David Blissett

David Blissett is an award-winning Australian writer with over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for animals, nature, and conservation. He has won multiple national awards for short fiction and has been published in Award Winning Australian Writing on three occasions.

David specializes in conservation storytelling and has co-authored several acclaimed books on wildlife and primates. Snake Catcher (with Tony Harrison) in 2013, Our Primate Family (2015) and Amanka Stories (2021) with Lou Grossfeldt, Reflections of Elephants (with photographer Bobby-Jo Vial) in 2016 and The Chimpanzee Whisperer (with Stany Nyandwi) in 2022 - a memoir praised by Dr. Jane Goodall about humanity's closest living relatives.

For most of his life, David has surrounded himself with companion animals—from goldfish to giant cockroaches, aviaries filled with birds, numerous dogs, and a slightly psychotic bunny called Dante. Through Perfect Pets, he's passionate about helping Australians make informed, compassionate choices when choosing and caring for their pets.

David lives in Sydney's bushland with his wife, Rigby, and a myriad of wild creatures, from wallabies to wattlebirds, possums to pythons.

"Our last dog, Ashby, was the first pedigree I've ever owned. We'd had rescues before, but we really wanted a Golden Retriever. From a long line of national champions, Ashby was quite the looker and the most wonderful companion. He became more like a son than a pet. After almost 15 years, in July 2023, we lost Ashby. The void he left was immense. Now, Rigby—another Golden Retriever—has brought joy and purpose back into our lives, reminding us why we share our homes with these incredible animals."