Lana Demkey, owner of Urban Tails in Winnipeg, Manitoba, left a 15-year career as a lawyer to help pets live happier, healthier lives through nutrition.

“I wanted to give people the tools they need so that when they know better, they can do better,” she explains.

A lifelong animal lover, Lana currently has four rescue dogs — Odin, Dolly, Lizzy, and Lacey — and proudly promotes the “adopt, don’t shop” mindset. That philosophy guides her passion for supporting rescues through fundraisers, adoption events, and other partnerships.

“So many of the rescues in Manitoba are incredible,” Lana says. “We’ve worked with half a dozen consistently for nearly seven years, and it’s rewarding to see dogs who arrived in terrible condition now visiting our store three times a week.”

Even while practicing law, Lana dedicated herself to animal welfare and served on the board of the Winnipeg Humane Society for a decade. She stepped back from legal work after having children, and when the time came to return, found herself asking: “Wouldn’t it be great to have my own store and give people everything they need to feed their pets better?”

Urban Tails officially opened in 2022 with the mission of providing high-quality products and services for pet lovers. The store also has a newly expanded grooming salon that serves dogs of all sizes and offers select services for cats.

For Lana, everything starts with food. It’s the foundation of health, she says, and the core value she has brought into her business.

“We want to be somewhere pet parents can go and not have any bad choices to make,” Lana explains. “You can’t feed your dog or cat junk food and expect a healthy animal. It’s no different from humans, and I consider my animals family.”

Her approach emphasizes whole, minimally processed ingredients. Urban Tails doesn’t carry anything with animal by-products or artificial additives, and you won’t find any rawhide on the shelves. Instead, their selection is intentionally curated to reflect another of Lana’s beliefs: “If I wouldn’t feed it to my own pets, I won’t carry it.”

Lana spends a lot of her time educating customers about ingredient quality and how to read labels. She also urges pet parents to incorporate fresh, whole foods whenever possible.

“What’s most important is teaching people what to look for, and what they never want to see,” Lana says. “If one of the first three ingredients isn’t real meat, put the bag down. If you can’t pronounce half the ingredients, put the bag down.”

When working with new pet parents, Lana starts by discussing their budget and the dog or cat’s background. She always suggests the least processed option possible, like frozen raw food, but also regularly recommends freeze-dried, air-dried, or dehydrated raw diets.

“I’ll always try to get them the best thing in their bowl that I can,” she says. “A lot of people don’t realize that the cheaper the food they buy, the more money they’re going to spend at the vet.”

Lana started carrying Smack in response to customer demand. Now, she recommends it as a complete meal, topper, training treat, or travel-friendly alternative to fresh food. Smack’s limited-ingredient recipes have also proven especially valuable for allergy-prone pets.

“Some of my favourite stories are people who come in because their dog or cat is on multiple medications and expensive hydrolyzed diets,” Lana says. “They want something that actually works for their pet, and Smack is a fantastic option for those cases.”

In addition to the product quality, Lana values her relationship with Smack.

“If I have a question or concern, I can pick up the phone and talk to a real person who helps me figure it out,” she says. “Smack has also helped promote my store by donating prize packs for fundraisers and silent auctions.”

All of Lana’s choices — from the products she carries to the rescues she supports — come back to one philosophy:

“At the end of the day, it’s about educating people on how to make their pets healthier and promoting adoption. Nutrition matters. Kindness matters. Those are the two things I’m most passionate about and the reasons why I’m even here.”

To learn more about Urban Tails and the products and services they offer, visit www.wherehappypetsshop.com.