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“Celebrate Neighbourhood Pet Store Day with us, from our family roots to yours.”
Prelude:
Neighbourhood Pet store Day is about supporting us, your local independent pet store while its great to shop local all year around Sept 25-27th showcases this. There's lots in the media about supporting local/Canadian business even more so now with the increasing tariffs. That's not what this blog is about. I'm writing to share another aspect of our or well my heritage. There is a big WHY Innisfil/Simcoe County is a place my family calls home.
Founding Family History
My roots (Stephanie) run deep in Innisfil, when my Great-Great-Great Grand Father (Alexander Ross) chose to start his family here is 1820's in Cookstown. They braved the wilderness to clear a homestead right on the West Gwillimbury/Cookstown border. Generations of my family were born and raised right here in Innisfil.
My ancestors logged the land, built up the historic Leonard Ross Farm, navigated the Great Depression, and watched Cookstown grow from a rugged pioneer outpost into a tight-knit community. My dad, Dennis, was born just up the road in Orillia while my grandparents, Doug and Joyce, lived in a traditional log-frame home, but our family's heart has always belonged to South Simcoe.
In 2009/2010, I officially moved back home to Innisfil. It’s where my husband Mike and I chose to raise our children, Alessandra and Maurizio.
Rooted in Farming and True Animal Care
When people ask where my passion for animal wellness comes from, the answer is simple: it’s in my blood. Long before Wilderness Raw opened its doors, generations of the Ross family lived in rhythm with the land and the animals that sustained it. Running a historic homestead meant that animal care wasn't just a daily chore, it was a way of life. From my great+ grandfathers down to my grandfather Doug, our family understood that livestock health required intuition, respect, and proper, natural care. They raised animals the old-fashioned way, knowing that the health of an animal always starts with how it is fed, sheltered, and respected. That multi generational understanding of what makes an animal thrive is exactly what drives us today. Alessandra even aspires to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in a few years.
A Local Friendship Built on Trust
When we look at our community today, we are reminded that local roots are built both by deep heritage and by the families we connect with along the way. In 2011, just one year after moving back, the Cattaruzza/Ross and Hill families became next door neighbours right here in Innisfil. Over the last 15 years, our families formed a tight bond, and our children grew up alongside one another. What started out as neighbours helping neighbours turned into a true partnership.
What "Shop Local" Means to Us
When you choose to shop at our pet store at 7905 Yonge Street, you aren't just buying raw food or treats from an anonymous retail shelf. You are supporting two real, homegrown Innisfil families who live, work, and raise their kids right down the street from you. We care deeply about the health of your pets because you aren't just customers to us, you are our neighbours, our friends, and part of the community my family has been proud to call home for two centuries.
Next time you are driving down Yonge Street, stop in and say hello to our team. We’d love to help feed your furry family members, swap a few local stories, and thank you face-to-face for keeping Innisfil a thriving community!
“ Come Celebrate Neighbourhood Pet Store Day with us — from our family roots to yours.”
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