ABOUT US
Paw & Pestle was born out of necessity
After more than a decade in emergency veterinary medicine, our founder Dr. Elena Shockman saw the same problems on repeat - fragmented communication between vets and pet parents, prescriptions lost to phone tag and fax machines, and clinics losing ground to retailers that could not offer clinical guidance. Paw & Pestle was built to fix that.
OUR MISSION
Veterinary care doesn't end at the clinic door.
Paw & Pestle is veterinary-built and veterinary-focused, designed to keep your pet's care on track long after you leave the exam room. Our platform helps your vet organize prescriptions, recommend clinically vetted supplements, and send proactive reminders, so nothing falls through the cracks
The Online "Wild West"
Unlike big-box platforms, where supplement purchases are driven by algorithms, sponsored listings, or pure guesswork, Paw & Pestle connects pet owners with high-quality, veterinarian-recommended supplements tailored to their pets' specific needs. No more "luck of the draw" shopping based on online reviews or vague marketing claims.
We believe in the power of guided care.
Every product in our curated catalog is backed by veterinary insight and clinical standards. Paw & Pestle supports preventive care through food and nutrition recommendations, helping pet owners make informed choices that reduce disease risk and support lifelong wellness. By simplifying follow-through at home, we help ensure continuity of care long after the clinic visit ends.
Everyone wants a better experience.
At Paw & Pestle, we're reimagining what it means to care for pets - focusing on trust, transparency, and technology. Our curated marketplace includes only professional-grade products, hand-selected with veterinary input. When your vet recommends through Paw & Pestle, you can trust it's backed by clinical expertise - not sponsored listings or ad spend.
This was never just about supplements.
Paw & Pestle is on a journey to change veterinary care as we know it, and it starts by restoring trust, oversight, and sustainability to the heart of pet health.
Veterinarians dedicate their lives to caring for the animals we love most. Yet behind the scenes, the profession is facing a crisis. Burnout, compassion fatigue, and overwhelming administrative burden are driving talented professionals out of the field. At the same time, pet parents are navigating a marketplace filled with marketing claims, fragmented prescription systems, and little clinical visibility.
Pet care has become disconnected.
We're here to reconnect it.
We unite curated e-commerce, prescription management, real-time communication, and client education into one seamless ecosystem, built specifically for independent veterinary medicine.
But our mission goes deeper.
We believe no pet should be denied emergency care because of cost. That's why a portion of every purchase supports the Paw & Pestle Angel Fund, providing emergency grants to families facing financial hardship through participating practices.
When veterinary teams are supported, they can focus on the medicine that gives their work meaning.
When pet parents have clear, trusted guidance, they can make confident decisions.
When pets receive coordinated, vet-led care, outcomes improve.
This isn't just a platform.
It's a structural shift toward a more sustainable, connected, and compassionate future for companion animal medicine.
Paw & Pestle: Trusted by vets. Loved by pets.
MEET THE TEAM
The people behind Paw & Pestle
Dr. Elena Shockman, VMD
Founder & CEO
I grew up in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania—a suburb of Philadelphia—but I've always been a farm girl at heart. As a kid, I spent every waking hour at Gwyn Meadows, a local horse farm, mucking stalls and dreaming of a life surrounded by animals. That dream carried me to Penn State, where I rode with the Equestrian Team, majored in Animal Bioscience, and minored in Microbiology. I even spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Queensland in Australia. Before veterinary school, I conducted research at Temple University on Streptococcus mutans biofilms—the bacterium most commonly associated with dental cavities. I earned my veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, then headed to California for an internship in equine sports medicine. As much as I loved the adventure, I eventually returned to Pennsylvania to be closer to family.
After transitioning into small animal medicine, I found my calling in emergency care—the adrenaline, the problem-solving, the chance to be there for families on their worst days. Over the years, I developed a passion for surgery and critical care, especially toxin and sepsis cases, and became known for my calm under pressure. But emergency medicine also showed me something painful: too many families faced impossible choices when their pet needed urgent care. I spent countless nights helping owners navigate financial barriers, and I knew I wanted to do more. That drive led me to found Paw & Pestle—a company built on transparency, trust, and prevention. By helping veterinarians confidently recommend evidence-based products, we're keeping pets healthier and reducing those middle-of-the-night emergencies. And through the future Paw & Pestle Angel Fund, we'll ensure that emergency care is never out of reach for families who need it most.
Alexzis (Lexy) Beard
Director of Inventory and Manufacturer Partnerships
My journey to Paw & Pestle has been shaped by equal parts compassion, curiosity, and a deep love for animals. I started my career in 2017 after earning my degree from YTI-York and becoming a Certified Veterinary Technician. I spent six years working in both general practice and emergency medicine, where I learned that quality, teamwork, and trust are at the heart of great care. In 2021, I transitioned into inventory and operations management—a role that allowed me to blend my clinical experience with a passion for organization, partnership, and reliability. By 2025, I made the choice to step away from practicing to focus fully on the bigger picture, and today, as Director of Inventory and Manufacturing Partnerships at Paw & Pestle, I lead our efforts to maintain product quality, reliability, and consistency. I work closely with our manufacturing partners to ensure that everything we deliver, from supplements to prescriptions, reflects our commitment to evidence-based, veterinarian-approved care.
What I love most about this work is knowing it still comes back to the same thing that brought me here in the first place: caring for animals by supporting the people who care for them. Outside of work, life is full in the best ways. My husband, Robert, and I have two daughters, Esmeé and Evelyn, and three Dalmatians—Aurora, Apollo, and Anubis—who keep things lively. When the weather's kind, you'll usually find us paddleboarding, sitting by a campfire making mountain pies and s'mores, or playing yard games with family and friends.
Jessaca (Jessa) Shortes
Director of Marketing and Business Development
I've always been a caretaker by nature. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian—caring for those without a voice felt like a calling I couldn't ignore. Over time, that same instinct to nurture led me to care for children, both my own and others, which is how I first met Dr. Elena Shockman. I've always believed we're here to find what makes us feel most at peace with who we are. For me, that peace has always come from standing up for the vulnerable—those who aren't at their strongest, who haven't found their voice yet, or who don't have one at all. That belief is what ultimately led me to Paw & Pestle, where care, advocacy, and purpose come together in meaningful ways.
Before joining Paw & Pestle, I worked for several years in marketing and community relations, helping organizations connect with people in meaningful ways, while advocating for people at their most vulnerable. When Elena shared her vision—and especially her plan for The Angel Fund, which helps pets receive life-saving care when finances become a barrier—I knew I wanted to be part of it.
Family has always been my foundation. My husband, Eric, and I have two sons, Jack and Owen, along with our Dalmatian, Rosie, Golden Retriever, Calvin, and Ragdoll cat, Sylvia. The work that fulfills me most reflects the same values that guide our home—care, integrity, and connection. That's why Paw & Pestle feels like home in its own way: it allows me to channel my heart into something that truly matters. Outside of work, I love hosting playdates and pool parties, meeting new people, and traveling whenever I can.