Locally Produced, Eco-Friendly Pet Products on Display at Two Upcoming Events

Pet products made with recycled, reclaimed and repurposed materials. Clockwise from upper left: Pink sparkly sweater with cotton candy faux fur collar; 36\" round pet bed; animal print raincoat with matching rain cap; 27x35 pet bed featuring Swedish Dala horses.

2008-08-22 00:57:53 - Local entrepreneur to display handmade, eco-friendly pet products at Linden Hills Woofstock and Doggie Palooza.

August 20, 2008, Minneapolis, MN - Now even Fido and Fluffy can reduce their carbon footprints, or paw prints, as it were. Northeast Minneapolis resident Shelley Leeson will display her handmade, eco-friendly pet products for sale at two upcoming canine-friendly events: Linden Hills Woofstock in September, and Doggie Palooza in October.

Leeson launched her eco-friendly business, Dog Beds for Less, last December with a line of pet beds, dog coats, raincoats, toys and other pet accessories made with recycled, reclaimed and repurposed materials. Leeson produces the products from her home workshop in Northeast Minneapolis.

Leeson, a part-time professional seamstress, said she started out producing her eco-friendly pet products strictly from thrift store finds, but has additionally developed relationships with some local businesses to 'reclaim' various new materials leftover from their manufacturing processes. 'I'm reclaiming textiles, foam and other materials that the manufacturers cannot use for one reason or another, usually size, and I'm keeping them from being thrown away and going into landfills,' Leeson said. 'I utilize virtually everything I acquire, and the businesses I'm working with are really happy that they are able to reduce their waste by giving me the materials to repurpose,' she added.

Linden Hills Woofstock will be held on Saturday, September 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Linden Hills business district at 43rd and Upton Avenue South. The event is dog-friendly, free to the public and will feature live entertainment, a dog-trick contest, a dog-friendly scavenger hunt and several pet related exhibitors.

Doggie Palooza, a Star Tribune Pet Central event, will be held on Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wolfe Park in St. Louis Park. Tickets for adults are $10 each, children under 12 and pets admitted free. The event will feature a disc catching demonstration, doggie fashion show, a fenced open-play area, vendor village and more. Additional information about the events can be found on their respective websites: www.lindenhillswoofstock.net and www.doggiepalooza.com.

Pet owners may also purchase some of Leeson's products at five local retailers: Linden Hills Natural Home in Linden Hills, Woody's Pet Food Deli in Southwest Minneapolis, Sunny Day Earth Solutions in Southeast Minneapolis, Cool Planet Goods in downtown Minneapolis and some of the Bibelot Shops' four locations. Leeson has also been selling her products at the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market, the Kingfield Farmers Market and on her website at www.dogbedsforless.com.

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Shelley Leeson
Dog Beds for Less
www.dogbedsforless.com
Email: DogBeds@Q.com
Ph. 612.788.1504
Fax: 612.788.1086

Press coverage:
Fox 9: March 2, 2008 (M.A. Rosko's segment re: Living Green Expo)
Pioneer Press: April 26, 2008 (Daily Life: Eco-Friendly Pet Accessories)
Star Tribune: Sunday, June 15, 2008 (Source: We Spotted It; Perchance to Dream, for pets)

Other facts:
--All materials used in production (except hook/loop for closures) are recycled, reclaimed or repurposed. Many materials are actually new and have been acquired as scrap from other local businesses/manufacturers, but were saved or reclaimed before being thrown away.
--Five percent of all Dog Beds for Less sales generated online in 2008 will be donated to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. www.wrcmn.org.
--Any leftover or imperfect materials are constructed into beds and donated to local canine rescue organizations.
--Shelley Leeson has been a resident of Northeast Minneapolis since 1995. Currently resides in the Waite Park neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis.
--Honored in the 2006 Northeast Parade as one of four Community Ambassadors (for community volunteerism). Voted by the Northeast Parade Committee (Northeast Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce).

Retail locations currently stocking products:
Linden Hills Natural Home, 2822 W. 43rd St (at Upton Ave. S.), Mpls., MN www.lindenhillscoop.com, 612.279.2479. Open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
(Carries dog beds, Walk Pal, Stuff-It)

Woody's Pet Food Deli, 3008 W. 50th St. (at Xerxes Ave. S.), Mpls, MN
www.woodyspetdeli.com/, 612.208.0335. Open Tues. - Sat. noon to 7 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays.
(Carries dog beds, Walk Pal, Stuff-It)

Sunny Day Earth Solutions, 1000 26th Ave. SE (at Como Ave.) Mpls., MN
www.sunnydayearthsolutions.com, 612.455.1355.
(Carries dog beds, Walk Pal, Stuff-It)

Bibelot Shops, www.bibelotshops.com. Four locations.
(Carries Walk Pal Mini and Stuff-It in new materials)

Cool Planet Goods, 1023A Washington Ave. S., Mpls., MN
www.coolplanetgoods.com, 612.333.3341. Open Tues.-Sat. noon to 6 p.m.
(Carries dog beds, Walk Pal, Stuff-It)

Upcoming 2008 events (see website for participation dates and more details):
--Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market (various Saturdays). Location: University Ave. NE/7th St. NE, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
--Kingfield Farmers Market (various Sundays). Location: 43rd/Nicollet Ave. S., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kingfield Farmers Market
--Linden Hills Woofstock, Saturday, September 13, 43rd/Upton Ave. S., 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Linden Hills Woofstock
--Doggie Palooza, Saturday, October 4, 2008, Wolfe Park, St. Louis Park, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Doggie Palooza
--Har Mar Arts & Crafts show, December 12-14, 2008.