Ava at age 8 testing an early recipe in her home kitchen
Ava Dorsey has loved animals for as long as she can remember. “I always knew I wanted to do something that would benefit them,” she says. Ava was 8 years old when she came up with the idea to create her own all-natural pet treats. “I learned that many store-bought treats can contain unhealthy ingredients or allergens,” Ava explains. “I thought, My family eats healthy—so should our animals!”
Ava set to work in her kitchen at home, experimenting with different recipes and using her family’s dog, Rock, as her official taste tester. She started passing out the treats to her neighbors and selling them at craft shows near her home in Chicago. Today, Ava’s Pet Palace treats are available online and in 25 stores across the country.
Ava Dorsey loves animals. “I always knew I wanted to do something that would benefit them,” she says. When Ava was 8 years old, she came up with an idea. She wanted to create her own all-natural pet treats. “I learned that many store-bought treats can contain unhealthy ingredients,” explains Ava. “I thought, ‘My family eats healthy—so should our animals!’”
Ava set to work in her family’s kitchen. She experimented with different recipes and used her dog, Rock, as a taste tester. She started passing out homemade treats to her neighbors. She also sold them at craft shows near her home in Chicago. Today, Ava’s Pet Palace treats are available online and in 25 stores across the country.