I recently interviewed Patrick McKennon, the operating owner of Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies inside of Pet Medical Center of Pasco. My spouse and I have been customers of theirs for years, and we buy almost all of our dog food, treats, and other things like leashes and toys there. We <3 Blylee’s, and our Boston Terrier, Lila, loves coming here, too.

Sara Quinn: What is your philosophy regarding pet care?

Patrick McKennon: Our Mission is to strengthen the bond between you and your pet by providing the highest quality products and services for all your pet’s needs.

Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies is a retailer of natural and holistic pet food, healthy treats, holistic supplements, chemical-free grooming products, and pet supplies. We only carry products that are beneficial to your pet’s health. Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies distributes thousands of natural health products from manufacturers who are dedicated to providing quality products for the wellness and nutritional needs of your pets.

We constantly review new products and challenge ourselves to carefully select the products we carry and promote. It is our goal and motto to provide the products, services, and resources to keep your pets happy and healthy. Our goal is to provide for all of your pet’s needs. If you do not see what you are looking for here, please contact us directly, and we will gladly get it.

Little fun fact about the name Blylee…

Our store is named after our first ‘employee’, BlyLee, Mom’s boxer. BlyLee was born in December 1999, and within the first couple of months, she became a very great employee, loyal friend, constant companion, greeter, and teacher. She enjoyed being the center of attention and was a huge part of our veterinary hospital and pet store. Throughout her years, BlyLee always put our clients’ needs first, and always knew what they needed and what to recommend. Though BlyLee is no longer with us, the love and care that she provided live on through us.

SQ: How did you get into the pet industry?

PM: I started my journey into the pet industry about 17 years ago right after I graduated from college. We were living in College Station, Texas at the time, and my wife had just started her career at a local veterinary practice. During the first couple of months that she worked there, I was looking for work and ended up with too much time on my hands. I found myself at the Bryan College Station Animal Shelter holding a Lab-Husky mix, who very quickly found her place in our hearts. This is when I started in the pet industry.

There was a new pet store being built, so I applied for every open position with the exception of groomer and pet trainer. When I received a call about an interview, my soon to be boss asked what exact position I wanted. The rest was history — I started off at an entry level management position and moved up from there.

SQ: What is your background, and how did you come to be here at Blylee’s?

PM: I started off in a corporate pet store, and absolutely loved my experience with them. The company gave me every opportunity to grow. Based on my work ethic, I was able to grow into a many different positions including Store Manager, District Captain of Services (including Grooming, Training, and Adoptions), Inventory Partner, New Store Trainer, and unofficially, Local Market Manager. Needless to say, I was working a bunch of hours, but I enjoyed every minute.

About six years ago, my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. I have always told my teams that family comes first before work. You need to make time for your loved ones, and I always tried my best to do so. This was the turning point for a hard decision and a major change in my life. I needed to back off on how many hours I was working to spend the time I had left with my dad. September 2019 was the end of my career with the corporate pet store, and October 2019 was a start to my new path: Pet Medical Center of Pasco and Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies!!!

Long story short, Dr. Chuck Coleman and his wife Julie owned Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies and Pet Medical Center of Pasco. Nine years earlier, Julie had told me that I would be her retirement plan. At the time, I told her “no.” I was too happy doing what I was doing. Little did I know, she was right!!!

Dr. Todd, their son, purchased the remaining shares of Pet Medical Center of Pasco from his father, and we purchased the pet store from his mother. October 2019 was a new beginning! It doesn’t happen very frequently, but Blylee’s is now a second-generation family owned and operated business. Dr. Todd Coleman and his family have always been very close friends, and I consider them family. My wife has been the Hospital Director of Pet Medical Center of Pasco for over ten years, and this brought the opportunity to branch off, work a manageable number of hours, and help care for Mom and Dad. No more 60- to 80-hour work weeks for me! One of my favorite parts about Blylee’s is that every day, we continue Julie’s vision and honor what she created.

SQ: What people may not know about Blylee’s is that it’s housed in the same complex with multiple pet care services. Can you give us a rundown of what we can find here?

PM: Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies is located inside of Pet Medical Center of Pasco on Sandifur Parkway. We specialize in holistic care for your pets. We have a team of five AMAZING veterinarians who are well rounded, providing everything from conventional western medical treatments to eastern medical treatments such as chiropractic services, acupuncture, and even applied kinesiology. Within our building, we offer many services. Our Team of seven experienced pet groomers (both dog and cat) will do just about anything to care for your pets. Our pet store carries many independent natural and holistic brands. We also have pet boarding services, dog daycare services, and two FANTASTIC Certified Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)! We even have employees who will house sit while you’re on vacation.

SQ: I’ve noticed over the years that, instead of hiking prices because of increased demand, you tend to put calming items on sale — for example, the LostLeaf CBD oil that I use for my dog — around holidays like the 4th of July. Can you talk about that?

PM: During the year, I love to work with different companies to provide deals, especially during times of the year that may be stressful for pets. An example would be the 4th of July or New Year. Many pets become stressed due to extra company at the home, or the loud scary sounds from fireworks. That’s where great partnerships occur. LostLeaf Pet is a local Kennewick-based company and they make quality CBD pet products for both dogs and cats. Instead of offering these products to our clients at everyday prices, we offer special deals during these times of the year. Our goal is to help you care better for your pets, especially during times that they need it most. It’s a great feeling to help our clients care better for their pets, especially in a natural way.

SQ: What’s the one thing you wish every pet owner knew?

PM: Such a hard question!!! One thing that I wish every pet owner knew is that there are so many resources available to them. There are experts at Paws Natural Pet Emporium, PetSmart, so many amazing groomers, and every local veterinary practice. Find those whom you trust and ask them as many questions as you can. We are all here to help you strengthen the relationship that you have with your pets. My hope is that you find me and my team to be the people for you.

Blylee’s Natural Pet Food & Supplies is open Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. -7 p.m., and Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Find us online at www.blyleespetfood.com. We also offer in-store pickup and local delivery services!

Main image: Blylee