Barking Bitches Store Front

How Did We Start?

In 2012, I received several bad news regarding my health which today I still struggle with today.  In August of 2012 my current manager called me into her office and explained that I was being laid off the following week and was concerned because she had notice that I was struggling to walk around the office.   I had been to several doctors based on their tests it was a temporary muscle.  She urged to seek medical attention before the layoff. I made an appointment at Rose Medical.  The day of the appointment lasted 4 hours running test after test.  They said my condition was serious, meaning I was displaying weakness in strength and muscle movement but would need more test to determine the problem.  They scheduled an emergency MRI the next day.  Before I could get home, the doctor called me to say that the vertebrates in my neck (C4, C5, C6) had deteriorated exposing the spinal cord. They had already scheduled an appointment with a neuro-surgeon and the surgery would take place in two days.  In the meantime I needed to stay home and be very careful.  If I should trip or jerk my neck in the wrong way I would be a Christopher Reed that was how serious the situation was at the time.

While I was recovering from the surgery I was watching the new and they ran story on seniors struggling to make ends meet on their fixed income.  Two nights later the local new station ran a story regarding how pets were getting caught up in the housing bankruptcy situation.   Families were losing their homes and having to rent where pets were not allowed.  Sometimes it was based financial situation where they could no longer care for their beloved pets.   Local animal rescues were seeing a huge spike in these family pets being turned in to their establishments.

 
As I was recovering, these two stories continued to go through my head.  I was unemployed, no job prospects but I wanted to do something.  If these seniors had skills like knitting, sewing or etc.  I could create and design products for dogs form them to make.  Then take those products sell them on the internet under www.BarkingBitches.com   Take a portion of those internet sales and donate to animal shelters to assist with their day to day operation so pets could say longer to get adopted.

Three years later our basic concept of working with senior so they can supplement their income and making revenue to donate to animal rescues.  In our marketing we have found people want a store front to bring their dogs to try on the clothes.  You may ask why not do wholesale?  In 2015 we launched our wholesale program and was not successful and why was it not successful?  Most of our products are custom order.

Why a store front?

- Allows pet owners to shop with their pet

- Opportunity for other pet owners to meet and socialize

- Central location for the senior to come work and socialize with other senior workers

- Provide a diversified store.  For example a multi-purpose room to conduct animal charity fundraisers, animal education and highlight local pet artists

-Bridge the generation gap.  Meaning provide after school sewing classes to teach kids how to sew, knit and wood work by our senior works

My goals

- Show that you can put people first and still have a profitable company

-Demonstrate that one person can make a difference by tackling community issues where they live

-Don’t be afraid to get involved.  Be part of the solution

-Working together we can help each other

-The importance that pets play in people’s lives

-Be an advocate for tougher animal cruelty laws raising money through the sale of our products to get these laws passed
 

If you can donate $5, $10 or $20  every little bit helps.  I need to keep these seniors working.  There is a waiting list of seniors needing work and we just don’t have enough work for these struggling senior.  

Donations of $500 or more will get a brick laid in the floor with your family name and pet's name (optional)




We thank you for any amount you can contribute.