How it All Started
Bet on Black is born
Bet on Black Pet Care was founded in 2022, but the idea came along in 2020 after I was fired from a dog daycare and groomer.
That would’ve been a devastating enough blow on its own but it was paired with a global pandemic and the latest wave of highly publicized civil unrest. It was the perfect storm of terrible moments all working together to reveal what I now believe to be my life’s purpose.
Between being newly unemployed and Covid, I suddenly had a lot more free time on my hands. Like most of us, I spent a lot of time in the beginning watching the news and internally panicking. That panic turned into curiosity and that curiosity paired with self-reflection led me to a bunch of answers to questions I didn’t even know I should be asking.
I started to notice things that have always been there but I was never truly forced to examine through this particular lens. I learned some of the language to express certain things that I’ve experienced and fully believed were normal and part of life.
A lot of these experiences are a direct result of entire systems of oppression. The very systems that work so hard to oppress so many and then keep us in the dark about it so we wouldn’t find out we’re being preyed on.
I spent the last half of 2020 enraged. After taking time to feel that rage, sit with it and unpack some of it, I felt a pull to do something. People were hurting all around me, myself included and I felt compelled to take action. I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn’t believe there was anything I could do. So I started with taking a look at what I’m good at.
I was forced out of work I enjoyed and just so happen to be really good at doing in a pretty hostile manner. I thought to myself, “I can’t imagine my story being unique at all” and after a little digging, unfortunately I found confirmation of other Black and POC folks experiencing similar treatment in dog grooming/daycare/training environments. Then, it clicked.
Why not do what I love, create a space for others to do the same, have some fun and make some waves?
Where We're Going
The time for change is NOW
Bet on Black Pet Care is on a mission to melanate the pet industry. Today, I’m a solo act but tomorrow, my team will be stacked. Imagine, a pet care crew of ALL Black, Indigenous and POC folx from different marginalized groups.
More importantly, imagine that crew and their voices being uplifted, valued, respected and protected. Imagine, these individuals having a safe space to work, free from being “othered”, tokenized or mistreated because they use a mobility aid or prefer to rock an afro over straightened locks.
Black, in the case of Bet on Black, represents not only my racial identity, but all the identities that have historically been found drowning within the margins. The name Bet on Black is a declaration and a reminder.
Minority owned businesses deserve the same respect and loyal fan base as any other business out there. The name serves as a reminder of that for the masses. As a Black, queer, trans, non-binary human; it reminds me that I AM worthy and I AM capable in a world that works overtime to convince me otherwise.
When you join the Bet on Black family, you’re not only signing up for outstanding pet care, and outstanding the care will be indeed; you’re also signing up to become an extension of that safety bubble and support system.