Precious Pets

by Georgie Damschroder

When owning a pet, there are definitely many supplies you’ll need: bedding, food, toys, the whole nine yards. And our local Dot’s Pet Center is committed to providing all of that and more for your furry, scaley, or feathered friend now and for decades to come. Many have even brought home a new forever member of the family from Dot’s!

youngest employee at sixteen to his oldest at sixty, Evan values each of their opinions and thoughts of improving the store. It is because of its innovative employees that you will see changes for the better at Dot’s, such as “care sheets,” which detail information on each pet such as feeding or enclosing.

Evan also surprised himself in store owning. “I surprised myself by noticing the fight I have for my staff, my family, and the health of our business. Knowing that I have so many people relying on me for employment, food on their table, a roof over their family’s head and so much more really makes you challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself,” Evan says. “As my father-in-law has taught me, ‘Wishing won’t work, work will.’”

Evan Nieto, the current owner of Dot’s, has helped shape the store and workplace into what it is today. When Evan was growing up, his family didn’t have the extra money to go out on vacations or join the YMCA. What Evan could do, and loved to do, was visit local pet stores every week to see and dote on all of the animals while learning as much as he could about each pet. This love stuck with him throughout his years, so when Dot’s went up for sale in 2019, Evan decided that he would purchase the business. Evan moved back to Lima from Columbus with his wife, Whitney, where the two became official owners of the pet center on May 1, 2019. Owning a business came with some challenges and surprises! Evan learned that he had to embrace the ideas and motivations of his employees. From his

One of the biggest challenges faced by both Dot’s and hundreds of other companies in Lima was the hit of the COVID pandemic. At home, the Nieto family welcomed its first child, Ava, just two weeks before the shutdown. Ava was born at only 28 weeks, weighing two pounds, seven ounces, and the family was in the hospital with her for much of her early months. Evan couldn’t even see his hard-fighting daughter in person once quarantine was in place, being forced to support her and his wife in the hospital through FaceTime calls. As if that wasn’t enough, he had to focus on keeping Dot’s from struggling through the pandemic as well. Dot’s Pet Center was not labeled as an essential business by the government, and thus would come close to closing their doors. However, they bravely fought for their company, employees, and pets by countering that they were essential, as they provided special diets for some animals that other essential companies did not carry. The government eventually agreed, allowing Dot’s to stay open throughout COVID.

After getting through the thick of the pandemic, Evan and his team continued their work with their animals and their community.

To them, supporting our small town means a lot.

Evan believes strongly that the people of Lima should continue helping and loving one another in any way we can.

Evan encourages donating to organizations like the Equestrian Therapy Program, Deb’s Dogs, The Cat Haven, A Lotta Love Pet Rescue, and the West Ohio Food Bank to continue helping and loving our home of Lima.

Today Evan resides on Adgate Road with Whitney and Ava, and another daughter on the way expected in May of 2023. They also have four pets; Jerry, an eighteen-year-old cat who can never get enough treats, Luna, a seven-year-old cat who the Nietos lovingly refer to as their one-eyed princess, Bosa Joe, a three-year-old chocolate lab whose favorite thing to do is give hugs, and Mac, a three-year-old Shih-Tzu and Mini Poodle mix who the Nietos believe can hear you opening a wrapper from miles away! Despite the trope that cats and dogs are mortal enemies, all four of the animals get along with one another.

Evan is happy and proud to be raising his family in Lima, and he hopes it will remain an inspiring town for countless other families to come. Evan believes that the quote below motivated him, and hopes that at least someone will take a similar lesson away from it: