About Us

A little about us, and the paws behind it all

Hi, we’re Angus and Carla — husband and wife, proud parents of two amazing neurodivergent children, and the team behind Natura Paws.

If you’ve visited us at a market, chances are you’ve met Angus, had a chat and introduced us to your four-legged best friend. Some of you have also had the pleasure of meeting Carla — the heart, backbone and creative eye behind our business. She’s our designer, Angus’s emotional support and the person who helps bring so many of our ideas to life.

From corporate life to a life we love

Before Natura Paws, Angus worked in a well-paid corporate role. It offered security, but the fulfilment was missing. We wanted to build something that meant more to us: something creative, centred on our love of animals, and flexible enough for our family.

Our journey began with importing collars from Mexico. Then COVID arrived, and like so many small businesses, we had to rethink our plans.

That change led us to explore pet nutrition — something that had become personal when one of our own pets suddenly stopped eating their usual kibble. We wanted to understand why, so we began studying animal nutrition online and completed several courses to help us make more informed choices for our pets and our business.

Starting small, learning plenty

As we explored freeze-dried pet food, we found businesses in Victoria and Queensland, but struggled to find local options here in Sydney. We saw an opportunity to create something closer to home.

In 2021, we launched our freeze-dried range and began sharing it at markets, one conversation and one curious nose at a time. We also introduced reasonably priced raw food, wanting to make it more accessible to fellow pet families.

Eventually, we rented a large factory and produced more than 10,000 kilograms of raw food over two years. It was a huge chapter for our small family business, full of hard work and learning.

But rising costs brought difficult decisions. Our rent increased by almost 50% over three years, and we had to find a more sustainable way forward. We stepped back from the parts of the business that weren’t financially sustainable and focused our food range on freeze-drying.

More ways to celebrate the pets we love

Our ideas have always started with the same question: what would we love to find for ourselves and our pets?

We wanted beautiful, high-quality pet-themed jewellery, so we introduced pieces in sterling silver and gold-plated sterling silver. From there, we began offering personalised laser engraving, helping customers carry a little reminder of their pets on jewellery and keyrings.

Our much-loved personalised water bottles are the latest addition — another way to keep a favourite furry face close throughout the day.

Whether it’s something for their bowl or something you treasure yourself, our four-legged friends remain at the heart of what we create.

A family business, in every sense

Natura Paws has given us more than a business. It has given us the flexibility to be there for our children.

As parents of two amazing neurodivergent kids, being present matters deeply to us — for school preparation, emotional wellbeing days and those moments when our family needs a little extra time and support.

We work harder now than we ever have, but we love the life we’re building together. And one of the best parts is meeting you and your fur friends at the markets. The chats, the familiar faces, the wagging tails and the stories you share make all that work worthwhile.

We’re always learning, evolving and dreaming up new ideas. Thank you for supporting our family business and being part of the Natura Paws story.

With love,
Angus & Carla