Sun's Out, Zoomies Out 🌞

🗓️ April Updates from the Zoomies Pack 🐕

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Hi friends!

I imagine we're all breathing a collective sigh of relief now that spring is making its presence known 🌷. Of course, it's a Midwest spring which means I consistently choose the wrong outer layer for that day, but hey, we're in the home stretch - warm weather and sunny days are just around the corner.

Raising funds continues to be the name of the game right now 💰. We've had success linking up with two incredible investors who believe in the cause and want to help bring it to life, but we've still got a ways to go to reach our funding goal. I've been pounding the pavement to spread the word about Zoomies far and wide; aiming to connect with as many people as possible to find those who both believe in what we're building and have the resources to help make it happen. Shoot me a message if you'd like to learn more about getting involved!

Part of my outreach lately has also involved networking with fellow entrepreneurs in the pet space so I can learn from their journeys, particularly in terms of how they got from 0 to 1. Every meeting leads to another, and it's just a matter of time until we have the right support to bring this vision to life.

If you haven't already heard through our socials, we found a space that we really like in a fantastic part of town, located right on the border of Avondale and West Lakeview. We're actively in conversations with the landlord, but basically can't move the ball much further without sufficient funding.

Because things are moving at a different pace than I'd originally anticipated, and because I can't bear the thought of another winter season without a better option, I'm exploring the idea of a short-term pop-up this winter. It may not be the glorious, large-scale, turfed haven we've been aiming to deliver, but it would at least address our most basic needs -- somewhere warm, dry, and safe to take our pups when it's nasty outside. We've got some research to do, and I'll be floating some proposals to see if we can make it happen with our investors already on board. If it's possible, we'll do everything we can to bring a Zoomies "lite" to life sooner - even if just for a season to bridge the gap to the bigger vision.

In the meantime, we're looking forward to making the most of this beautiful Chicago summer! You'll find us out in the community - attending, sponsoring, and hosting events in collaboration with local businesses and nonprofits that share our values.

In early March we were honored to be a sponsor of the K9 Therapy Corps Annual Gala and, this past weekend, we hosted a booth at the Horner Park Doggy Easter Egg Hunt and met some of the cutest bunny-eared pups we've ever seen! (pictured above)

We'll also be featured as one of the primary sponsors of the PAWS Chicago 5k coming up in September! We plan on getting involved in as many community events as possible to support causes that we love.

Our goal in all of this is more than just spreading the word - it's to begin bringing real value to the community that Zoomies was meant to serve from the start. Even before we've secured a space, we want to start delivering on our mission. Stay tuned for updates as events start to fill the event calendar - we're excited to see you all soon!

Finally, there's a piece to our mission with Zoomies that we haven't really talked about yet, but it is really important to us and a huge motivator driving us to bring this space to life.

We started with a simple idea: dog ownership should feel more doable. If you live in the city, you probably know how tough it can be to give your dog the kind of exercise and socialization they need - especially during the winter months. Small apartments, icy sidewalks, long workdays...it adds up. We want Zoomies to be a space that makes it easier (and way more fun) to do the right thing for your dog, all year long.

We are the parents of two adopted pups that bring us so much joy every single day - and we know how many amazing dogs are waiting in shelters for someone to give them their forever home. The truth is, a lot of people would love to adopt, but the logistics of city living can make it feel out of reach, if not irresponsible. We believe that if we can make dog ownership more accessible, we can help more people say "yes" to adoption - and make it easier for shelter dogs to find loving homes for good. 🐶💘🏠

We're thinking beyond just building a dog park. We want Zoomies to actively support the rescue community - not just in theory, but in practice. One of the things we're planning to offer is free memberships to people who've recently adopted a dog. If we can make life with a new dog a little easier and give people the means to responsibly adopt, maybe more people will feel confident welcoming one (or two!) into their home. Adoption numbers tend to dip in the winter, but Zoomies should help keep that momentum going year-round. We also hope to host adoption events, offer overflow space when shelters are full, and give long-term shelter dogs a much-needed break from the kennel - somewhere to run, explore, and just be a dog for a day.

Whether you've been following since day one or just stumbled across us recently, we're endlessly grateful that you're here. We hope you and your pups have an amazing summer out there - and we're working hard to make sure there's someplace warm waiting for you when it's over. Can't wait to share more updates soon.

With love and muddy paws,

Devon

Founder & CEO, Zoomies 🐕💨💨

Ruby and Lily would love to hear from you!

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