In early 2024, Tonya had an idea, as often would come to her in the middle of the night: to create healthy, ethically sourced pet treats as a natural addition to the products she and Chris were already offering on Wow-Finds Worldwide. While their focus had primarily been on all-natural, locally sourced, Canadian-made products for people, Tonya envisioned a new path forward, expanding their mission to:

“Good for YOU and YOUR PETS. Good for the PLANET. Made in CANADA.”

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Tonya set her sights on novel protein treats, but sourcing quality products locally proved challenging. She shifted gears and thoughts, if I can’t find these types of products locally then there is likely a need for them. She set to work researching methods and found that dehydrating was the perfect start. With a blend of excitement and determination, she quickly got to work, despite juggling a demanding 18-year career in scientific research equipment sales and marketing.

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One small step at a time, she began shifting her focus, gradually moving towards her true passion—building B&T Pets alongside Chris, who had already left his job to concentrate full-time on their online ventures.

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By May 2024, Tonya decided to leave her job, initially planning a three-month transition, but her excitement propelled her to jump in within two weeks, fully committing to the B&T Pets vision. Prior to her resignation, a conversation with their friend Ian led to an opportunity: using extra space in his pet shop to set up a kitchen. Together, Chris and Tonya committed to the highest standards, building a commercial-grade kitchen, earning food-handling certification, and ensuring only human-grade, ethically sourced ingredients.

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On June 30, 2024, the first B&T Pets treats were introduced at the Pinery Market in Grand Bend, where the response from pet owners—and their pets—was overwhelming. Week after week, demand grew, and they worked tirelessly to keep up. Through the summer, they refined their processes, expanding their unique offerings while their small dehydrator worked around the clock.

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In October 2024, a grant from the Ontario government allowed them to purchase additional equipment—a larger dehydrator and a freeze dryer. With this new capacity, Chris and Tonya formally established B&T Pets as its own brand, aiming to serve pet lovers across Ontario and eventually all of Canada.