Hera The Dog Vodka, the organic wheat vodka founded by animal rescue advocate Julia Pennington, has raised more than $68,000 for grassroots animal rescue organizations since launch. The brand, which has set a long-term goal to donate 50% of profits, is currently available across Southern California, Nevada, and Colorado.
Pennington founded the brand after two decades of rescuing and rehabilitating animals. She witnessed firsthand the financial struggles faced by smaller, locally focused rescue organizations.
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With family ties to Pennington Distilling Co. in Nashville, she saw an opportunity to merge premium vodka craftsmanship with sustained social impact.
The brand designates all donations to the communities where its vodka is sold. When a customer purchases a bottle or cocktail, funds raised from that purchase stay local.
While not yet in a profit position, the company has donated 6% of all sales from day one as it works toward its larger goal.
“Our cause is not a marketing gimmick; our cause is the reason Hera exists,” said Julia Pennington, founder of Hera The Dog Vodka. “I wanted to create a more sustainable way to raise funds for the grassroots, boots-on-the-ground organizations I see making a difference, but constantly struggling to find support.”
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Pennington added: “Too often, when products give back, those donations are sent into the ether to very large, already well-funded organizations. People rarely see where their money actually goes.”
The brand’s community efforts extend beyond financial donations. During the 2023 Los Angeles snowstorms, Hera The Dog Vodka mobilized its community to collect and distribute more than 16,000 pounds of donated pet food to families in crisis.
During the pandemic, the brand launched a program feeding the pets of out-of-work bartenders, servers, and kitchen staff, supporting 50 to 70 animals each month through local mom-and-pop pet stores. In response to the 2025 LA fires, the company provided support to the rescue and evacuation efforts of over a dozen teams.
Hera The Dog Vodka is made from 100% organic Italian, non-GMO wheat, distilled seven times and filtered through coconut charcoal. Official tasting notes from The Tasting Panel describe it as “velvety and refined, with a subtle sweetness and hints of vanilla” and “a vodka that balances purity with character.”
The spirit has earned multiple accolades, including a Double Gold at the 2024 SIP Awards, a Gold Medal with 94 points at the Bartender Spirits Awards, and 92 points from The Tasting Panel.
Hera The Dog Vodka is stocked at select premium retailers including Erewhon and Pavilions, as well as through online platforms.
