Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans September 15 to October 15, is a useful annual nudge to notice the Latinx and Hispanic founders shaping the pet world. But treating these brands as a once-a-year gesture rather misses the point. The businesses below are not seasonal causes; they make things your dog or cat would benefit from in March or December just as much as in October. So consider this less a heritage-month checklist and more a standing recommendation.
It also lands in fitting company. Across much of Latin America, pet parenthood is close to a national pastime: by one GfK survey, Argentina leads with 66 percent of adults calling themselves dog parents, Mexico is close on its heels at 64 percent, and Brazil lands at 58 percent. The bond runs deep historically, too. Breeds like the Xoloitzcuintli and the Chihuahua trace back thousands of years through the cultures celebrated during this month. The five founder-led brands here carry that reverence forward in very different ways.
Wild Earth — plant-based food built by a scientist’s obsession
Wild Earth set out to rethink what goes in the bowl entirely. The brand, which got an early boost from investor Mark Cuban, makes high-protein, plant-based dog food designed around two goals at once: your dog’s health and a smaller environmental footprint. The recipes lean on cultivated and plant proteins rather than conventional meat, which is the whole pitch, so this is a brand to look at if you are managing certain protein sensitivities or trying to lower your household’s food-related emissions. It is the most “science-project” company on this list, in the best sense.
Best for: eco-minded owners and dogs who do better off traditional animal proteins. Worth a vet conversation before switching a dog fully to plant-based food.
Honest Paws — a CBD line born from one desperate dog
Chelsea Rivera started Honest Paws after her own pup, Baby Rose, hit a wall with conventional treatment. A vet offered a prescription but warned it would likely leave Baby Rose lethargic, with no guarantee it would even work. Rivera went looking for another path, put Baby Rose on a careful CBD regimen, and says she saw not just the original problem ease but her dog’s mobility improve. That experience became the company. Honest Paws now makes CBD products formulated specifically for pets.
Best for: owners curious about CBD for anxiety or joint comfort. As with any supplement, run it past your vet first, especially if your pet is on other medication.
Bundle x Joy — treats and supplements with a network behind them
Founder Jess Berger, a first-generation Latina, built Bundle x Joy around a question: what would a pet company look like if women could lean on each other through a network of purpose-driven partnerships? The answer is a one-stop shop of treats and supplements sorted by what your pet actually needs, plus a “Joy Shop” of pastel leashes, toys, and the odd scrunchie-and-sticker set for the human. It is playful without being frivolous, and the needs-based sorting makes it genuinely easy to shop.
Best for: owners who want targeted supplements (skin, digestion, calm) without decoding a wall of jargon.
Monro Pets — durable, cheeky everyday gear
Monro Pets came out of friendship: Christen, Jose, and Ricardo built their own line of collars, leashes, and bandanas in bright patterns and cheeky phrases. The look gets the attention, but the construction is the point; the collars feature a distinctive padding aimed at all-day comfort and are made to hold up to real use.
Best for: owners who want walking gear with personality that can also take a beating.
Salvage Maria — heritage textiles with nothing wasted
Salvage Maria is where sustainability and culture meet the softest spot in the house. Founder Janessa Maria drew on her Zapotec heritage to build a line of handwoven beds, blankets, and textile accessories, working with Mexican artisans, her mother Maria among the sourcing relationships, to produce pieces with distinct cultural designs and techniques. The brand crafts from deadstock and salvaged materials, saving every scrap and remnant for future work. Nothing goes to waste.
Best for: anyone who wants a pet bed that looks like an heirloom and carries a real provenance, not a factory SKU.
A quick buyer’s note
Two of these brands, Wild Earth and Honest Paws, are the kind of nationally distributed companies you may also find through major retailers, so it is worth comparing before you check out. The other three are smaller, founder-run operations best supported directly through their own sites, where more of your money reaches the maker. Either way, the case for these companies does not expire on October 15.
References
- Pet ownership statistics by country — GfK market research
- Xoloitzcuintli history — American Kennel Club
- Wild Earth, Bundle x Joy, Honest Paws, Salvage Maria, Monro Pets — brand sites
