Janet McCulley, Trendologist

Greetings! I'm Janet McCulley, chief trendologist of The Daily Treat.  My mission is to bring you a daily dose of "creature culture" that will simultaneously entertain, enlighten, surprise and stupefy animal lovers everywhere—whether it be about interesting new pet product trends, gadgets, pet-friendly destinations, animal welfare or the latest ridiculous funny pet video circulating in the ether.

And what makes me suited for such a task?

As a self-styled cultural anthropologist and "trendologist" for all things pets, I've been surrounded by an eclectic array of animals all my life. From the moment I pressed thumbtacks through my first "Just Hang in There" kitten poster at age seven, I've been an enthusiast for anything furry and four-legged.  As co-founder of specialty retailer pet Muttropolis, I have spent the last decade scouring the globe for the most interesting, innovative or just plain odd products, gadgets, trends and activities for pets and their parents.

Lulu Schmoo, the fluffy mystery mutt and Zazou, the crazy Vizsla, are my constant companions and four-legged Daily Treat research assistants. They take their role as  research technicians very seriously and regularly greet the Fedex and UPS delivery folks with great fanfare as they eagerly investigate the contents of our special deliveries each week.

Schmoo, Zazou and I live with my husband John in sunny Southern California in the coastal San Diego community of Rancho Santa Fe, where we're surrounded by a beautiful eucalyptus grove, lots of open space for wildlife and a high percentage of people who've had too much plastic surgery.

Aside from my affinity for all things furry and four-legged, I enjoy adventure races, any excuse to wear a wig, all things Lady Gaga, cocktails made with Basil, anything with guacamole on it and wearing shoes that make me look taller.

Do you have a cool web site, product, pet-friendly destination, event, story or cause you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about it! All barking and mew-sings are welcomed!

More about Janet McCulley, Trendologist

Following her passion for all things pets, in 2002, Janet left her lengthy career as a creative marketing executive at Jack in the Box Inc. to launch specialty pet retail concept Muttropolis.  Janet's work with Muttropolis has garnered international attention as the company was awarded "Hottest Retail Concept of the Year" by the International Council of Shopping Centers and named one of Internet Retailer Magazine's "Hot 100 Retail Sites of 2009." As co-founder, Janet continues to serve as an advisor to Muttropolis, as well as other companies in the retail, service and entertainment sectors.

Named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2007 award finalist in San Diego, Calif., Janet's work has been featured in NBC's Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine and the Los Angeles Times. She is regularly interviewed on the subject of pet trends, animal welfare and industry trends and is an ardent supporter of animal welfare causes and rescue organizations.

She holds a B.A. in communications from the University of California, San Diego.

What is the top treat of the day? Read Janet's blog now!