Naturally Dogs and Cats opened with ribbon-cutting fanfare at 100 Trumbull Street this afternoon.
Prices range from reasonable-to-spendy. Some of the cat and dog treats are on par with what they would cost at Target or Petco.
The store carries natural products. The owners say that they are striving to sell mostly products manufactured in the United States, but were careful to disclose that certain items are from elsewhere and are marked as such.
Above, the “First Dog,” Betsy, patiently waits for a treat from Charlie Ortiz. She was one of several dogs who came to the opening ceremony and behaved themselves, despite being completely surrounded by food. Besides the kibble, canned good, and chew toys, there is a “cookie” display case.
Downtown dwellers now have lost all excuses for leaving their dogs’ waste on the sidewalks and in the grass. The store sells poop scoopers and waste bags.
The store will host animal adoption events organized with the City of Hartford Animal Shelter and local rescue groups. There are also plans for nutrition and pet care seminars, along with weekly social events.
They are open from 11am-7pm, Tuesday-Friday and 9am-4pm, Saturday. For those who don’t want to schlep heavy bags of litter and kibble on their bicycles, the shop offers curbside pick-up and delivery to homes and offices in Downtown.
Naturally Dogs and Cats is the second store to open through the iConnect program, which is partially funded by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Office of the Arts. The purpose of iConnect is to fill empty storefronts in Hartford.
