Ariela - A Pet Store with Love | My Visit to an Amazing Pet's Store...

When you think about a pet store, most of the time you think about a regular store as any other, that usually opens its doors just to earn money for its owner.

Most of the time when I visit a pet store to get a few supplies or toys for my lovely dog Zus (Meet Zus - My amazing 4 legged Wolf Dog Friend), I only meet briefly with other pet owners while we all spending our hard earned money for overpriced items, there isn't any special experience about it.

That's why when I heard about this amazing pet store called “Ariela's pet store”, I decided to put the effort to drive 30 kilometers to check out this place, even though I have quite a few pet stores at walking distance from my house on top of numerous websites offering their merchandise with free delivery and zero effort.

But the lovely concept of this specific store had intrigued my curiosity.

Watch the Dtube Video tour of the place

Just a week ago, I came across a personal Facebook post written by one of the workers at Ariela'l pet store that captivated me at that moment and I copy it to you here because I'm sure you'll immediately understand why:

p.s: it was originally written in Hebrew, but I have did by best to translate it for you:

Hey, my name is Chen and I've been working for about a year in Ariela's shop.
I must share with you my experience.
First of all, I would like to point out that before I started working with her, I heard about her life's work and accomplishments, but until I entered the store I did not realize how enormous and intensive it was.

People constantly bring us puppies, cats and dogs, wounded and neglected, with a request or demand that we take them in, or simply leave them in the middle of the night outside the shops door, so that when we arrive in the morning we will find them.

And although exposed, she adopts more and more and fights day and night for each and every one of them.

And how can you hear about that?
She is not sharing it in any place, she has never asked for help, her work is not supported by any organization, yet she funds sterilization for dozens of cats and dogs a month, hospitalizes the badly wooded for hundreds of thousands of shekels (a lot of money), and when I say hundreds of thousands, I stand behind it and I am willing to share invoices with you. ) from her own hard earned money.

Dozens of activists who collapsed financially due to their assistance to animals come to us every month to take merchandise for free.

What can I tell you, her hands are open to everyone!
All this and I have not mentioned food, medicine and regular maintenance.
After all, the store houses, over 250 four legged creatures, without counting the thousands that have been adopted during the 8 years that the place exists.

And all that Ariela (the owner) done all by her self.

I was present in dozens of situations in which people asked to donate when they arrived at the cashier and she always answers back, "Buy here and you will support us" .
If this is not a virtue of an amazing person, then what is?

I decided to pick up the glove and let you get to know her more closely, invite you to see her work closely and purchase food and products for your pets.

If anyone deserve this in my opinion is a person like Ariela and you are welcome to visit and judge with your own eyes. Ariela's shop is not only Ariela's, it belongs to all of us.

The store serves as a genuine animal shelter, but in this case only one person subsidizes it.
We, on our part, must accompany and support this full enterprise of giving.

To all those of you who have love for animals in their hearts, raise them at home and want more creatures to find a warm and loving home, you are invited to purchase with us and thus support a place where everything is for the well-being of the animals. "

After reading this post, I knew right away that i must meet Ariela in person and that from now on, every penny that I will spend on my dog will be spent in her place to help her work.

Even if the prices are higher (and they are not!), even if the 30 km will cost me time, money and discomfort, as a person who totally believes in conscious consumption and activism for a better world (even if it is passive), my soul will not rest if i will not try to contribute to a place THAT special.

When you come in, you will not want to leave

So, as part of the preparations and changes that me and my partner are having towards our first child, that is due to be born in a few weeks -> Zus, the most spoiled Husky in the world, must get used to some new house rules - not sitting or sleeping on the sofas is one of them.

And to be able to help him adjust as comfortably as possible, a new cozy bed that he could adopt and love easily was required.

Awesome -we had a reason to visit and support Ariela's shop!

It's not been 24 hours since I read the post and we're on our way.

The first thing we saw when we arrived, even before we went in, were dozens of beds (that cost hundred of dollars), bowls of food and water outside the shop with cats around them (in Israel, unlike many Western countries, street cats are quite common).

When we asked about it we were told that it was intended for the street cats from the area, so they would have a warm, dry and pleasant place to sleep in, as well as fresh food and water all the time.

When I went into the store I realized that the exciting post that accurately described what was happening in it did not prepare me for what I was going to feel in the next hour.

Dozens of cats and dogs roam around the store freely, jumping from one shelf to another then to a table and then to the floor with impressive athletics, drinking from the aquarium, playing with each other without quarrels over territory, without animosity or hostility between the species (so many dogs and cats living together is amazing to see), without the chaos that I expected to see.

Many of them were blind (from fighting or illness) and on many others you could see the hardships of life on the street with injuries and limps, abandoned and lost 'meaningless' creatures who found a home, a band, a mother.

The order in chaos

I recognized Ariella immediately, with a bucket full of water, bleach, a wiper and a mop in her hands washing the floor (another thing that amazed me was the smell of cleanliness when I entered the store, despite so many animals calling this place their home).

At that moment, the amount of appreciation I had for her increased even more.

To see a strong woman who not only gives her life, her money and her efforts to save animals, but also continues to wash the floors every day and look after the smallest and most sublime details.

This is a great woman in my eyes who deserves all the admiration in the world.

Ariela, the owner owner of the store

One of the most obvious things in the store is the perfect order and a total chaos that somehow managed to co-exist
In addition to the cats jumping from place to place, that try to hunt toys that hang on the walls, play with each other and come to steal caresses and treats from the customers, workers running between customers and dogs barking as some cheeky cat decides to be a bit too bossy, you can still see the order that enables the operation of the store day after day, year after year.

All the food and equipment are closed in glass cabinets that prevent the access of the curious animals that feel completely at home.

The workers are focused not only on caring for the animals, but also on the customers who support the store and allow the lights to be on every day.

The efforts to find foster homes for the animals are not halted even for a moment,
And when there seems to be an opportunity there is also an attempt to realize it.

Personal attention, smiles, detailed explanations and real concern for the benefit of the four-legged walkers are very noticeable, visitors get detailed explanation on how to take care of their new four legged friend, customers sit on the floor, caressing and curling up with the animal in a few minutes of happiness therapy, all in a wonderful co-existence.

There's no other way to say it, I've have never seen a pet shop like this and it moved me and touched my heart so very much.

Ariela - The woman behind the vision

So after we found the perfect bed for Zus , with the help of a dedicated worker, picked up a few healthy snacks, petted dozens of cats and dogs that were happy to give us back their love and got excited as we did not get excited for a long time, we were ready to go back.

Ariella looks like a motivated woman, full of energy and life force, who at any moment receives the strength to continue, to make and give, from the very act of making and giving itself, a rare and satisfying fulfillment cycle that I wish for all of us to experience.

With a big smile she accepted us and immediately recognized that this was our first meeting.
After chatting with us a bit about where we live, and who our dog is, a natural curiosity of how our girl will look (nevertheless, my half-Iraqi half-Tunisian and me half Russian - Georgian - Ukanian mix should be interesting :) ) we talked a bit about her work and her special store.
It seems that she has no pride or desire to pick credit for herself and that her whole being and purpose is to continue saving animals, even at the expense of her personal life.

All she wants from us is that we become customers and even said that they are shipping to our city (I do not think we will give up on the experience of coming to the store and get all this love from the sweet animals any time soon).

From that moment we became fans and are telling all the pets owners we know about this amazing store and this amazing woman.

When we went outside we could not help feeling the satisfaction of supporting such a place and receiving so much love from so many animals.

In one simple and totally selfish action you suddenly feel part of something bigger that makes so much good and it's just wonderful!

So from the most egotistical place in the world I want to say to Ariella and everyone who takes part - deep thanks!

So this is the story of Ariela - a Pet Store with love (this is the full and official name of the place) that fulfills every day a value-filled vision of love and giving that is not based on capitalistic pursuits, but on a desire to help and contribute to the world by caring for animals.

To me it is such an inspiring place that I could not help but share with you.

I really hope that this concept will expand and grow and that all the abandoned animals will find loving homes or at least a pet shop that will be their temporary loving home.

If you ever get to visit Israel, make sure to visit this wonderful place.... You will enjoy every second of it.

Please enjoy the rest of the pictures and let me know what you think about Ariela's place in the comments.