Latinx-Owned Pet Brands You Can Support Beyond Hispanic Heritage Month · The Wildest

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Latinx-Owned Pet Brands You Can Support Beyond Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month should be celebrated all year with these toys and treats from these businesses.

by Rebecca Caplan
October 17, 2023
Woman with large dog wearing a Bundle x Joy dog bandana and leash.
Photo Courtesy of @bundlexjoy
The letter "W" from the Wildest logo

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Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history and culture of Hispanic and Latinx communities. The month encompasses cultures across the globe, with celebrated communities including people in Spain, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and North America. Hispanic Heritage Month, though now technically over, is a great reminder that we should be celebrating these communities all year — not just for four weeks. And, while these cultures share plenty in common, they also stand in stark contrast to one another, with each community having a history and contribution all their own. 

But one distinct commonality between these cultures is a deep and storied reverence for their pets. By percentage, Hispanic and Latinx countries dominate when it comes to pet parenthood: Sixty-six percent of the population in Argentina identifies as dog parents, with Mexico trailing close behind at 64 percent, and Brazil at 58 percent, per German market research group GfK. Going back even further, the origins of our pets can be found embedded in the cultures celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month, via dog breeds like the Xoloitzcuintli and Chihuahua, which can be traced back a few thousand years.

To celebrate the cultures that celebrate our pets, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Latinx and Hispanic-owned small businesses that you should support every month of the year. 

Wild Earth food products

Wild Earth is a pioneering dog food brand that stands at the forefront of innovation in the pet food industry. Founded with a vision to revolutionize the way we nourish our pups, Wild Earth (with a little help from Mark Cuban) has made a significant mark on the pet care industry with its commitment to sustainability, health, and compassion for animals.

At the heart of Wild Earth’s mission is the dedication to crafting high-quality, plant-based dog food. Their meticulously formulated recipes prioritize the health and wellbeing of pets while also minimizing the environmental impact. Their innovative approach is driven by a profound love for animals, and they aim to redefine the standards of pet nutrition by offering plant-based nutrition, which is only another plus.

a dog eating a Bundle x Joy treat

Bundle x Joy is a treat and supplement brand founded by Jess Berger. “As a first generation American Latina, Jess asked herself what it would look like to create a pet company where women could come together and lean on each other to create a diverse network of purpose-driven partnerships to serve pet people today,” the brand’s site reads.

From there, Berger created a one-stop shop for treats and supplements — each geared to your pet’s specific needs. If that weren’t enough, Bundle x Joy recently opened up their new “Joy Shop” where pet parents can peruse a curated selection of pastel leashes and toys (plus, a scrunchie and sticker pack for them) that will make any Instagram photo pop.

a dog eating Honest Paws

Chelsea Rivera founded Honest Paws, a pet CBD company, to help her own pup, Baby Rose, who was suffering from “a debilitating condition.”

Rivera shares her story and frustration on the Honest Paws website: “The veterinarian offered to write her a prescription. But, he also warned me that Baby Rose would be pretty lethargic from now on. And the kicker? Side effects aside, the medication was not guaranteed to work. Now, I am a fan of modern medicine but this didn’t sound like something I wanted to put my sweet girl through.”

After researching, Rivera started Baby Rose on a strict CBD regiment. To her surprise, the CBD not only caused Baby Rose’s condition to disappear; it actually improved her mobility. To help other pet parents, Rivera founded Honest Paws, where pet parents can shop for CBD products made just for their pets. 

a dog on a Salvage Maria bed

At Salvage Maria, sustainability and heritage are the hallmarks of these handcrafted pet textile products. To create their beds, blankets, and other textile accessories, Salvage Maria works with Mexican artisans to create handwoven textiles that feature distinct cultural designs and techniques. Founder Janessa Maria drew upon her Zapotec heritage when building the brand. Her mother, Maria, sources textiles from and creates direct relationships with artisans in Mexico.

Even better: Salvage Maria is committed to sustainable crafting, writing on their website: “Our fabrics and textiles are globally inspired and we use dead stock and salvaged materials within our designs. Nothing goes to waste; every scrap and remnant is saved for future inspiration!”

a dog in a Nuggie bandana

Nuggie Shop is a Latinx-owned-and-operated bandana business founded by Silvia Baffone. Originally from Venezuela, Baffone named her bandana empire after her own pup, Nuggie, a Maltipoo whose official job at the company is “Pupper Relations.”

Designed using sustainable materials, these bandanas feature seasonal and culturally inspired patterns that can be customized with your pet’s name. In addition to their commitment to using sustainable materials, Nuggie donates a portion of their profits to Paws 4 You, a no-kill shelter in Miami.

rebecca caplan

Rebecca Caplan

Rebecca Caplan is a writer based in Brooklyn whose work has been featured in The New Yorker, Reductress, and Vulture. She lives in Brooklyn with her perfect, toothless dog Moose.

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