Perfect Pets

Maria Arnold is the founder and director of Perfect Pets Australia, a purpose-driven digital platform established in 2013 to combat unethical pet breeding and scams by creating an ethical pet directory. A lifelong advocate for animal welfare, Maria has extensive experience in wildlife conservation, rescue, and companion animal welfare, including work with primates in Uganda and Congo. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the Australian National University, where her research focused on threats to wild chimpanzee populations.

Maria writes articles for the Perfect Pets blog on topics including breed information, responsible breeding, pet health, and animal welfare in Australia. She collaborates with veterinarians, breed club representatives, industry leaders, and government stakeholders to ensure content is accurate, current, and genuinely useful to pet lovers. Her approach is evidence-based and informed by over a decade of working directly with breeders, rescue organisations, and state authorities across Australia.

Her mission is to connect pet lovers with fully registered, legitimate, small-scale breeders, shelters, and pet service providers — ensuring pets come from ethical sources and reducing the risk of encountering puppy farmers or scammers.

Through Perfect Pets, she is also known for her hands-on support during crises — organising donations of food, cages, and equipment for rescue groups and wildlife, including support for native animals affected by bushfires. Maria lives in Canberra with her Lagotto Romagnolo, Marnee, and her Australian Kelpie, Teddy, and remains deeply committed to fostering a kind future for pets and people.