Our Story — Why Wagisk Exists

Hi, I'm Iris. Wagisk is built on the memory of two animals who shaped my life: a cat named Prometheus and a husky named Aria.

Prometheus

The cat distribution system brought Prometheus to me. He was a stray — the sweetest boy I'd ever met, a true velcro cat. From day one he slept on my pillow. When I came home from school he'd light up, and so would I. He followed me everywhere. When I was reading, he'd settle on my lap or curl up on my chest and just stay there. The sense of peace a cat brings is hard to describe unless you've had one of your own.

I had him for two beautiful years. Then one day he got outside and never came back. I searched for weeks. He never returned. That was the first time my heart broke for an animal, and I cried for months.

Aria

When I finally thought I was somewhat healed, Aria came into my life — a husky, full of energy, the kind of dog who turned every walk into a sprint. Zoomies were a daily event, uncontrollable and joyful. With her, things felt light and bright again. She was my best friend, and she had energy for two lifetimes.

But unlike with Prometheus, my time with Aria didn't end suddenly. It ended slowly.

When everything started to slow down

The shift happened gradually. Joint stiffness first. Then the small moments that broke my heart: she'd hesitate before jumping into the car. She'd circle the same spot three times before lying down because nothing felt comfortable. Each one felt minor on its own. Together, they meant my best friend was getting old.

I started looking for things that would help — a ramp she could actually use, a bed that wouldn't compress under her weight, supplements that actually supported her joints. What I found was a market overwhelmingly designed for puppies and active adults, with senior animals as an afterthought. Beds that flattened in weeks. Ramps too steep for arthritic joints. Generic products labeled "senior" without anything specifically built for the way an aging dog actually moves.

Why I started Wagisk

Losing Prometheus taught me how completely you can love an animal. Losing Aria taught me something different: some things you can't change, and some things you can. I couldn't bring Prometheus back. But watching Aria struggle through her last years, I could see clearly that senior pets deserve their own category — not a corner of the puppy aisle, not an afterthought tag, but a thoughtful, focused space of their own.

I started Wagisk so other senior pet owners wouldn't have to piece it together the way I did — searching, second-guessing, settling. Every product on this site is here because it solves a problem I watched Aria have. The orthopedic beds, the ramps, the anxiety wraps, the joint supplements — these aren't a random catalog. Each one maps to something Aria needed in her last years.

Where Wagisk goes from here

Right now, I curate. I work with a small set of supplement partners — Artullano, Chewia, Yuma's — and white-labeled manufacturing partners for our beds, ramps, and other senior-focused products. As Wagisk grows, I plan to design my own line: formulations and pieces built specifically for aging dogs and cats, the way Aria's last years taught me they should be. That takes time and capital to do right. Until then, I'm focused on selecting the best of what already exists.

In their memory

Prometheus left me too soon. Aria left me too gently. Both left voids that don't really fill. Wagisk is what I've chosen to do with that. Every senior pet who sleeps a little easier, walks with a little less pain, or feels a little calmer because of something they found here is a small way of honoring the two animals who taught me what love and loss really feel like.

They were my best friends. This is for them.

— Iris

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Wagisk provides products intended to support environmental comfort and physical ease. We are not veterinarians. Information provided should not replace professional veterinary advice or care.