Newsmakers 2015: Stacy Busch-Heisserer

As much as Stacy Busch-Heisserer tried, she never could escape the dog life.

Born and raised in Cape Girardeau, Busch-Heisserer's parents have owned a boarding kennel and raised beagles for as long as she can remember.

"It's always been in my blood to be in the pet industry," she says, laughing. "No matter how hard I fought it in my college years."

Busch-Heisserer opened her online pet store in 2008, then moved to her brick-and-mortar building, Busch Pet Products on Kingsway Drive, in 2010. The store provides everything a pet owner could look for, from food to toys to outfits, and even a self-serve pet wash station.

"We serve only American and Canadian brands right now," Busch-Heisserer says. "In most cases it's family-owned, and they're more upfront about where they get their materials. *... Our focus is really just good nutrition."

In addition to the store, Busch-Heisserer owns Zoomin' Groomer, a mobile pet grooming business, and the soon-to-open Deer Creek Doggie Day Camp.

As if that doesn't keep her busy enough, she's also involved in pet-related volunteer work.

Busch-Heisserer says her biggest project is working with the SEMO Food Bank to provide food for pet-owners in need.

"Some of the larger cities, like in St. Louis, they have a pet food bank, but here there was no way of getting pet food at the food bank. And people would always get food for their pets and take less for themselves," Busch-Heisserer says. "I'm always so excited when we see the food leave the shelter."

Busch-Heisserer also works with Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, Cape Canine Crusiers, Pink Up Cape, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, the Southeast Missouri Kennel Club and the Early Prevention Impacts Community program.