About Us
Greetings! My name is Chris Thelin, and I am one of the co-founders of HodgePaws. Throughout my life pets have been at the center for good times and bad. Growing up, I was surrounded by dogs, two Dachshunds (Pepper and Duke) and two retired racing Greyhounds (Kandy and Blizzard). These four dogs gave me my early foundations when it comes to connecting with animals.
Presently, I am lucky to share my home with two dogs (one Beagle-Benson and one Pomeranian Chihuahua- Rosie) and two cats (Pierre and Rona) and my wife. One thing that I can tell you is that they are more than pets; they are family. This is why I understand how deeply we feel about their safety, happiness, and well-being.
I once had a cat named Fred, I came home from work one night in 2009 and found that he and my other cat Angelica (she was quickly captured) had escaped out of my apartment window. Later that night Fred tried to come back through the same window. I went to let him in the door; he ran off, and I was unable to find him after a severely frantic search throughout my neighborhood in the dark of night. To my ultimate sadness, I never found Fred, I often wonder how things turned out for him.
Too many pet parents understand this loss, and this is why at HodgePaws we work to curate our line of tracking collars for both cats and dogs, so no pet parent faces this level of loss and can be quickly reunited.
Ben Huntsman, my co-founder, has also grown up with different pets over the years, and understands the bond you can have with any type of animal. Ben understands that they are family and wants them to have the best life. Ben wants to deliver peace of mind to all pet parents, making them feel safe, comfortable, and connected.
Why We Started
Ben and I met in 1997 in eighth grade. During High School we were a part of a business club called DECA, in which we created a manual on how to start a business, the time, planning and work that went into that inspired us after winning State and National level competitions. This has led to many discussions over the years about starting various businesses. We finally came to the realization that animals are important in our lives. This brought us back to a shared realization that we wanted to build something that honored the deep bond we both have shared with animals.
In 2025, we launched HodgePaws with a clear mission: to bring peace of mind to pet parents and support the deep bond we share with our furry companions.
Our Mission
As time slips through our hands like grains of sand, we’re reminded how precious every moment with our pets truly is. At HodgePaws it is our goal to make these moments easier, more fun, safer and more connected.
Meet the HodgePaws Crew
🐱 Rona
Is an easy going and affectionate cat, she prefers to relax wherever she can. Rona spends her days playing with Pierre or walking around meowing to whoever will listen. She at times will cuddle or play with the dogs (Benson and Rosie).
🐱 Pierre
Pierre is the type of cat that feels safest in her own home. Pierre owns a section of my couch and if you sit there, you should expect her to come and sit on you. If you sit, she sits. Pierre spends her days lounging around the living room.
🐶 Benson
Benson is an energetic beagle, who finds a way to get into nearly everything inside or out. Benson has slipped through the fence or out the front door for an unplanned jaunt around the neighborhood several times. Bensons curiosity only highlights the importance of wanting to keep our pets safe and close.
🐶 Rosie
Rosie is a one-person dog, she must always be close to her person, this shows the deep bond a person and animal can have. Rosie has a loving and protective nature, which helps celebrate this bond we can share with our pets, causing us to consider them part of our family.
HodgePaws Founders
Chris – Co-Founder of HodgePaws
Professionally, Chris has an extensive background in customer service and the security field. As a lifelong pet parent, this helps him drive his deep passion for keeping pets safe, comfortable, and connected. Chris believes that every pet deserves the same love and care as any member of the family. Chris works tirelessly to curate products that achieve this goal.
Ben – Co-Founder of HodgePaws
Ben also has extensive customer service experience in addition to cultivating many different solutions in his professional life, which he uses to make life better and more connected for pets and their people. Ben is committed to delivering excellent customer service while providing curated solutions for the modern pet parent.
