Our Founder

"Be the change you wish to bring about."

Hi! My name is Natasha (Tash for short). I decided to create Apawry Pup because of my journey with my fur baby, Nola (you can read more about our story below).

After exiting the corporate world I had been in for nearly a decade, I wanted to create my own business that would allow me to be surrounded by dogs at all times (my idea of running an office!), allow for both creativity and structure, make a difference, and operate only by the highest standards.

I also wanted a name that would capture the essence of my story with Nola, along with my values and goals for the company, and I thought - A Paw Story - how cute! And Apawry Pup was born.

Our Story

Millions of people around the world deal with PTSD, from military personnel, first responders, survivors of sexual assault, domestic abuse, and many other types of trauma. Often times, it's the aftermath of the trauma that can be crippling for survivors, hence PTSD.

Dogs, whether they are a trained Service Dog or a treasured pet, have consistently been the grounding force that have helped survivors with PTSD get their life back. They are a huge part of our team and our family members. So, I wanted to create a company that would give back to these wonderful animals and people who have experienced debilitating trauma, with a focus on PTSD.

As a childhood sexual abuse survivor, this cause is very dear to my heart. My dog has helped me tremendously, from just knowing when to give me her furry hugs duing one of my PTSD episodes, to simpy always being by my side. She has seen me at my best and my worst, and showed me the unconditional love, loyalty, and support that helped me get my life back and find the peace I needed. 

The more I started healing and learning about PTSD, I realized that my dog acted like a Service Dog in the times I needed it most, even though she was never trained to. As I delved into this more, I learned that Service Dog training is currently underfunded, and most people don't have the resources to get a Service Dog, which costs an average of $15,000 to $30,000 to train. As a result, the training and placement of Service Dogs are substantially delayed, taking up to 2 years in some cases. The solution: If more Service Dogs can be trained and qualified, then the quicker they can be with people who need them.

Our hope is to create awareness around this topic, help make Service Dogs more accessible to survivors with PTSD from all types of trauma, and hopefully inspire others to do the same. That's why for every purchase, no matter how small, we donate 10% of the revenue, to (split between): Partners With Paws Inc. and BC and Alberta Guide Dogs.  Our goal for the future is to help fund not only Service Dog training, but also placement of them with survivors, along with intensive therapy for those who aren't able to afford it.  

We appreciate any and all support, and look forward to continuing to make a difference, creating collections, and spreading joy to dogs and their pet parents.

With wags of love,
Tash & Nola

Our mission

To create fun, unique products both dogs and their pet parents will love, spread joy and comfort to animals, aid in making Service Dogs more accessible to survivors with PTSD, and inspire others to do the same.