Women In The Pet Industry | Women-Owned Pet Businesses

As Women's History Month comes to a close, we want to celebrate and honor the remarkable women who are shaping the pet industry in our local community. These female founders are not only passionate about animals, but they have also transformed their vision into innovative businesses that are making a difference.

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Alayson Phelps, founder of Brooklyn Yard Vet, embarked on the journey of starting a small business after working for a corporate hospital for nine years. Alayson explains that community has been a key element of her success, "Finding folks that are traveling the same road is instrumental in helping navigate the challenges of being both a business owner and balancing both personal and professional demands. This would be applicable to any business owner in any sector."

Juli Zagrans, founder of the Portland chapter of One Tail At A Time, volunteered with OTAT Chicago since 2010. Juli wanted to bring its mission, passion, and policies to the PNW so that even more dogs in need could be saved. To date, Juli has fostered around 100 dogs and, briefly, Kevin the pig. She believes that collaboration and community are crucial to overcoming the challenges of the pet space, "Knowing yourself well and using your values to align with like-minded folks is the best thing we've done to not feel alone. Community really is the answer."