For dogs and their owners across Canada, there's very little that can spoil a nice walk on a fine day - nothing, that is, until you discover you're short of those critical canine supplies.

Do you turn around and head home? Jump in the car and drive in search of your nearest pet superstore? With the recent arrival of the Hey Buddy! franchise in Canada, dog lovers will soon have a simpler and better option: buy what you need from a Hey Buddy! pet product vending machine while you're out walking.

According to Roger Balm, master Canadian franchisee for Hey Buddy!, this is an idea whose time has come.

"For many of us, your dog is a member of the family," says Balm. "The Hey Buddy! concept offers real advantage for both dog lovers and their dogs. With a Hey Buddy! vending machine in your neighborhood, you can get the supplies you need, right when you need them, at a very competitive price." The vending machines can be conveniently located anywhere dogs - and their owners - roam: the local off-leash, in an apartment building, veterinary clinics, pet friendly hotels, doggy day care, malls or even truck stops.

Hey Buddy! started in 1998 when founder Carlotta Lennox noticed during a rollerblade through a park in Miami that the facility lacked amenities to serve its canine clientele. Lennox patented the concept and placed the first vending machine in a Dallas dog park named Bark Park Central. Balm signed on in 2008 to bring Hey Buddy! to Canada, and is setting up local franchises across the country.

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