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Local woman’s new business delivers food to pets

GSN NEWS STAFF

From a 25-year career as a 911 operator for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Anna Baum has started a new career as a small-business operator that’s a kind of UberEats for pets.

Baum owns a franchise for Pet Wants Gilbert North, a mobile pet-food delivery that specializes in small-batchproduced healthy food and treats for dogs and cats.

Her new gig – serving virtually the entire Valley – is giving her a chance to exercise what she learned in her pre-DPS career as a food-service manager as well as an opportunity to own her own pet again without feeling guilty about leaving it alone while she works.

“I grew up with dogs, cats, horses, cows, chickens and goats,” Baum explained. “I was never without a faithful dog until my last two died a little over two years ago. Due to my long hours as a 911 communication manager with DPS, I did not get another dog. I felt it was better to wait until I retired.”

Now the owner of cat – which she said “acts as close to a dog as a cat can get” – Baum delivers food ordered online from a 7-year-old Cincinnati, Ohio, company started by two women who began making food for their dog after discovering large-producer, commercial food actually made their pet sick.

Besides selling multiple blends of dog and cat food that the company says contains high-quality proteins and never uses added sugar, fillers, animal by-products, corn, wheat, soy or dyes, Pet Wants also sells healing salve, calming balm, anti-itch spray and paw wax.

Along with having a job that doesn’t require the long hours of 911 operator, Baum said her food-delivery service fulfills another post-retirement goal. ”I wanted something that was interactive with the community doing something I loved,” she said. “I found Pet Wants and it was exactly what I was looking for. I could interact with the community in a capacity I had a passion for – animals and health and wellness.”

She undertook training last month “on the various kinds of pet food, ingredients and how supplements can be helpful, the various kinds of afflictions pets can have and how food can make such a big difference in how pets behave and how long they live. “I practice preventive care for myself so it was a natural fit to extend that to talking about good food for your pets,” she added. That training enables her to help customers make the right choices when they peruse the various kinds of food offered on Pet Wants’ website. “I can work with them and share information with them that will help them make informed decisions about what kind of food to feed their pets,” Baum said. “They can order online but that’s only one part of the relationship. The other part is getting to know their pets and helping them learn how to address issues as they arise.”

“Pet Wants is different because we provide fresh, holistic products in a way that’s convenient and personal. We have the knowledge and training to help our customers find the best solutions for their individual pets and the resources to help pets live long, healthy lives,” Baum said. “We want to support you and your pets as they grow and age and their needs change over time.”

As she planned for retiring and going out into the marketplace as a solo business owner, Baum had anticipated her father would be working with her. But he passed away in December.

Recovering from her loss was the biggest challenge she faced as she launched her business but she finds some comfort in the fact that her delivery vehicle had been her father’s and “while he is not here to help me, he will be with me always.”

And there’s another part of her new career that’s especially appealing.

“My kids and their families, my mom and aunt and my sister are all excited about being a part of this new adventure so it will be very family-centric, with something fun for everyone to do,” Baum said. “After all the missed holidays over the years working as a 911 dispatcher and manager, I am looking forward to the time spent with my family, serving the community in a different way.”

It also gives her time to continue volunteering in the community, serving homemade dinners to homeless women in Mesa. “Pet Wants is going to be the hub of our family – I’m looking forward to spending time working together and having the kind of flexibility you can’t have working for a 911 communications center,” Baum said. “After serving my community for 25 years, coupled with my holistic way of living, I felt strongly that Pet Wants was aligned with my values and would be a good way to continue to give back to the community in a positive, uplifting way.”

Information: abaum@petwants.com, petwants.com, 480-867-3922.

Anna Baum, pictured here with her cat Lucy, operates a mobile pet food delivery service. (Special to GSN)

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