Meet Hillary Dupont of Wild Cargo Pets in Palm Beach County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Dupont.

Hilary, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in Loxahatchee, Florida as the last child in a family of eleven. My parents owned an exotic pet store when I was growing up. My father was a herpetologist, he would take me deep into The Florida Everglades to collect and study reptiles. This grew my passion for nature and left me dreaming of traveling the world and being part of animal conservation. In 2008, my parents sold the pet store to my husband, Aaron Joyce and I. We wanted to change the pet industry for the better. So, we incorporated rescue and conservation from a different approach. It was a slow start but we opened our doors to all unwanted animals in South Florida. Since we became a Drop Center for unwanted exotics, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals we save around 1000 animals each year. Any exotics that require licensing come to our 6 acres private home and sanctuary. We have been featured on National Geographic, Animal Planet, Lifetime Television, Weather Channel, Dateline Australia and other National TV Networks. We are heavily involved in the community, teaching responsible pet ownership through our educational programs. We also homeschool our children so that they can have an enriching life working side by side with us changing the world.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not an easy task to get us where we are today. When we bought the pet store the economy was horrible and we had huge box stores to compete with. We were in debt, America was in debt and on top of all that we were new parents with big dreams for our family and humanity.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Wild Cargo Pets – what should we know?
Wild Cargo Pets is a unique exotic pet store. We are an adoption/surrender center for unwanted exotic animals in Palm Beach County. We take in and adopt out around 1000 animals a year. Not only are we an adoption center but we sell all the products to properly care for your new pet. On top of that, we also provide the public with select captive bred reptiles from local breeders. This helps promote conservation through captive breeding and stops animals from being taken out of the wild. Our family operates the business and is always available to help answer questions about your exotics. We support the community by doing educational programs to schools and organizations.

Aside from our adoption center, we offer all the supplies and knowledge you could need for Organic Urban Backyard Chicken Keeping. We LOVE chickens! We bring in new breeds of chicks each week for the serious chicken keepers and provide close to 10,000 pounds of poultry feed each week.

Since Aaron and I have taken over the shop we have had a dream to help the animals that are in captivity. All it takes to change the future is to educate our children. Many people do not know they are not properly caring for their pets. Through many nights of research Aaron and I have made it our goal to be “The Change” this industry needs. At times, it is hard but we keep pushing on with our Goal to change the world. All it takes is educating someone and inspiring them by revealing the true potential they have to care for their amazing pets.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I would say that I am most driven by my passion and love for animals. Since I was a little girl I have deeply loved and cared for The Earth and its creatures. When I am with them I hear them speak to me, and that hasn’t stopped to this day. This has driven me to be the positive voice of change. There is an old saying about catching more flies with honey. I want to be that honey. I want to teach our children and anyone willing to listen. I want to make a positive change in the world and be a voice for the animals. I admit I have seen the awful way pets have been kept for years. I want to be part of the change. I want to inspire others to do more for their pets. It is so amazing to see the beauty and potential your pets can have if you research them and grow a love for them. It really inspires you to do better not only for your pet but The World as a whole.

Contact Info:

• Address: 310 South Military Trail West Palm Beach, Florida 33415
• Website: www.wildcargopets.com
• Phone: 561-687-5055
• Email: [email protected]

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