Our Story
Merry Pets was founded in 2010 by Merry Speedie and her companion animal, Morgan. Here’s their story in Merry’s words:
“I never wanted a dog until Morgan found me. She ran up and planted her muddy paws on my freshly pressed white pants and looked me in the eye with a sense of recognition and belonging. It was love at first sight for both of us, and we’ve been deeply in love ever since.
Raising Morgan was the greatest honour of my life. A common refrain I heard from everyone, from the butcher when I picked up fresh meat for her meals to passers-by struck by her serenity and glowing zest for life, was “I want to be reincarnated as your dog!” Tending to her needs and well-being was fun and fulfilling for me, as were our daily pilgrimages to the forest, where she ran and hunted and explored to her heart’s content. Vets would ask me my secret to keeping Morgan so healthy and young for her age, and I’d tell them it was all about trips to the forest, along with the fact that DOGS RUN ON LOVE.
Morgan outlived expectations and enjoyed a long life full of adventure every day. In 2012, she died as gracefully and selflessly as she lived. As she passed away, I was overcome with how much joy she brought to me and how well she loved me all the years we were together. I vowed to her that I would devote my life to trying to live up to the legacy she left, one of caring for other animals as well as she loved and took care of me. I knew this would carry me beyond the void left by her passing. Merry Pets is the inheritance Morgan left me, her way of forever looking out for my well-being and my heart long after it was time for her to go.
Although I’d been caring for people’s pets off and on for 20 years with many people telling me that my gift for nurturing and relating to animals should be a full time job, it wasn’t until the Spring of 2010–with no business experience and only one client–that Merry Pets was born. Morgan and I worked diligently day and night to promote Merry Pets across the Salt Lake valley while keeping each and every client’s individual service up to the same standards I had for Morgan. Through following my heart, hard work and holding an unequivocal resolve to see Merry Pets thrive, Morgan and all of our merry pets have guided me to grow Merry Pets to be Utah’s premier dog hiking and pet-care provider. I’ve never worked this hard for anything in my life, but second only to raising Morgan, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing than operating Merry Pets to help you raise your pets! Such is out commitment at Merry Pets: to care for the physical and emotional health of your pets with love. All of my dedicated staff share my same compassionate regard for animals and reliable service. I’m as proud of and grateful to them as we are to you for everyone’s part in creating more beauty in so many pets’ lives.”
