Upon entering Green Dog Pet Supply in Beaumont Village, the first thing that strikes a visitor is color—lots and lots of color. Here you’ll find leashes and collars in various tones, patterns and hues, florescent green oversized “tennis” balls, furry pet beds in leopard print, and walls and flooring washed with an easy-on-the-eyes burnt orange. All that color sends a message that this place is going to be fun for animals and their humans. And while Green Dog’s owners embrace the whimsical, they are serious when it comes to their mission.
Christine and Mike Maller launched Green Dog about a dozen years ago. With self-described “fire-in-the-belly” about reducing the human and critter footprint on the planet, the duo wanted to make a difference. “Our emphasis is on sustainability in everything we do and sell, from our products—which are recyclable, recycled, and locally-made – to the way we designed and constructed our store display racks by repurposing existing materials,” Christine said.
Another unique component of the couple’s business is that they are both passionate about helping people have healthier pets through a holistic approach. To that end, they offer pet nutritional counseling in the store. “Veterinarians often send pet owners to our store for nutritional guidance because they know we do it well,” said Christine.
Mike and Christine come to the business with more than just passion, however. Mike has a strong retail and management background, Christine a great deal of animal-related experience. Opportunely, Green Dog not only aligns with their skills, interests and passions, but also their desire to connect with the community. “We wanted a business in which we would draw regular customers, because we feel business is about relationships,” Mike said.
Mike and Christine take their view of relationships and community well beyond the confines of the B-W neighborhood. In December, Green Dog, together with its distributors and food companies, donated over 16,000 pounds of pet food to the Pongo Fund through a matching program. The Pongo Fund is Oregon’s only full-time charity focused on fighting animal hunger. With the funds and food it receives, the organization provides pet food to owners who have encountered tough financial times. These donations help pet owners keep animals with their families instead of bringing them to animal shelters for lack of pet-feeding funds.
A testament to the goodwill Green Dog generates was an expansion about six years ago that brought them to their current 3,000 square feet of retail space. Artful displays showcase more than 4,700 pet paraphernalia items and healthy food, with a focus on dogs and cats.
An interesting note is that while the food Green Dog purveys is healthy for animals, every bit of pet food in the store is human grade. “It’s safe for people to consume any food item we sell,” Mike said. “While we’re not big on the liver-filled items, many of us are partial to the sweet potato dog snacks,” he said with a smile.
A longtime advertiser in this newsletter, Green Dog Pet Supply can be found at 4327 N.E. Fremont. For more information, call (503) 528-1800 or visit www.GreenDogPetSupply.com.