Hi, I’m Clara — herbalist, researcher, and lifelong plant nerd
Clara Juniper Hayes is a certified herbalist with a degree in ethnobotany from the University of Oregon and over a decade of study in medicinal plants. She founded Herb & Fur to do one thing well: give dog and cat parents clear, honest, safety-first guidance on herbal and natural pet care — no fads, no fear-mongering, no hype.
Every guide on this site is researched from veterinary and herbal literature, written in plain language, and held to a simple standard: would I give this to my own rescue dog, Sage? If the answer isn’t a confident yes, it doesn’t get published.
Why I started Herb & Fur
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where my grandmother — a folk herbalist — taught me to forage, to identify plants, and to respect what they can do. Years later, after a stretch in corporate wellness that left me disconnected from those roots, I adopted Sage, a anxious rescue dog with a sensitive stomach. The vet helped with the big stuff, but for the everyday questions — is chamomile safe for dogs? what’s actually in that calming chew? — I found either marketing fluff or impenetrable science.
So I started writing the guides I wished existed: thoroughly researched, honest about what herbs can’t do, and always clear about when a vet visit matters more than any supplement. That personal project became Herb & Fur.
How this site helps you
- Safety-first herb profiles — what each herb does, proper forms and dosing principles, and who should avoid it (some popular herbs are dangerous for cats).
- Honest product roundups — I compare real products with verified ingredients, and I tell you when a “hero ingredient” is just label decoration.
- Free tools & resources — like the Herb Safety Checker, so you can look up a plant in seconds.
- Vet-aware guidance — herbs support veterinary care; they don’t replace it. You’ll see that line on every page because I mean it.
Why you can trust Herb & Fur
- Real expertise: certified herbalist, ethnobotany degree, 10+ years studying medicinal plants.
- Researched, not rewritten: guides are built from veterinary and herbal references — not spun from other blogs.
- Safety over sales: if an herb is risky for cats, pregnant pets, or pets on medication, I say so upfront — even when it costs a commission.
- Transparent money: this site earns through affiliate links (clearly disclosed on every review). It never changes what I recommend.
- Kept current: guides are reviewed and updated as evidence changes.
Let’s connect
I share new guides, safety alerts, and behind-the-scenes from the apothecary garden on social media — come say hello:
Prefer email? Write to me at clara@herbandfur.com — I read everything, though I can’t give personal veterinary advice.