“Love Doggo Treats” Treats Shelter Pets at PCSO Animal Services
by James Coulter
Three high school students with special abilities appeared at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services on Wednesday to share their homemade pet treats with shelter animals. The three students and their parents help run “Love Doggo Treats”, a local small business that prepares homemade pet treats from all-natural, organic ingredients.
They had the opportunity to visit the PCSO Animal Services in Winter Haven on Wednesday to donate their homemade treats and share them with some of the shelter animals there. Sheriff Grady Judd himself took time out of his busy schedule to meet with the three students and help them feed the animals.
Sheriff Judd commended these young people for starting their own business and succeeding with it, especially with their special needs. These young people are learning the value of hard work and giving back to their local community, he said.
“They are doing an awesome job,” Sheriff Judd said. “Their parents work with them, and they are teaching them a business, and I cannot think of something more awesome than teaching them about capitalism and working hard. When you work hard, you make money, and good things happen when you work together and make things happen. So it is pretty awesome.”
Emry Dykes and Robert Norris, who have Down syndrome, and Mia Linamen, who has Autism, are high school classmates. They started Love Doggo Treats as a way for them to work on a project together and share their love of animals.
The three students, under the supervision of their parents, prepare and bake their own homemade pet treats from all-natural ingredients. They then sell their products at local events, farmer’s markets, and even door-to-door through on-line sales.
Love Doggo Treats, as previously reported by Daily Ridge, has grown so popular and successful over the past four months that demand has surpassed what they can produce in their home kitchen. As such, they are seeking local sponsors to help facilitate the cost of their operations.
Brandy Dykes, the mother of Emry, and one of the three CEOs, appreciates how her daughter and his classmates have learned to work together to run a business. She was especially proud that they were able to meet Sheriff Judd and donate their treats to their facility.
They owe their success thus far two good friends and their faith in Jesus Christ. They plan on adding more young people with special abilities in their ranks to help them further their endeavors. Until then, they will continue the good work, Dykes said.
“We wanted to come and share some treats with some of the dogs here at animal control ready to be adopted,” she said. “They are three teenagers with special abilities who love dogs and have the art of baking treats. And they go out into the community and sell and serve.”
For more information about Love Doggo Treats, visit their website at: https://www.facebook.com/Love-Doggo-Treats-113170244187713/
