Eight-year-old Rachel Cantwell became inspired while watching her mother put on a fancy dress for a business event she was attending. The ambitious second grader decided she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and start her own business so she could one day attend a fancy ball herself.

While pondering what type of business she wanted to create, Rachel thought of her new puppy Olive. She decided to start a business collecting donations to help other pets at local animal shelters. Along with her mothers help, Rachel launched Paws & Tails in early February. To help get the word out to family and friends, the Cantwell’s started a blog all about Paws & Tails.

According to Rachel, all animals deserve a loving home.

“Olive she is really fast and she is starting to be a good dog and I love her,” Rachel explained. “I want all the other dogs to be loved too.”

Following a visit to the King County Animal Shelter in Bellevue, Rachel and her mom began collecting much needed supplies including blankets and towels, fans to keep the animals cool during the hot summer months, and radios to play music while workers are away. She also collected money to purchase much needed dog and cat toys at a local Petco. The first round of fundraising brought in $115 and a trunk full of donated blankets and towels.

Rachel makes sure to spend time with the animals during each visit to the shelters.

“I love the cats and seeing them playing with one of the toys I brought them,” she said.

New donations will be brought to the Humane Society in Bellevue.

“I hope people will donate more blankets, towels, fans and radios. Because I want every animal to feel safe and live safe,” Rachel wrote on her blog. “And this also helps people. Because when people look at poor animals, you don’t think of happy things. And people like being happy. And I want every animal to be happy playing with toys and sleeping happy under a nice, warm blanket.”

To read Rachel’s blog or to donate to Paws & Tails, visit http://rachelcantwell.wordpress.com/ .