We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacy McFarlane and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Stacy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The Doggie Bakery Miami dream all started as an idea to help local homeless dogs. I lived in St. Kitts and Nevis where I was studying Veterinary Medicine. While living there, I noticed many animals didn’t have shelter, food, or someone to care for them. The island had a few good programs that helped the homeless and sick animals. I wanted to create something that could help these animals too! We had animal adoption centers and fosters on the island but not many treats or toys. With my veterinarian education and passion to help, I created healthy and nutritious treats for these dogs. My classmates began to buy these treats for their own pups on the island, for the adoption centers, and the local resident’s dogs. Everyone was happy to help a fur friend. Teachers got involved and the adoption coordinator allowed us to donate bags of treats for the new dogs that came into the center. The students and staff were grateful but most importantly, we were able to give many pups on the island, delicious yet nutritional treats. I moved back to the states where I finished my last year of vet school at the University of Florida. During this time, I pondered the idea of bringing my healthy, organic, preservative-free dog treats to the states.
That is how Doggie Bakery Miami was started, with the vision to have people around the states give their dogs treats that are healthy, nutritious, preservative-free and homemade by us! Once I graduated veterinary school, I had some more time to focus on this goal. I felt like I had run into a dead-end because I wasn’t sure where to go from here. I had an idea and I wanted to help bring these creations to the states so other pups can enjoy delicious yet nutritious treats too! It took some time to do research but I am thankful for family members that helped guide me with great resources. I had taken business classes during my undergraduate time at Cornell University, so I had a background in business planning but not a clue where to start the company I envisioned. I jumped into social media, got professional photos taken of our goods, and wanted to share my story with others while providing them with treats that were worth their money and absolutely nutritious. We have grown organically and we want to continue to share our story and provide all-natural, organic, and preservative-free treats for pups all over the US especially in our hometown Miami!
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I graduated from vet school in January 2019, where I have worked as a large animal veterinarian in Homestead, Fl. What I believe sets us apart from others, is that we formulate all our treats with professional advice, our handmade treats are made to enhance the pup’s health. We create treats that won’t give an upset stomach or cause further allergies. We also want to help make your pup’s birthday parties unforgettable. We are excited about all the opportunities we have here in Miami! We have partnered with various dog companies in South Florida to make all our services the best they can be. We have met many people who have fallen in love with our product and have accepted to sell it at their shops! When companies look to support small local shops we feel so blessed and encouraged. We have a fabulous dog photographer, our dog hotels are great, our dog gear companies are awesome, our clients are simply amazing and our goals are endless. We are excited about what the future holds. We want the world to know that our products are top of the line and that you’re not just a client when you purchase from us, you are now a part of the Doggie Bakery Miami Family.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Miami is a great city to visit, we have so much to do here! We would check out some local bakeries for breakfast. Have some Arepas from El Arepazo, some Cuban coffee & pastelitos from Isla Canarias and a delicious breakfast at La Industria. We would have to check out the Wynwood walls and Bayside Marketplace for some fun things to do! We would tour Miami Beach and South Beach while checking out their local bars. Go down to homestead to check out Schnebly Redland’s Winery and enjoy local fruit smoothies. Enjoy the sunset in Brickell and check out the malls for some shopping!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Huge shout out to our family & friends! To all our local dog companies, hotels, clothing brands, soniagtphotos40 pet photography, and supporters, we couldn’t continue growing if it wasn’t for all of you together. Thank you current clients and future clients. Lastly, to this wonderful magazine for taking their time to hear our story!
Website: www.mydoggiebakery.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/doggiebakerymiami
Facebook: www.facebook.com/doggiebakerymiami
Other: Check out our Instagram to view all our fabulous creations!
Image Credits
@soniagtphotos40 @miamidadepd