New initiative blends commerce, marketing, and advocacy to support dog rescues while driving systemic change
New York, NY— Honey Paws, a new socially driven commerce platform developed under Greater Honeycomb Inc., today announced its official launch, introducing a novel model to fund dog rescue organizations who advocate for more humane standards across the puppy breeding industry.
Founded by Elizabeth Izard Apelles, whose lifelong passion for dogs inspired the initiative, Honey Paws was born after watching the documentary called Dogspiracy on the puppy mill industry – she was struck by the harsh realities faced by breeding dogs and the systemic challenges surrounding unethical breeding practices.
“Seeing the conditions these dogs endure was impossible to ignore,” said Apelles. “We knew we had to create something that not only helps rescue organizations today, but informs people of the reality of the puppy mills and works toward changing the system itself.”
Animal rescue groups and nonprofit organizations often rely heavily on donations—requiring them to dedicate significant time and resources to fundraising instead of focusing on their core mission: rescuing and rehabilitating dogs. Honey Paws addresses this challenge by building, managing, and marketing online storefronts at no cost to these organizations. Beyond infrastructure, Honey Paws provides a built-in growth engine. The organization manages social communities, executes promotions and contests, runs paid media campaigns and leverages a Google Ads Grant program to drive awareness, engagement, and fundraising impact – ensuring that partner organizations not only have a storefront, but also the demand needed to generate meaningful revenue.
Through this model, 85% of profits and donations are returned directly to the rescue partner selected by the consumer. By removing the operational burden of fundraising, Honey Paws enables nonprofits to focus on what matters most – saving animals.
Positioned at the intersection of commerce and charity, Honey Paws allows consumers to make meaningful contributions through everyday purchases and donations. From apparel to household goods, each product sold directly supports rescue efforts and contributes to broader advocacy work.
In addition, Honey Paws is committed to driving large-scale reform within the puppy breeding industry. The organization plans to engage with the United States Department of Agriculture and federal policymakers to advocate for stronger enforcement and modernization of ethical standards in puppy mills. Rather than eliminating the industry, Honey Paws seeks to ensure breeding practices align with humane and responsible care.
Honey Paws is led by Apelles and Christa Toole – both were co-founders of Greater Than One, a privately held modern media marketing and technology company that in 2025 sold to New Mountain Capital/Real Chemistry. Toole is now owner of Reach Media Studio.
As Honey Paws expands, the organization aims to onboard additional rescue partners, grow its storefront network, and build momentum for legislative and regulatory improvements that protect dogs nationwide.
To learn more, shop, or become a partner visit honeypaws.org