Detroit Distributor Starts Promo Brand to Benefit Pups In Need

Detroit-based promotional products distributor Tameria Heard already has a successful business in Corporate 52 Marketing Group, which includes big-name clients like the Detroit Tigers and Quicken Loans, but now she has something of a "pet project" on the side.

It was Heard's love of dogs, including her own, that influenced her to start Swaggles—a new promotional venture catering to four-legged friends—after seeing a heartbreaking video.

"There was a story I saw, it was a little dog in a cage confined, and his owner would pour boiling water on it and the dog couldn't do anything but just yell, cry and scream in pain," Heard told Fox 2 Detroit. "It was very, very sad to watch, so that's what got me to get Swaggles off the ground."

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The name came from her dog, Snuggles, and the "swag" her business sells. Swaggles creates apparel for both humans and dogs, including T-shirts and sweatshirts, with 15 percent of profits benefiting animal rescue organizations across the U.S.

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For humans, Swaggles includes T-shirts with phrases like "Protect," as well as various cities' names with a paw print substituted for a letter. There are also items like jewelry, hats and smartphone cases.

"So I love my dog, and I see so much abuse going out here in the world locally and internationally, and we just wanted to come up with a company that supports organizations that help dogs that need forever homes, love [and] protection," Heard said. "Just hoping that dogs have a forever home because there is so much abuse out there, so many dogs in need."