Remembering Aaron Hirschhorn

We are profoundly heartbroken to share the news that Gallant’s fearless and compassionate founder and CEO, Aaron Hirschhorn, passed away suddenly on Sunday.  

 Aaron was a natural, charismatic leader, and he never lost sight of what we could all accomplish together. From the early days of Gallant, Aaron always prioritized his team, steering the company to wins both big and small on our mission to make pets happy and healthier. While the work we do is serious, he brought such humor and joy to it each day and made our Gallant team feel like a family. 

 But Aaron’s genius, originality, and goodwill stretched far beyond his time with Gallant. 

 With sincere optimism and enthusiasm he launched DogVacay in 2011 to make sure all animals were cared for as if they were his own. Many will remember him for his big heart, his ability to make everyone in the room feel comfortable, and his ability to lead with kindness and warmth. 

 Aaron changed the way we care for our pets forever, first with DogVacay and now Gallant. The impact he’s made and will continue to make on pets and their families is immeasurable. 

He was always determined to make his dreams come true, and we at Gallant remain steadfast in carrying on his work. Gallant President and Chief Scientific Officer, Linda Black, will now lead as CEO as we move forward into Gallant’s next chapter. The entire team is more dedicated than ever to working together to power and drive Aaron’s dreams of accessible regenerative medicine forward, and we will remain true to his mission and vision. 

In the sometimes impersonal world of startups, Aaron was unafraid to show his true, genuine self, and for that we are forever grateful. His greatest treasure was his family — our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family who he prioritized above everything –  wife Karine, their three children August, Joel and Elle –  and to everyone Aaron touched so deeply.