Pawsarotti’s remains a go-to spot for Santa Rosa pet owners - The Press Democrat

Jun 24, 2025

Pawsarotti's in Santa Rosa has pet food, clothes, toys and other supplies for pet owners and supports local animal charities.

This local and family-owned pet shop carries an extensive selection of premium-quality pet food for dogs and cats — in many cases brands that pet owners would be hard-pressed to find at any other brick-and-mortar business in Sonoma County. It also peddles a wide variety of high-quality pet apparel, collars and leashes, toys, beds, travel items, supplements and more.

Location: 106 Calistoga Road, Santa Rosa

Hours: 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Phone: 707-595-3357

More information: pawsarottis.com

Dogs and cats are the inspiration behind Pawsarotti’s, a pet shop in the St. Francis Shopping Center on the eastern edge of Rincon Valley in Santa Rosa.

The store carries an extensive selection of premium-quality pet food for dogs and cats — in many cases brands that pet owners would be hard-pressed to find at any other brick-and-mortar business in Sonoma County. It also peddles a wide variety of high-quality pet apparel, collars and leashes, toys, beds, travel items, supplements and more.

The Pawsarotti’s commitment to dogs and cats doesn’t stop at the threshold of the front door; owner Dana Marie Knapp also prides herself on supporting animal-oriented philanthropic endeavors across the North Bay.

In the last year alone, the store has donated money, time and product to dozens of different charities, including the Humane Society of Sonoma County, Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary, and Dogwood Animal Rescue, to name a few. On Sunday, a photography show titled “Humans and their Beasts” will aim to raise money for some of these groups.

To some, maintaining these various commitments might seem like a bit of an overreach. To Knapp, however, the goal is clear: A happier and healthier community.

“We want to be more than just a place people go to restock pet food and pet supplies,” she said. “Our ultimate wish is to flourish alongside our neighbors and be an integral part of our community.”

Knapp is a relative newcomer to the pet industry; she took over as owner of Pawsarotti’s almost exactly a year ago, in July 2024.

The previous owner had run the store since its debut in 2013. At the end of 2023, that owner decided she wanted out, and she asked Knapp to buy it from her. The Kenwood resident completed the transaction in and has been running the shop ever since.

There certainly was a learning curve for Knapp; for the first two decades of her career, she worked as a paralegal in San Francisco. She and her partner bought a house in northern Sonoma County in 2018 and she began shopping at Pawsarotti’s for her German Shepherd/Border collie mix Kingston shortly thereafter.

After she stepped into the role of owner of the pet shop, she attended several different classes and online seminars to learn the business.

“I did everything I could to make it a smooth transition,” she said, describing it as a steep learning curve. “Thankfully the pet industry has a lot of modules and material to help teach you about pet needs and how specific products serve them.”

Today, a visit to Pawsarotti’s is like visiting pet supply Nirvana. Head down the breezeway just north of Safeway and the store is on your right. Shelves are stocked with dog and cat foods from vendors including My Perfect Pet, Honest Kitchen, Stella & Chewy’s, Greenies and more. All told, Pawsarotti’s carries raw, gently cooked and freeze-dried products.

There’s also a section for toys, a section for treats and a section for vitamins.

The store even has a nice selection of pet beds, collars, and other accoutrements that pet owners in Sonoma County might need in 2025 (and beyond).

Pawsarotti’s provides community-focused services, too. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays, for instance, a Pawsarotti’s employee sets up in the back corner of the store and cuts doggy toenails. Knapp says this is one of the ways she is working toward building rapport with customers.

Every once in a while, Knapp works the floor. When she’s not around, her capable employees step in. She has a team of five full-time employees, some of whom started working there long before she bought the store.

One of the most notable aspects of Pawsarotti’s business model is the store’s commitment to philanthropy.

Knapp says her goal is to give back regularly to the rest of the community every year.

Over the course of her first year as owner, this has resulted in some pretty powerful partnerships. Pawsarotti’s donates regularly to the Humane Society of Sonoma County, and often will volunteer on behalf of the organization at events. The store also donates to Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary and Dogwood Animal Rescue.

Though Knapp declined to say how much money the store donated to these and other nonprofits in the first six months of this calendar year, she did estimate the number to be in the tens of thousands. Pawsarotti’s also donates time and supplies when applicable.

One of the events in which Pawsarotti’s participated earlier this year: the Humane Society’s Doggie Dash at Spring Lake in May. The event raised close to $30,000. Neville Hormuz, interim executive director for the Humane Society of Sonoma County, said this support was invaluable.

“We are 100% private donation and grants, we don’t get any federal or state money, so donations allow us to keep going and do what we’re doing,” Hormuz said. “Events like the Doggie Dash are nice because we’re able to market for them a little bit, too.”

Another event, an art exhibit known as “Humans and their Beasts” takes place later this month on June 29, and it will temporarily convert the pet store into an art gallery full of images of Pawsarotti’s customers and their pets.

Organizing this event was a three-step process. First, Santa Rosa photographer Sharolyn Townsend asked Knapp to let her photograph customers and their dogs in the store. Next, Townsend reproduced the photos. Finally, Townsend pieced together the photos into an exhibit.

Proceeds from the event benefit Lily’s Senior Dog Sanctuary in Petaluma.

“They are a wonderful local business I’m proud to be connected with,” said Townsend, who noted that all photo subjects will receive a swag bag from for their participation.

Without question, Knapp’s No. 1 goal for her second year as owner of Pawsarotti’s is to grow the business.

This doesn’t necessarily mean adding locations (though, according to Knapp, that’s not totally out of the question). In the meantime, however, Knapp plans to embark on what she’s calling a “junket” and increase advertising to attract fans from all over the bay.

“Like most independent business owners, I sure would like to see more people in my shop,” she said.

She also plans to extend and amplify the shop’s already active social media presence.

Knapp said she also hopes to increase the number of philanthropic partnerships, establishing new relationships with other nonprofits to which Pawsarotti’s can donate.

Later this summer, Pawsarotti’s will be supporting a “Top Dog” photo contest sponsored by Sonoma County Parks and Recreation. Everyone who enters the contest will receive a coupon for a free retractable leash from the store.

“I’m looking at this as a way to get some new people into the shop and also give them a thank-you for participating in the fundraiser,” Knapp said. “The more we can do to support the community and also make people feel good about where they’re spending their money, the better off it will be for everyone.”

This local and family-owned pet shop carries an extensive selection of premium-quality pet food for dogs and cats — in many cases brands that pet owners would be hard-pressed to find at any other brick-and-mortar business in Sonoma County. It also peddles a wide variety of high-quality pet apparel, collars and leashes, toys, beds, travel items, supplements and more.

Location: 106 Calistoga Road, Santa Rosa

Hours: 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Phone: 707-595-3357

More information: pawsarottis.com