Top Dogs: The Story of how Shelley Gunton and Brian Connolly began Castor & Pollux Pet Works

It all started with Joey. The adorable lab/pointer mix puppy rescued from the humane society in Toronto. He was an only child for many years and knew how to use many combinations of sad brown eyes, a tail that wagged faster than the wings of a hummingbird, and slobbery kisses to get ANYTHING he wanted. He was good ... really good.

So good that Shelley Gunton and her husband Brian Connolly started a pet food business just to keep him satisfied and healthy. That was 20 years ago. Since then there's been Sherlock, the rescued English Pointer with a bad leg, Hoover, the extremely hyperactive adopted Dalmatian, and Chester, the St. Bernard/Collie mix from Project Pooch. Oh yes, there are real two-legged children now too. Three of them and they're teenagers now. It's a toss up which members of the family are better behaved now - the two-legged or four-legged ones! You'll have to let us know how things are in your household!

"Top Dog" Shelley Gunton & "Pack Leader" Brian Connolly
Shelley was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug early on. After she and Brian completed their M.B.A's, they entered the world of banking with the Royal Bank of Canada. Not being one to spend time shopping and frustrated by the lack of mail order catalogs in Canada, Shelley began a mail order women’s clothing and accessory business called Silver Linings, eventually leaving her position with the bank to run the business full time. When Brian was offered a position in Hong Kong, Shelley sold Silver Linings and prepared for a new adventure.

After completing the Bank's International Management Training Program, Brian was appointed as the president’s assistant during which time he gained invaluable experience. Because he was recognized as a motivated and talented go-getter, Brian was rewarded with the opportunity of a lifetime: moving to Hong Kong to help establish a joint venture with mainland China to help finance foreign companies looking to do business there.

The couple’s beloved pooch, Joey, was not up for the same adventure. He was quarantined for six months with Brian and Shelley visiting him every day. Mealtime in quarantine was not what Joey was used to ... back then, Iams® was his choice but it was not available in Hong Kong. Never fear! Shelley and Brian began flying in bags of Iams dog food from a distributor in Singapore, which led to the couple’s next entrepreneurial adventure: an Iams distribution business based in Hong Kong.

Shelley had begun work as the Executive Director for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Hong Kong branch, hosting Canadian officials on their visits to China. At night, she and Brian would hop in their little Toyota to deliver Iams to others who saw how Joey was thriving. What started as one stack of dog food in their bank apartment grew to multiple stacks and then rooms full of product!

With the way their little side business was growing, the couple realized an opportunity existed and pursued a distribution agreement with Iams. Shelley decided to devote all of her energy to making the business a success and to improving the quality of food available to dogs and cats in Hong Kong.

Then, in 1987 Brian left the bank to focus on their pet food distribution business, a move many (including Shelley's mother!) thought paws-down crazy. Gone was the bank apartment, health insurance, travel allowances, and any other "perks" associated with being an expatriate. Instead, living quarters changed to a low-end apartment with rusty water and a serious cockroach problem as they tried to build their fledgling company.

By the time the couple sold their company and left Hong Kong in 1993, they had begun their two-legged family and transformed their small distribution company into a multi-million dollar business with operations in Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. As much as Hong Kong represented an electric environment in which to live and do business, it was time to return to North America for the children.

Brian and Shelley purchased a pet food and supplies distribution business in Portland, Oregon. Quickly they learned how to pronounce things properly in the Northwest - "Oregun", not "Ore-gone" for example - and quickly the company grew. They even introduced the first gravy for pet food, Toppers Gourmet Sauces for Dogs & Cats - quite the innovation back in those days!

As the pet industry began evolving and the interest in more natural and healthy products for dogs and cats escalated, Brian and Shelley saw another opportunity. The origins of Castor & Pollux Pet Works were based on their firm belief that dog and cat owners were seeking better quality products for their four-legged family members. And, that these same pet parents truly considered their dogs and cats members of their family, not just "pets".

Work began on developing the first branded, premium quality line of natural pet products that would provide pet parents with healthy, safe and innovative choices for their dogs and cats. Brian and Shelley assembled a team of experts in animal nutrition, organic and natural ingredients, processing, packaging, distribution, veterinary medicine, and technology. Their goal was to develop specialty products in the top 12 categories in pet food and supplies to provide pet parents with a natural pet food and treats brand they could trust regardless of their dog or cat's needs.

Following the sale of their distribution business, Castor & Pollux Pet Works launched in 2000 with 150 products. Organix, the first organic pet food made with certified organic free-range chicken as the #1 ingredient in both dog and cat formulas and that met the National Organic Program's labeling requirements, followed a few years later. In 2006, Natural Ultramix was introduced with six meat-based protein sources in the dog and cat food formulas AND real fruits and vegetables blended with the kibble.

Winner of multiple awards, Organix now represents the most extensive selection of natural and organic pet food and treats available. And, there's still more to come!

Natural Ultramix provides a healthy option for pet parents that is not organic but represents exceptional value in natural dog and cat foods, with high meat content and real fruits and vegetables in every bag! With formulas for puppies, kittens, adult dogs and cats, indoor cats and overweight canines, Natural Ultramix covers lifestages and lifestyles. 

All for the Love of Pets
As Castor & Pollux grows, consistently bringing new all natural and organic pet products to the market, Brian and Shelley won’t lose sight of what ultimately brought them here: the love of their pets. The two have made a commitment to community service through their Pet & Soul Foundation, as founding sponsor of freekibble.com, and through their support of organizations that work with pets and people for the benefit of both. Guide Dogs for the Blind, Project Pooch, AniMeals, and many other deserving animal support groups all benefit from the company's dedication to the well-being of pets. Brian and Shelley are also active as volunteers in their communities - in the schools, in sports, and in a variety of support organizations. But it all started with Joey.