Can We Get A Little “Woof Woof”? Meet A Few 2023 Woofa Roo Pet Fest Exhibitors
Pets play a vital role in the lives of families by offering companionship, unconditional love and emotional support.
They have a unique ability to bring joy, reduce stress and promote a sense of responsibility among family members, fostering stronger bonds and creating lasting memories.
In addition, according to Statista.com, the pet food market in Canada is a booming industry with hundreds of pet stores across the country serving over 16 million pet cats and dogs living in Canadian households. In Ontario alone there are over 770 pet and pet supply stores as of December 2021 — the most of any Canadian province.
So an event celebrating our love of pets is good business!
As we learned in the pages before this story in the Have A Cup Of Joe With Joe column by Joe McParland, the 2023 Woofa~Roo Pet Fest takes place June 24 and 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Libro Credit Union Centre, 3295 Meloche Road in Amherstburg.
A complete list of vendors can be found on the 2023 Woofa Roo website.
However, for the cover story of this issue, we profile a selected list of businesses scheduled to attend.
While most are local, out of the 70 businesses and organizations on site, there are some out of town companies who travel to Amherstburg to introduce their products and services to area residents.
Let’s meet a few vendors now . . .
Unleash The Memories With A Pet Photo
Opened in 2020, Hoof & Hound Photography can photograph any kind of pet you can think of.
Although dogs are the most common, they have worked with cats, horses, goats, rats, guinea pigs and even ferrets!
Ashley St John, Owner/Pet Photographer at Hoof & Hound Photography, along with her fiancé Garrett Bexton, offer photo shoot packages for one or two pets, groups of pets like litters or farm animals, end of life (Rainbow Bridge package) photo shoots, pet birthday photo shoots (including a cake smash), personalized holiday photo shoots with your pet, and holiday photo shoot events in local pet stores.
The standard photo shoot packages are approximately one to two hours, including breaks for the dogs, for one or two pets and include a digital and printed copy of photos.
“I have worked in the pet industry for seven years as a full-time Fear Free Registered Veterinary Technician and I have lots of experience in dog training and working with rescue dogs,” notes St John. “This gives me an in-depth knowledge of how to work with animals, especially ones that may be shy, fearful, have behaviour issues or just simply won’t sit still in front of the camera!”
St John tells Biz X that she developed a love for photography when taking photos of her own dog.
“I had always wanted nice photos of her, but she was very fearful of people, so a photo shoot didn’t seem like an option,” she recounts. “As a Registered Veterinary Technician, I’m constantly reminded of how short-lived our pet’s lives are, so I know how valuable our time is with them. This is why I think that beautiful photos that can last a lifetime are so important for preserving these memories of them.”
This is Hoof & Hound Photography’s second year at the Woofa~Roo Pet Fest. At their booth they are taking pet photos with different fun backgrounds. Pet costumes are encouraged!
No appointment is required and all finished photos are emailed two to three weeks after the event. Digital copies are available to order online. Pricing is $20 for one pet, which includes one to three photos, or $30 for two pets and one to three photos.
For more information on their pet photography services, packages and ordering, visit online.
When It Comes To Style, It’s All About The Accessories
Since 2015, Ruff Trade Ties — situated in Brantford ON — has designed and created pet accessories, including burrito beds, catnip crinkle/regular blankets, catnip toys, tutus, water resistant reversible dog jackets, hairclip bows, bow/neckties, bandanas, snuffle mats, doggy drying mitts, and more!
“I design and make all my own products and I do custom orders too,” explains Maureen McGraw, Owner of Ruff Trade Ties. “I have always loved to sew and design, so when my daughter was young I designed and made dresses and costumes. I really enjoy meeting all the people and pets and I absolutely love receiving their pics wearing my products.”
This is McGraw’s seventh year at the 2023 Woofa Roo Pet Fest and her full line of accessories will be displayed and available for purchase at her booth.
Since unpredictable weather can affect attendance at an event . . . she has come up with a plan to make sure her booth is not affected and she can meet new customers and family members too.
“My first few years I was outside and had my canopy destroyed by winds only hours after putting it up on the Friday,” McGraw comments. “Luckily I was provided with a loaner one for the show at no cost. Now I set up inside and my relatives in Windsor have a family reunion on the Friday after I set up. We always have a great time at the show!”
To view photos of her products for sale and a gallery of pet pics go to her website.
Fashion Gone To The Dogs
Participating as another out of town vendor, DOGORA Active Wear of Thornhill, ON, manufactures, designs and sells durable, industry-leading medical and active wear for dogs, alongside accessories for owners and their pets.
“The unique features and technology of our products allow your pup to enjoy the great outdoors, regardless of weather or temperature,” states President Nicholas Mozas, who founded DOGORA in January 2020. “We try to create a sense of comfort and a worry-free environment with our medical wear, while your pet is recovering in our snuggie after any trunk related surgery or skin irritation.”
Products include the DOGORA three-season heated coat, high top boots, trench, hoodie, ultimate doggie bag and medical snuggie.
“Our flagship product is our DOGORA three-season heated coat, powered via a power bank to correlate with the temperature outside, alongside our DOGORA high top boots — which are guaranteed not to fall off,” he describes. “What separates DOGORA from our competitors is that our coats have been designed to virtually fit any dog’s chest size, within a given back length, using one of three adjustable chest piece methods. For example, our XL will fit a Greyhound and Bullmastiff perfectly.”
Working with dogs is second nature to Mozas and his staff of four.
“I grew up working on my family farm near Niagara Falls and managing an emergency animal clinic, so I have always loved animals,” Mozas tells Biz X. “My goal as the founder of DOGORA is to help increase the quality of a dog’s journey of life from the puppy stage to adolescence.”
He is a graduate of the University of Guelph with a B.A. honours degree in Biological Science and an M.Sc. in Nutrigenomics. The animal hospital he managed after graduation helped him hone his business skills and gain a better understanding of pets’ and owners’ needs.
Check out this business at the 2023 Woofa Roo Pet Fest for the second year in a row where they are holding a contest to win a DOGORA ultimate doggie bag!
