Today we are travelling back 27 years ago to 1997. The year when the average cost of a gallon of milk was $2.67. The national average gas price was $1.23. 1997 is also the year NASA’s Pathway Probe lands on Mars. The year of the Green Bay Packers first Super Bowl win. Although I may be biased, one of the most exciting things about 1997 was the birth of World by The Tail, Inc., home of the best pawprint keepsake – ClayPaws®, the Original Paw Print Kit™.
On April 27th, we will be celebrating 27 years in business – our Golden Birthday!
The Beginning of the Best Pawprint Keepsake
Since we are celebrating, I want to take you back to how it all started.
While serving as Co-Founder and Director of Argus Institute for Families and Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University Teaching Hospital, Laurel Lagoni found that in times of worry or after a loss, people wanted an object that linked them to their pet. Often times these objects were their pet’s collar, a tuft of hair, a horseshoe etc.
One day a pet parent whose dog was having a risky surgery at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CSU), asked the grief counselors to make a paw print of her dog that she could hold on to during his procedure. Although this was not something they had done before, the team quickly grabbed some casting material and made a paw print for her. Although this print was messy and far from perfect, she sat in the waiting room holding on to that paw print all through her dog’s procedure. When her pet passed weeks later, she told the staff just how important that paw print had become to her, as she now always had a part of him.
The importance of that paw print is what led World by the Tail to be born. The Co-Founders of World by the Tail (Laurel Lagoni & Debby Morehead) worked hard to perfect the print making process we all know today. ClayPaws Print Kits have become much more than just a pawprint or product. They are tangible linking objects that help pet parents keep the feeling of connection with their pet and serve as reminder of your commitment to the human-animal bond.
And today, 27 years in business has proven ClayPaws Kits as the best pawprint keepsake.
A Thank You from our Small Business to Yours
Celebrating 27 years is a big deal, especially for a small, family-owned business like ours. Whether you have been here since the beginning, a hand-full of years, or you’re a new customer – we Thank You! Your trust in us and commitment to the human-animal bond is what keeps ClayPaws in the hands of pet parents. It is an honor to support you in your grief-support protocol and provide you with high-quality end-of-life products.
Gold Products for our Golden Birthday
In honor of our Golden Birthday, I want to highlight my two favorite gold ClayPaws accessories. One of my favorite charm accessories is our Gold-Plated Heart Charm. The 18k gold outline of a heart adds the perfect amount of charm (no pun intended) and can be incorporated on a print made of any animal. A customer favorite, as well as one of mine, is our “Forever-Loved” Ribbon. This ribbon can be threaded through a baked print, adding a special decorative touch. The saying “Forever Loved” symbolizes the love we always carry for our pet. A portion of the sales from both of these products go to benefit our Give Back Program!
Thanks again for being here! Here’s to 27 more!
Cassie McArdle
Customer Service
World by the Tail, Inc.