A website focusing on dogs and cats that was born as a college assignment six months ago is hoping to gain a bigger bark in the online magazine world.

Petpourri.ca, "enhancing the lives of Canadian dogs, cats, and their owners", was launched April 1, said Centennial College magazine and book program grad and Petpourri editor-in-chief Teresa Morgado. While the site does not generate revenue as of yet, "our plan is to build up a steady readership before offering advertising space," she noted.



The readership is growing, she said: each month the site has surpassed the previous month in unique visitors, with 1,506 unique visitors in September, noted Morgado.

Any companies or products featured on the site must be animal-friendly (no testing on animals) she said. The site also offers "reader-driven content" such as photos, stories and reviews. "Unlike other animal magazines, we gear our material towards the readers themselves (rather than just their pets)", reads Petpourri's media kit.

While the team eyes a print magazine one day, "because of financial restraints that won't be possible for at least a couple of years."

The online magazine's masthead also includes fellow graduates Marisa Baratta, associate editor; Erin Haggett, associate editor; and Heather Goldberg, marketing and social media manager.