My name is Riley and I’m an almost 14 years old Beagle. I love to explore Northern Mi, meet new friends, and help as many pups as I can who need emergency surgery like I have needed. I’ve lived all over the country, but I’m very excited to have put down firm roots in Traverse City. Here is a little bit about my life and why I started Riley’s Candles.
Riley is our founder, Chief Beagle Officer, best friend, and currently a 13-year-old rescue beagle.
When Riley was 3, he was paralyzed for the first time, his parents were newly married and could not afford the roughly $10,000 in surgery and recovery it was going to take to save his life. However, the only other option was to put him down. Desperate, the charges were spread over every credit card his parents had available.
Riley Survived!
This, unfortunately would not be Riley’s last time being paralyzed, he has been paralyzed a total of 4 times and needed 3 emergency back surgeries to save his life.
He is now a healthy 13-year-old who loves smelling candles and is on a mission to use that love to save as many of his four-legged friends as possible!
Over his decade-long relationship with animal neurologists, veterinarians, and their amazing teams, Riley has met too many animals who have had to be put to rest because of money. Their parents desperately wanted to save them but could not afford the surgery.
Riley decided he had to do whatever he could to change this, so in 2017 he founded Riley’s Candles!
Per Riley’s instructions, a portion of all proceeds raised by the sale of his candles and 100% of all donations will go directly to save pets in this situation.
Riley loves all his Candle family and friends, and with all of your help, he believes:
He can change the world, by saving one dog’s life at a time!
Q: Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Riley (I also go by Ri Guy), I am an almost 14 year old Beagle and I am the Chief Beagle Officer of Riley’s Candles! I love to explore Northern Michigan and meet as many new friends as I can, especially if they have treats!
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I am the founder of Riley’s Candles and my favorite part is building an incredible community of dog lovers who support our mission of helping to save dogs in need of emergency surguries!
Q: What is your favorite book?
I’m still working on my reading skills, but my Dad is on a big kick of reading me “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday each morning! He thinks it calms me down!
Q: What are some of your favorite restaurants in our community?
My absolute favorite is when my Dad takes me to Milk & Honey for a treat when we are walking down main street, then we usually stop for a coffee for Dad while I enjoy some water from our friends at Brew!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community? What brought you to Grand Traverse County?
I moved here with my parents in 2019, I always had so much fun vacationing up here, going swimming, on hikes, and meeting new friends, that I talked them into it!
Q: What advice would you give to people who want to visit our community?
First, I would tell them they should come introduce their pups to me at Riley’s Candles. I will tell them all of the great spots to visit! Then I would advise them to jump in to the community with both feet. It’s an incredible community to be a part of and the people in this area some of the nicest I have ever met in all of my travels!
Q: If you could choose anyone today with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you all meet?
I would pick Snoopy, being a Beagle with a dream of starting a business, he helped show me that I could do anything I put my mind to. We would meet at the Filling Station, the pizza is great and afterwards I can usually talk my Dad into taking me across the train tracks for a big walk at the park and a dip in Boardman Lake!
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
My favorite thing about the community is how pet friendly it is, I get to go with my Dad almost everywhere and meet all of the amazing people. As I get older, I have to ride in the shopping cart sometimes in the bigger stores. I’m also so excited by how many people come up to pet me and say hi when I’m riding around!
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Most people don’t know that I was born on the streets of Baltimore and my parents rescued me when I was just a baby. I spent the first 3 years of my life in “Charm City” and my favorite thing to do was go for big walks with my Dad late at night to Patterson Park. We had our own “Spot” where he would give me a bone and we could relax and overlook the whole city. It was my favorite place!
Q: Which yearly event in Grand Traverse County do you enjoy best?
Being a Beagle… I don’t get to go to many baseball games, but I love baseball, so my favorite event to go to is “Bark in the Park” on Tuesdays to watch our Pit Spitters in action, while meeting some great new doggie friends!
Q: What is your favorite season in Northern Michigan? And what is your favorite activity to do in that season?
As I get older (I’ll be 14 on the 4th of July), my joints don’t work as good as they used to. However, when I’m in the water, it’s like I’m a little puppy again! For that reason, summer is by far my favorite. I try to go to the beach or on the boat every day, Stand Up Paddleboarding is also a new favorite of mine (you can see me in action in my picture)
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Treats, Toy’s, Family Time!
