Behind the brand: why i left emergency medicine to start paw & pestle

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”

-Mahatma Gandhi

For years, Dr. Elena Shockman worked on the front lines of veterinary emergency medicine — caring for pets in their most vulnerable moments and supporting families through some of their hardest days. It was deeply meaningful work, but also eye-opening.

Again and again, she saw pets facing serious conditions that might have been prevented with earlier intervention or consistent wellness care. What began as individual cases started to look like a larger pattern — one that reflected not a lack of love, but a lack of access, communication, and trusted preventive tools.

A System Strained by Mistrust

Over time, Elena began to see not just the medical emergencies, but the emotional ones — the growing rift between veterinarians and the pet parents who depended on them.

Clients came in armed with articles, influencer recommendations, and bottles of supplements purchased online. They wanted to do right by their pets, but they weren’t sure who to trust.

Meanwhile, veterinarians were stretched thin — racing from appointment to appointment, lacking the bandwidth to investigate every supplement trend or nutraceutical question that walked through the door. Many felt trapped between skepticism and silence, knowing that recommending a product could be perceived as a sales pitch rather than sound medicine.

“It broke my heart,” Elena has said. “Pet parents were desperate for guidance, and vets were desperate for time. Somewhere in that disconnect, trust got lost.”

From Crisis to Prevention

That quiet erosion of trust — and the preventable suffering it fueled — became impossible for Elena to ignore.

She began to imagine something different: a platform that empowered veterinarians to confidently recommend products backed by research, and helped pet parents make informed choices without second-guessing their care team.

In that vision, Paw & Pestle was born.

More than a marketplace, it’s a movement — one grounded in evidence, empathy, and ethics. Every prescription, every supplement, every product offered through Paw & Pestle is veterinarian-approved, science-forward, and transparent in sourcing and efficacy.

Reclaiming the Heart of Veterinary Medicine

For veterinarians, Paw & Pestle represents more than a new revenue stream — it’s a reclaiming of integrity. It allows practices to keep prescription and supplement recommendations in-house, rather than losing clients (and trust) to big-box online retailers.

For pet parents, it offers something equally powerful: peace of mind. The assurance that their pet’s care plan comes directly from their veterinarian, rooted in evidence, not marketing.

“It’s about restoring the partnership between vets and pet parents,” Elena explains. “We both want the same thing — longer, healthier, happier lives for the animals we love.”

A New Standard for Care

Paw & Pestle is built on a simple but radical belief: prevention is not an add-on — it’s the foundation of health.

And in that belief lies a quiet revolution.

One where veterinarians have the tools and trust they need to guide their clients fully.

One where pet parents can choose products with confidence, not confusion.

One where fewer animals end up on stainless steel tables under emergency lights.

Because veterinary medicine, at its best, isn’t just about treating illness.

It’s about building wellness — together.

With compassion and care– always,
Dr. Elena Shockman

From prescription to prevention .
Trusted by vets. loved by pets.