Tell Your Dog I Said Hi.
Owners can purchase that cheeky slogan on t-shirts, hats, and license plate frames from WeRateDogs, the whimsical multi-platform social media account that rates photos users submit to show off their dogs. Rankings inevitably exceed the maximum with scores like “13 out 10.”
People love their pets and want reminders of their furry friends to keep them smiling.
A happy dog equals an even happier owner. Right?
Right, indeed. Pets make people happy, and pet owners are more than eager to shell out for that happiness. The pet industry writ large continues to tug on the purse strings of pet owners, who spent $136.8 billion for their “fur babies” last year alone, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). That amount demonstrates that despite rising costs and people budgeting for inflation, four-legged family members remain an integral part of big business. Pet spas, gourmet foods, and veterinary care take a big bite out of the wallets of U.S. pet owners.
Women entrepreneurs have jumped the fence at the opportunity to fetch the ball of financial opportunity. According to the 2016 State of Women-Owned Business Report, over 60% of women entrepreneurs focus on one of four areas: administration, professional technical services, health care, and the pet industry. Several Omaha women business owners in the pet sector highlight this trend through a blend of specialized goods and services that they offer.
Dr. Kristin Engel, the founder of the Good Samaritan Pet Doctor on 72nd Street, says that when it comes to the industry, “the future is female.” The veterinarian believes the pet medical profession shed its male-dominated reputation to transform into a feminine-centric force focused on creativity. In the past, the transition meant women performed their jobs using masculine methods.
“The old ways are not serving us, not our patients, not our teams, and not our work-life balance,” Engel said.
The veterinarian decided to switch the narrative and think about a unique perspective to save lives and money. She saw how the burnout and suicide rates skyrocketed for veterinarians and noticed a trend in a lack of affordability in care.
“It’s messy right now,” Engel said. “Vets work in the evenings and overnight with less pay because they care so much…and it is killing them.”
The American Veterinary Medical Association reported that most pet parents paid an average of $326 for health expenses in 2020. Interestingly, Engel decided to limit the scope of care to surgeries and dental work, lowering prices for pet patients. Due to lower overhead, Good Samaritan pays less for supplies and resources while maintaining a higher volume of surgeries like removing cancerous tumors or foreign body objects. After eight years in business, the fast-paced work environment equals doing-more-by-doing-less. Her staff of 10 women and one man punches the clock at closing time after “busting their butts and doing really good work.” More importantly, five dollars from each procedure pays it forward to the Good Sam Fund for other owners in need while some add-on services lead to donations of 100% of the proceeds.
Likewise, Bre Phelan found a “purrfect” solution to cater to the cat community. After visiting other cities, Phelan noticed a gap in care for Omaha area felines who needed homes or help. Phelan, 37, left her full-time job as a Yahoo senior strategic project manager to concentrate on her non-profit, Felius Cat Café & Rescue, which opened its doors in 2018.
“This is where my heart is, and I want to give my complete dedication to see where it can go,” Phelan said. “I always had this soft spot in my heart for animals, and I knew I wanted to work with them in some capacity.”
The café seems more like therapy than work with tabbies and tuxedo-mixed cats curled into puddles on the floor waiting for cuddles or climbing televisions to watch the action. Customers can drop by the coffee bar for a tea or latte after a hard day and interact with felines. Someone looking to adopt could spend 30 minutes in the playroom for a small fee of $7.50 or contribute a larger donation to help with food, litter, and medical expenses. Or people might want a “snuggle session,” which Phelan believes is a cheaper form of therapy.
The non-profit stepped up to control the feral population by teaming up with Lone Tree Animal Care Center to spay and neuter homeless cats. Phelan takes steps to socialize these finicky fur balls, and the 1,050 adoptions thus far demonstrate success. Currently, 10 cats roam the building while 60 foster felines remain hopeful that someone might make them a member of their family with the non-profit providing educational opportunities for new owners. Felius, a play on the scientific name for domestic cats, plans to expand and move from its downtown location to Dundee, where the new headquarters will boast larger accommodations for kennels, personalized adoption rooms, and a community pantry.
Adopting pets, however, comes with extra expenditures above and beyond food and veterinarian care. Need a fresh summer cut for a curly Goldendoodle? Perhaps that Leonberger puppy needs to work off some extra energy? Or maybe a labrador retriever would look handsome in a designer seasonal pup cup collar? In 2022, APPA reported other such pet amenities tallied $11.4 billion, excluding the $58.1 billion for food and treats or the $31.5 billion for supplies.
Meghan Wilke, the new owner of Bark Avenue, believes the additional cost of their boarding, grooming, and daycare services benefits canines. Wilke, 37, worked with Bark Avenue 16 years ago until landing a job at Mutual of Omaha as a national sales manager. Last year, Wilke took over the barking business from her mother-in-law, Suzanne, to concentrate on making dogs happy. She believes Suzanne led the way for women, herself a “pioneer” on a local and national level.
“It’s an authentic way to provide for my family and see the value I could bring to dogs and humans. I appreciate that a lot,” said Wilke, whose daughters, Reese (11) and Macy (9), have already hopped into the fray, helping with poop scooping and spraying down kennels for dog hugs and licks. Another soon-to-be dog-loving girl is on the way, ensuring the doggie enterprise stays in the family.
The multi-tiered 23-year-old company relies on customer loyalty and high-quality assistance.
“We have kick-ass clients,” Wilke said. “We don’t do it from a corporate standard, but more from the idea that clients are family.”
Even better, dogs don’t care if an employee comes to work without mascara or forgets to style their hair. Most just love that someone stopped to say, “Hi.”
For more information, visit goodsampetdoc.com;
felius.org; and barkavenueomaha.com.
This article originally appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
