to develop BrilliantPad, and what sets it apart from other waste disposal products on the market?
Brett had a patent on a self-cleaning puppy pad system, but I and the former ScoopFree team redesigned the product from scratch. Two years later, the original version was launched via Indiegogo and “Shark Tank.” The company generated over $1 million in sales in the first 12 months. We listened very closely to customer feedback and improved the machine and the rolls, and about two years later introduced the current generation of products.

There are a variety of self-cleaning litter boxes for cats. But there is no similar concept for puppy pads… yes, you can manually replace soiled puppy pads… there are various patches of grass and turf systems… but all requires the human to handle the solids and drain, wash or clean the urine.

BrilliantPad wraps and seals soiled pads and waste after each use. The long-lasting roll is hands-free for weeks at a time. Then replacing the roll is fast, easy and clean. In a nutshell, BrilliantPad is easier and cleaner than traditional puppy pads.

How would you describe the typical dog owner who you envision using BrilliantPad SMART?
Our customers span all ages, and most are technologically savvy. They have asked us to provide better connectivity and information, so they know when their dog goes potty, if the pad is clean or dirty and the ability replace the puppy pad remotely and/or for the machine to clean itself. Pet parents live increasingly busy lives, and BrilliantPad SMART provides additional convenience and flexibility to those homes that regularly use puppy pads.

What are the health benefits that BrilliantPad offers a dog?
Veterinarians tell us it’s important to pay attention to the behaviors of your pet, and small changes in eating, drinking or pooping may be indicators of larger health issues. BrilliantPad SMART tracks your dog’s output frequency and notifies you if your pup is going potty more or less often than usual. It also provides a health journal with photos so you can look back to see when a certain issue began. We hope that awareness and early, proactive examination can prevent small health issues from blossoming into larger, more complicated and expensive problems.