11/20/2025
Sometimes, life makes you look at things a little differently.
Eleven years ago, I made a decision that changed everything. I adopted Hazel from a shelter in my hometown in Missouri. I was 19, she was about a year old, and honestly, as a broke college student, I had no business adopting a dog. But Hazel didn't just become a pet; she became my best friend.
Moving around frequently growing up meant constantly saying goodbye to friends. Hazel became my one constant. She traveled with me through life, living in Missouri, Tennessee, and Indiana. She was by my side through every milestone: every smile, every tear, every heartbreak, and every laugh. She was home.
Four years ago, as her beautiful face started turning grey, I began to think about what the end would look like. It was that love, and the desire to honor the bond we share with our pets, that inspired The Heavenly Hound.
I worked tirelessly on this business for 3 years, finally opening in September 2024. This was a meaningful coincidence, as Hazel was adopted in September 2014. This business exists entirely because of her and my love for animals. It was only fitting that we include her in our new logo. Once the inspiration, she is now, truly, The Heavenly Hound.
The photo in the logo is the very first one I ever took of her on September 2nd, 2014. She was all alone in the shelter, yet she immediately claimed me as her person. She jumped up on my legs and said, "Take me home, Mom."
For the next 11 years, until she got sick just a few days ago, she greeted me at the door every single day. That soft pitter-patter of her paws and the happy hop onto my legs earned her the nickname "Happy Feet." She was always so happy to see me.
Over the next few weeks, we will be updating our website, paperwork, social media, and merchandise in loving honor of Hazel. The three small dots in our new logo are a tribute to Hazel, Jethro, and Biscuit—all beloved friends who we have lost within our first official year in business.
Oh, how lucky we are to give love and care to our pets, all the way to the very end. 🐾