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Dogs from every corner of the world have become one of the top customers for the COLLAR Company, the Ukraine-based pet product manufacturer launched in December 1995. Yuriy Sinitsa, the company’s founder and CEO, describes how his company has served dog parents and their canine companions in his country as well as around the world.
How was the COLLAR Company able to operate despite Ukraine’s military conflict with Russia?
Despite the war in Ukraine, the COLLAR Company worked at full capacity, released new collections of pet accessories and took part in such pet trade fair exhibitions as Interzoo, Zoomark and SuperZoo.
After months of severe disruption in 2022 due to heavy fighting in the Chernihiv region, we shipped our first order to Ukraine on March 29. Furthermore, on April 19, 2022, our team shipped a container to Japan with regarding previous agreements. By June 2022, we have restored almost all business and manufacturing processes. This was made possible due to implemented internal processes, such as lean manufacturing and Kaizen, a Japanese business term for incremental changes.
As a socially responsible business, even in times of war, we create patriotic collections of pet accessories. A portion of these proceeds are donated to support demining efforts in Ukraine and the Animal Rescue Fund UA Animals. Our popular HERRRO collection was designed in collaboration with Patron, the famous Ukrainian bomb-sniffing dog.
Over the past two years, our partnerships have helped to donate pet food, WAUDOG pet accessories and SuperCat litter to animal shelters Happy Paw, Sirius and Zoopatrul UA in the Kyiv region as well in Step with Pets in the Chernihiv region.
COLLAR Company built the Chernihiv-Arena sports complex and developed youth sports in the native city. Although the stadium was shelled during the heavy fighting in Chernihiv, we worked on its reconstruction and still hold football classes for the citizens of Chernihiv.
What are your company’s most innovative dog products?
Our most innovative products are the dog fitness tool PULLER, our bright and eye-catching WAUDOG accessories and AiryVest, which is the lightest dog coat in the world. Depending on its size, an AiryVest weighs between 1.5 to 7 ounces. The coat is warm, reversible, versatile and stylish. It is designed for active dogs – perfect for running, jumping and outdoor adventures. The AiryVest is a multi-seasonal coat that is great for cold spring, cold fall and mild winter. It is easy to wash and compact for easy storage and transportation. AiryVets has a wide range of sizes for any breed, from the smallest XS to the largest L.
Why should US pet retailers want to carry WAUDOG products?
The COLLAR Company releases innovative high-quality products with unique features that perform tasks that no other manufacturer has ever done. For example, EVOLUTOR, the world’s strongest collar and leash, comes with a straightforward lifetime warranty. Bright WAUDOG pet accessories have a worldwide lifetime warranty for plastic and metal hardware. ID tags with QR passports are added to all WAUDOG products.
Being socially responsible, the COLLAR Company carries out its social projects, supports the team and revives the Ukrainian economy. And working in business is one of the main contributors to common success.
What can you tell us about the PULLER fitness tool and the World Dog Puller Championship?
PULLER, an innovative dog fitness tool, is one of the main best-selling products. The unique concept of the two PULLER rings lies in creating a new level of interaction between a pet parent and a dog. A fitness tool helps a dog owner control his dog’s attention and move it from one ring to another at a time. The main Puller exercises are running, jumping and pulling. This is how pet and dog owners train.
More than 100 participants will take part in the Dog Puller Championship 2023 which will take place in Poland, near Wroclaw, on September 30 and October 1. The main disciplines are Running and Jumping. Furthermore, team members can compete in additional and entertaining disciplines such as Round, Field, Mix, Pullgility I and Pullgility II.
Varvara Petrenko, president of the International Dog Puller Federation, and Serge Shkott, founder of the innovative dog fitness tool PULLER, were present at the event. The Dog Puller World Championship is sponsored by COLLAR Company. Official Dog Puller Federations are represented in countries such as Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Canada and the United States.
