Have you ever been inspired to follow your passion? Maybe you want to design a golf course, start up a travel agency or write a book? They say anything's possible, and member Brenda Elliott discovered 'they' are right!

Brenda's passion is animals. She reached a point in her life when she decided to change direction and do something more meaningful. With the help of Assiniboine Credit Union, she soon saw her inspiration come to life within the walls of her new store, It's Raining Cats and Dogs. "When I first walked into the Business and Community Financial Centre to discuss getting a small business loan, the atmosphere was very positive," says Brenda. "I felt like they really wanted to help me and I wasn't just another number. The support I receive from ACU has always been fabulous."

Initially her idea was to open a pet boutique that would offer special and unique pet products not typically available at traditional retail outlets. However, Brenda's original plans changed shape as she learned more and more about animal nutrition.

Her interest in a particular treat for her four-legged customers pointed her to a company that makes a natural raw pet food. The lack of available commercial pet foods made from fresh food ingredients led Brenda to research pet nutrition and through that process, she learned that most processed pet foods do not provide animals with an optimal diet. This information spurred Brenda to expand her focus by offering nutritious dry, canned and frozen raw foods and providing basic nutrition counseling.

After being in business for ten years, Brenda and her employees have helped many pet owners understand the value of feeding animals properly to help their pets live a healthy and happy life. "We try to get people to think critically about what they're feeding their animals," says Brenda. "People have very close relationships with their pets. We should pay as much attention to what we feed them as we would our children."

It's Raining Cats and Dogs
620-B Academy Road