8 Black-Owned Pet Care Businesses to Support in 2022

There are certain things only fellow pet lovers understand, like the invention of ridiculous nicknames for your furry roommate and the constant need to buy additional cloud storage for the thousands of pet pics on your phone. Sure, it can be a little out there - but hey, our pets got us through the past two years of chaos. We all deserve to celebrate the good things in our lives.

As pet owners, we share a certain enthusiasm. When we see someone making wag-worthy innovations in the pet care world, we zoomie like our pets at the rustle of a treat bag. This month, we're highlighting some of the coolest Black-owned pet care businesses that you should know about.

1. Pet Parent Allies

If your pup is chewing up your prized pair of sneakers (no! why?!) or running the other way when you call their name, just the idea of teaching them some canine etiquette can have you feeling sympathy for every substitute teacher you disrupted in elementary school.

That's where Pet Parent Allies comes in. With positive-reinforcement dog training designed to be fun and rewarding for you and your canine, you’ll be high-fiving your pup faster than you can say, “Good boy!” Aside from obedience and agility, you can also choose from intensive sessions designed to address specific skills, including:

• Recall, Attention & Focus

• Stay, Settle, & Place

• Impulse Control & Leave It, Drop It

• Leash Walking

Although they’re based in Philadelphia, this pet training business offers both virtual private training and in-home lessons, so you can sign up for their services wherever it’s convenient. Schedule a Session with Pet Parent Allies.

2. SciPaws

What’s ScipPaws? The Bill Nye of pet style. Yeah, you heard us. If you nerd out about the laws of thermodynamics just as much as you do over your pets, this pet accessory business’s science-inspired designs are sure to tickle your neurons.

Owner-slash-research-scientist Corelle Rokicki started her shop after failing to find such gear for her own pets. You can now find a variety of SciPaws accessories online for both you and your pet, including: 

• Cat Kickers

• Bandanas

• Scrunchies

• Stickers

• Keychains

As an extra bonus, SciPaws regularly donates and raises money for several organizations, including Ocean Conservancy and WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue. Shop SciPaws

3. Enjoy-A-Bowl

If your pet had control over its meals, the menu would probably include things like grass-fed filet mignon (extra rare), braised Cornish game hen, and whatever tantalizing delicacies you’ve been keeping in your kitchen trash can—but definitely not their uninspiring diet kibble.

When you have a four-legged foodie on your hands, getting them to chow down with enthusiasm can be a tug-of-war. Enter the Enjoy-A-Bowl, designed by Veterinarian Joe J. Owens, whose experience treating ailing animals led him to invent a clever solution for picky eaters. 

So, how exactly does this creation appease your pet’s appetite? The Enjoy-A-Bowl works via two interlocking compartments that infuse your pet’s nutritious food with the aroma of their less-healthy favorites, encouraging their cravings for the more nourishing nosh. Try Enjoy-A-Bowl.

4. PetPlate

PetPlate Founder Renaldo Webb knows the way to your pup’s heart (and their long-term health) starts with what’s in their food bowl. After discovering the unhealthy ingredients the mass-market dog food industry tries to put in our canines’ ever-scratchable bellies, Webb set out with a mission to “make better food for dogs.” PetPlate’s Therapeutic Entrées include many delectable options, such as:

• Power-Packed Pork

• Chompin’ Chicken

• Barkin’ Beef

• Lip Lickin’ Lamb

Did your pup just spot the mailman walking up the front steps or was that their stomach growling?

What’s even more delicious about this brand? All entrées are made in a USDA kitchen with human-safe ingredients. PetPlate will even recommend a bespoke meal plan for your dog based on the characteristics that make them so uniquely lovable. Personalize Your PetPlate.

5. Beaux and Paws

Whether idly scrolling through PetFinder or spotting “Home Needed” signs on your daily walks, we all know that heart-wrenching feeling of wanting to help an animal in need. Every so often, however, an animal advocate puts forth a Great Dane-sized effort to help more pets than could ever fit in a single home—meet Sir Darius Brown, founder of Beaux and Paws. 

After hearing of the many pets displaced by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey in 2017, Brown created the company to increase exposure for the millions of pets that enter animal shelters every year. 

Featuring a shop full of dashing bow ties that attach easily to a collar, Beaux and Paws operates under a “Buy One, Give One” promise: for every bow tie you purchase for your own pet, Beaux and Paws donates a bow tie to a shelter animal. This helps pets appear even more heart-meltingly adorable in their adoption appeal photos, which increases their chances of finding a safe and loving home. Shop Beaux and Paws.

6. The Bark Shoppe

Your self-care routine might look like a sumptuous Korean face mask or flights at the local microbrewery, but have you ever wondered what your pet’s perfect pampering ritual looks like? Hint: it might just be a trip to The Barke Shoppe. 

If you’re in NYC, you can benefit from The Bark Shoppe’s in-store grooming services for both dogs and cats, including:

• Pawdicures

• Doggie Styling

• Remoisturizing Conditioner 

• Wellness Packages

• Bathing, grooming, and facials

Even if you’re miles away from the Big Apple, you can still curate your own home pet spa products from The Bark Shoppe’s online store. Their vegan, soap-free shampoos are made especially to soothe your animal’s sensitive skin—and with scents like “Tearless Sugar Cookie” and “Brightening Cherry Blossom,” they’re sure to leave your pet feeling (and smelling) ready for their close-up. Visit the Bark Shoppe.

7. Ava’s Pet Palace

You may be providing food, shelter, and TLC to your pet every day, but let’s be real—your pet is the one running the show. If you know that your pet is the true royalty of the house (the aristocat or the royal dogness) treat them to the gold standard of pet delicacies from Ava’s Pet Palace. 

This business’s fourteen-year-old founder started with a vision to build a better world for “pets, planet and people”—a mission she has brought to life with organic, natural ingredients. Ava’s online shop now features delightful treats for cats and dogs, with mouthwatering flavors like Gone Bananas and Peanutty Paws. 

Ava gives back to her pet-loving community by donating to a different organization every month. Ava’s business is also USDA-certified organic, so you can be sure you’re treating your pet with only the best. Shop Ava’s Pet Palace.

8. Fresh Pawz

Marketed as “the official streetwear brand for dogs,” this company will have your dog turning heads (human and otherwise) at the dog park. 

With everything from tops and sweaters to rain jackets and pajamas, Fresh Pawz even features collabs from other brands and creatives, like NBA Lab and Odd Future. And of course, they have plenty of harnesses, leashes, and collars for those dogs who prefer a more minimalist wardrobe. 

Fresh Pawz also donates 5% of every purchase to The Petfinder Foundation, with the goal of ending shelter pet euthanasia because compassion is always in style. Get Fresh Pawz.

If there’s one thing pet parents know, it’s that our pets do an amazing job expanding our community. Just like they introduce us to our neighbors on walks around town, our love for them also motivates us to seek out innovative pet-friendly businesses like these. If you're a member of the Figo Fam, the Pet Cloud app helps you discover pet care services and pet-friendly businesses in your local community.  So whether you’re looking for a veterinarian or the hottest dog-friendly happy hour spot, Figo has you covered.

Lizz Caputo is a Content Strategist at Figo, animal enthusiast, and owner of a rescued senior American Bully. Her hobbies include checking out new restaurants in her area, boxing, and petting dogs of all shapes and sizes.