Pet Parents Find A Home With TheHowl.co
If there’s one being for whom my love (and my budget) knows no bounds, it’s my dog, Hank. That quirky, attention-loving little noodle is the love of our lives; he’s the light in the darkness after a bad day at work, and the exclamation point on the happiest of times.
For you 80,000 animal lovers in the Chattanooga area whose love for your dogs and cats also knows no bounds, Dana Shavin understands you. She created TheHowl.co for people just like us.
TheHowl.co is a new, locally-focused website that offers an abundance of information for pet parents and animal lovers of all stripes.
Combining animal advocacy with edgy, entertaining, and sometimes wacky lifestyle content (you’ll find fortune cookie poop bags in the Howl.co gift guide; you’ll get the low-down on goat and kitten yoga by people who have been there and done that), it’s the go-to site for links to all area animal shelters and rescues, and boasts a bounty of additional resources.
There’s a listing (with links) to restaurants that allow you to dine with your dog; information on how to report animal abuse when you see it; a lost pet network; ways to get involved in animal causes on the local and national level; and trail reviews written by local people who have been on those trails with their dogs and can tell you exactly what to expect.
And that’s just the beginning. You’ll find emergency numbers, a section called Vet Talk where area vets will be weighing in on medical issues, information about local wildlife rehabilitators, a section for and about cats, and a dog behaviorist/trainer who answers your training questions right on the site.
TheHowl.co also has a community calendar which lists fundraisers and other pet-friendly events happening area-wide.
Dana says she created TheHowl.co as a kind of homage to all the dogs, cats and horses that stood by her throughout the years.
“I started out my career as a therapist and psychological examiner, after which I became a full-time artist, editor, and freelance writer,” (she has been a monthly columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press since 2002). “I’ve lived way out in the country on horse farms, in dicey city neighborhoods, and in suburbia; but wherever I was living, whatever I was doing, I was always anchored by my animals. They got me through some scary times in my twenties; and some of my happiest memories are wrapped around them as well,” she says.
Over the years she’s volunteered for various animal organizations in the community, including painting a mural on the walls of The Adoption Option at Northgate Mall years ago, painting one of the cat rooms at McKamey, and donating art to countless fundraisers. But she always wanted to do more.
When a boyfriend/fellow dog lover started Seattle Dog Spot, Dana knew she’d found her calling. She teamed up with Phyllis Mescon, “a fellow animal lover and true visionary,” and together they attended Co-Lab’s nine-week Co-Starters program. After five intensive months, TheHowl.co was born.
The Howl is advertiser-supported. Businesses can choose from banner ads, side-page ads, and sponsored content.
There are other ways to support the work of The Howl as well, including by purchasing their signature black and white T-shirts and hoodies, locally sourced and printed with Dana’s original art logo; purchasing tributes to meaningful people and/or animals for The Howl’s Tribute Wall, and by simply donating.
“The Howl is the perfect ad spot for businesses wanting to reach pet lovers, active individuals, the outdoorsy, the health conscious, and those who hike, play, eat and drink in the Chattanooga area,” says Dana. “And pretty soon we’ll be looking to do some cross-promotional events with area businesses. We have big plans!”
Check out the TheHowl.co, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram at Howl Chattanooga. And next time you’re looking for the perfect activity, gift, or dog-friendly restaurant, remember: Don’t Google it. Howl it!