Our Story
I’m a true homebody and like many fur parents, one of my lifelong dreams was to open a Pet Bakery. The idea of making people AND their pets happy while doing something that I’m so passionate about has always been so idealistic, dreamy and alluring to me!
Who wouldn’t love that?! However, with my husband and I owning our own veterinary clinic, this dream of mine always seemed so out of reach- we were already heavily involved with local animal rescues and organizations, as well as having our own 501c3 charitable fund, and I was managing our practice with 25+ employees singlehandedly. The question that always held me back was simple yet major- where would I ever find the TIME? So, I decided to prioritize time with my family in my few spare moments that weren’t spoken for already and set my dreams aside. When we considered easing into retirement over the last few years and relocated states, I decided that logically, I should continue on with what I have known for over 23 years- managing veterinary clinics. But when a toxic work situation prompted me to re-evaluate my choices, I knew I had to finally put my mental health first and give my dreams a chance to grow. I stopped and stepped back long enough to realize that I had been actually uniquely blessed with all of the necessary ingredients to set up my own pet treat bakery all along! All I had needed was that small-but-necessary extra push to start perfecting the recipe for my dream career! With the help of my own beloved FurBabies and a little bit of imagination, I combined my love and long history of baking and business experience, my husband’s veterinary/animal nutrition knowledge and my daughter’s artistic creativity to manifest FurMaids FurBaby Treats. Now, with every new day that dawns, I wake up joyful, mindful and purposeful – read on to find out why.
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As a lung cancer survivor, I finally realized that life is indeed “too short” to not reach for your dreams. And as cliché as that sounds, along with thanks to the old saying “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”, I can now confidently say I’m truly doing something that satisfies my lifelong desire to help the helpless, brings me deep personal joy, accomplishment and happiness, as well as it giving my daughter and I something mutually beneficial for both of our mental health. Supporting our SMALL, LOCAL, WOMEN-OWNED business means you make it easy to not only bring home joy by giving your own pets the very best BUT ALSO so that you can give back to other pets in need that you might not ever even meet!* If FurMaids is the reason that even one or two shelter pets finds love, peace and belonging in a FurEver home, our mission will be accomplished and THAT makes us so filled with joy! Not to mention, the look of pure joy on your pets’ faces when they savor one of our goodies for the first time is second to none!
* Our first (and currently only) beneficiary is slated to be the Jacksonville Humane Society. We are always open to submissions for vetting and approval of new/additional beneficiary rescues/other organizations.
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I know how important it is to be discerning with what we put our energy towards. Everything from what we devote our time daily to, to being conscious of our ingredients, as well as the impact we have on not only the lives of our four-legged consumers, but also their pet parents... it’s ALL important to us. Thus, we strive to always consider the impact our treats have by only using wholesome, natural ingredients in our recipes, being transparent in our giving to philanthropies*, and understanding that you trust us to provide healthy, beneficial treats. We make it easy for you to have more time to spend and enjoy with your pets without worrying about what’s in what they eat OR whether or not you’re doing your part to HELP other pets in need!
* Our first (and currently only) beneficiary is slated to be the Jacksonville Humane Society. We are always open to submissions for vetting and approval of new/additional beneficiary rescues/other organizations.
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Creating FurMaids has given us a way to be very clear and direct about who we help. We want to continue to focus our efforts on those pets who have been unloved, abandoned, forgotten, lost or otherwise unwanted- those who end up without anyone to remember them at the end of the day. We accomplish this through YOUR support- 15% of our profits automatically go to those exact animals sitting at a shelter or rescue*, waiting on their chance at finding a FUREVER home. Not only do we get to “treat” your furbabies, but we also get to help the helpless that are just waiting for a loving family to spend the rest of their days with- neither of which will ever shift from our main focus! It’s truly a double blessing that makes everything we do so worth it.
* Our first (and currently only) beneficiary is slated to be the Jacksonville Humane Society. We are always open to submissions for vetting and approval of new/additional beneficiary rescues/other organizations.