Meet Haela St-Louis! Entrepreneur & VOKRA Supporter

Haela St-Louis is a young entrepreneur from North Vancouver who is passionate about baking and animals. The 11-year-old has started a baking company that makes pet treats and cakes, called the Barking Bakery. Haela donates 100% of her profits to animal rescues, using her birthday money to buy the ingredients.

By donating her profits to animal rescues like VOKRA, Haela is positively impacting the lives of animals in need. Her dedication to helping animals is inspiring, and it serves as an example for other young people to get involved in their local animal rescue organizations.

We spoke with Haela to learn more about her bakery and her motivations to get involved.

How long have you been baking and donating?

I started baking when I was very little but I officially started the Barking (and meowing) Bakery in January 2023. 

In total, how much have you donated to VOKRA kitties?

So far, we have donated $60 to VOKRA. I am curating a basket of treats and toys to raise even more money for VOKRA. I have also donated to many rescues like RAPS Sanctuary, Black Dog Rescue, PB and Chi, and more.

What is your long-term goal for your business?

I want to continue raising funds with my cakes and treats for rescues. My goal is to start a line of my own pet food and donate 100% of the proceeds. I am very inspired by the Love Nala pet food line (Nala is a rescue cat). I want to open a rescue sanctuary to help even more pets in need.

What local celebrity would you like to team up with to raise even more attention?

There are a few celebrities I would LOVE to team up with. Drake loves pets, and in his video God's Plan, he donated a million dollars to help random people. He is sensitive to suffering around him and would raise awareness of pet homelessness and abandonment. Also, I would love to team up with local celebrity Ryan Reynolds because he is very active with local philanthropic work. His character in Deadpool uses a Hello Kitty backpack and wears a t-shirt featuring Taylor Swift's cats, which is very cute. It would be out of this world to team up with either of them!

What has been the best moment so far in your Barking Bakery journey?

There have been several great moments so far. The best is making a difference with my donations. Also, having my products sold at Catoro (and soon Global Pet Foods Langley). I love spending time with the kitties at the RAPS adoption center. Being featured on Global News Feel Good Friday stories was also a great moment.

VOKRA relies on the support of volunteers and donations to continue its essential work, and Haela's contribution is greatly appreciated. Her $40 gift may seem small, but every little bit counts and can make a big difference in the lives of animals.

Haela's story is a reminder that anyone can make a difference, no matter how young or small they may feel. By combining their passions with a desire to help others, young people like Haela can positively impact their communities and the world around them.

If you're a young person looking to get involved in animal rescue organizations like VOKRA, consider volunteering your time or starting a fundraising project like Haela's Barking Bakery, we can make a difference in the lives of animals in need.