Meet 14-year-old entrepreneur Ava Dorsey, whose dream of making healthy pet treats turned into a USDA-certified organic baked treat company called Ava’s Pet Palace.
Ava started her business out of a love and passion for animals, as well as a desire to spend more time with her pets, including the family dog, Rock. She noticed that many of the treats Rock ate contained unhealthy ingredients, not to mention a very long list of ingredients. To solve this problem, she began to develop completely organic, preservative-free candy recipes with as few ingredients as possible.
“For me, healthy eating has always been about organic and natural ingredients,” says Ava. “When I made treats in my kitchen, we only bought and used organic ingredients. Now that my business has grown, we work with bigger kitchens. And they only use organic ingredients.
A family matter
Ava’s parents supported her dream from the start. At first, they helped her bake the treats and took her to local shows to sell them. Now she sells her treats to pet lovers in all 50 states and expands into new pet stores every month. In June 2020, her mother quit her real estate career to become Ava’s Pet Palace’s first full-time employee.
Her father helps with special projects and her two younger sisters help out when they can. The current pet, Lacy, a Miniature Pinscher mix, is the official treat taste tester. She loves all flavors like Cheeze Pleeze, Peanutty Paws and Gone Bananas. (Check out all the delicious flavors at avaspetpalace.com.)
A growing company
When this high school freshman entrepreneur isn’t taking the pet world by storm, she enjoys baking all types of human desserts like cookies and cakes, and reading realistic fiction. She also enjoys spending time outdoors riding her bike, walking her dog and hanging out with her friends.
So what’s next for Ava’s Pet Palace?
Ava is busy developing new treats for cats and dogs while continuing to expand to new stores to carry her products. She is also excited to add a new treat pouch, toys, leashes and collars to her growing line of products.
According to Ava, her goal has always been “to create a healthier world for our pets, our humans, and our planet.” With Ava’s Pet Palace, she is already creating a healthier world for our pets. Considering her passion and all that she has already accomplished, there is no telling what she will be able to accomplish in the future.
Follow Ava on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on Tiktok @avaspetpalace.
