There is a lot that goes into being a thoughtful pet parent, and it extends well past keeping tabs on your dog’s daily digestion. Every purchasing decision is a small vote, and this Black History Month, one of the most impactful votes you can cast is for Black-owned pet care businesses.
Black founders remain underrepresented across the pet industry. Directing your spending toward their brands is among the most direct, effective ways to help those businesses grow, sustain themselves, and reach the audiences they deserve, while pushing back against the racial economic inequities that make all of that harder in the first place.
From veterinarian-designed feeding tools and upcycled eco-friendly toys to hand-knitted dog sweaters and genuinely hilarious pet tags, here are 12 Black-owned brands making a real mark on pet care.
Trill Paws
Rachel Jones was fed up. The pet ID tags available on the market were uninspired at best, and Jones, based in LA, decided to do something about it. The result is Trill Paws, a dog accessories brand with genuine personality: a tag that declares “Have your people call my people,” tags shaped like Drake and a bag of money, and a lot more waiting on the site. The brand also donates 25 tags per month to rescue organizations, including the Labelle Foundation in LA and Rescue City in NYC.
Pet Plate
Renaldo Webb started cooking for his own dogs and noticed the improvements almost immediately. That observation turned into a company. Webb brought in veterinary nutritionist Dr. R.M. Streeter to help develop Pet Plate, a human-grade dog food prepared in USDA-certified kitchens and flash-frozen to preserve freshness. Meal plans are built around each individual pet and delivered to your door on a subscription.
Enjoy-a-Bowl
Veterinarian Dr. Joe J. Owens spent years treating pets with health problems that proper eating habits could have prevented — conditions like obesity and diabetes that didn’t need to happen. His response was to design a solution. Enjoy-a-Bowl uses your pet’s sense of smell to make mealtime genuinely engaging: place an aromatic food like chicken in the lower compartment, add a filter, snap the lid on top, and watch your pet come running for dinner.
Bark & Tumble
Based in the UK, Bark & Tumble exists to prove that dogwear can be both comfortable and genuinely stylish, without trading one for the other. Designer Leah Bertram launched the brand around limited-edition knitwear crafted in striking prints from cozy materials including bouclé jersey and organic cotton. She ships to the United States.
Little L’s
Lenny Forde started hunting his Brooklyn neighborhood for quality ingredients to bake homemade treats for his dogs, Lily and Lulu. He shared his creations with the local community of dog parents, word spread quickly, and Little L’s Dog Bakery grew from there. The “krak’ems” and “woofulls” are made with human-grade meat and wholesome additions like banana and blueberries, all out of Forde’s Brooklyn bakery.
Homescape Pets
Nana and Marcus Pfeifer launched Homescape Pets after their first dog died of cancer. “We knew we couldn’t save her life, but we could give her a better quality of life. That included less hardcore drugs and more of what nature provides,” they say. After extensive consultation with integrative veterinarians, they built a lineup of all-natural joint supplements, CBD oil, and single-ingredient chews: chemical- and toxin-free, made in the US, and formulated with organically grown herbs. The Pfeifers also support their local shelter community through Austin Pets Alive.
Ava’s Pet Place
Ava Dorsey was six years old when she founded what would grow into Ava’s Pet Palace, driven by a goal to help create a healthier world for animals. Now a teenager operating as Ava’s Pet Place, she offers USDA-certified organic, single-ingredient treats in flavors including Cheeze Pleaze, Gone Banana, and Peanutty Paws. She also highlights rescues and monthly Rescuers of the Month — including Nina Love, founder of The Black Thornberry — and shares adoptable pets on her Instagram.
Fresh Pawz
Christopher Cargoni built Fresh Pawz into one of LA’s most visible names in pet streetwear. His own line covers hoodies, harnesses, and sneakers, while his collaboration roster includes Odd Future, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Death Row Records, and NBALAB, among others.
Lick You Silly
Barbara Clarke-Ruiz spent years in the brand world working with heavy hitters including Adidas, Disney, and New Balance before her dog YumYum’s persistent bad reactions to processed treats pointed her in a new direction. Lick You Silly offers a focused selection of limited-ingredient treats and meal toppers, entirely free of artificial flavors, antibiotics, and byproducts. Savory options like freeze-dried beef and chicken share space with sweeter flavors like peanut butter and honey, and a portion of every purchase benefits animal rescues across the country.
The Bark Shoppe
This woman-owned Harlem brand keeps things entirely natural across a grooming lineup that spans shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, and dental rinses — all vegan and cruelty-free. As allergy season approaches, their medicated antifungal/antimicrobial shampoo, hypoallergenic shampoo, and soothing hot-spot spray are particularly worth stocking up on. New Yorkers can also bring dogs in for grooming, bathing, boarding, and daycare services at the Harlem location directly.
Beaux & Paws
After Hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated communities and animals in 2017, teen entrepreneur Sir Darius Brown sat down at his sewing machine and started making bow ties for shelter dogs. The idea was simple: dress them up for their adoption photos, make them irresistible, help them find homes. He shared the results on his Instagram, Beaux & Paws grew into something real, and in 2022, Brown received a Global Child Prodigy Award alongside a personal commendation letter from former President Barack Obama.
House Dogge
Angela Medlin spent years as a designer for brands including Nike and Levi’s before her Olde English Bulldogge, Wubbi, inspired a new chapter. What started as a personal creative project became House Dogge, which landed on Oprah’s “Favorite Things” list in 2020. The brand built its reputation on sustainable, upcycled products: leather leashes, biodegradable rope toys, and fleece hoodies that can be customized with your dog’s name. House Dogge supports Oregon rescue organization the NW Dog Project, and Medlin’s Faas Design Collab project works to bring underrepresented creatives into the product design industry. The brand is currently on pause as they plan their next chapter — Portland locals can find products at Sniff Dog Hotel in the meantime.
