June 30, 2025 - The Dog EditionEdition

Driven by a passion for their own pets, Steve and Greta Hager opened Dogtopia of North Worcester after relocating from Texas.

WBJ's staff submitted photos of their own furry friends to be featured in the publication's first-ever Dog Edition. See more four-legged friends and reach about the ever-evolving dog industry here.

We each find the dogs perfect for us. Sometimes, it’s the first dog we adopt and grow up with. Othertimes, it’s everybody’s second-favorite dog, who always becomes exactly what we need just when we need it.

Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton's expansion couldn’t come at a better time, said Anne Lindsay of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition.

Suddenly, more and more owners are looking to companies to offer both more enriching services for their four-legged friends.

Not wanting to have feline fans of the WooSox left out, the club took the ambitious step of hosting its first Purr in the Park night in May.

Since 2012, Hertel has fostered nearly 200 dogs through the nonprofit Broken Tail Rescue in Worcester, in addition to adopting a number of the shelter’s older and special needs dogs.

Dogs have been immanently woven throughout the life of Dr. Eric Dickson, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health in Worcester.

When Worcester Railers Chief Operating Officer Michael Myers isn’t chasing the Kelly Cup, the championship trophy for winning the ECHL playoffs, he’s likely to be chasing after Kelly Pup, his four-year-old mini Aussiedoodle – the unofficial mascot for the hockey club.

A surprising amount of otherwise stern-faced lawyers have pets, something that can change Nguyen’s opinions of even the most aggressive bulldog attorney, she said.

Sherman came to Edison in a roundabout way. Several years ago, a dog breeder Edison knew selected some furniture in an exchange the two loosely considered a possible deposit for a dog one day.

Professionals working at UMass Memorial Health, Cornerstone Bank, and Thrive Support & Advocacy are taking steps forward in their careers.

As more companies prioritize mental health and connection, pet-friendly workplaces are gaining traction among business leaders.

Worcester City Council District 1 candidate Keith Linhares argues in favor of a land value tax, which taxes the value of land rather than buildings.

With a growing need to manufacture more products domestically and construct new housing, the manufacturing and construction industries need workers more than ever. Therefore, it’s disheartening to see the Trump Administration’s efforts to summarily close the national Job Corps program, including centers in Grafton and Devens.

The Dog Edition captures the serious business issues associated with the rising rates of pet ownership and costs of petcare, while still injecting plenty of the fun & love associated with our furry friends.

Dr. Michael Collins, the longest-serving chancellor of UMass Chan Medical School, will step down from his role leading the Worcester institution at the end of the 2025-2026 academic school year.