Waste not want not

A pair of homeless dogs flipped the script for actress-singer Cara AnnMarie, BMA ’01, and her husband, David Wesch.

After rescuing a black lab-mix named Olive and an orange hound called Annie, the couple was plagued by the question that (most) responsible dog owners ponder: What happens to all those plastic pet-waste bags after they’ve been tossed in the trash?

Most people shrug off the question while curbing their pet, but AnnMarie and Wesch actually searched out an answer.

Turns out America’s 90 million dogs fill a lot of those little plastic bags, generating an estimated 12.2 million tons of poop each year, according to a 2025 New York Times report. Globally, more than 415 billion dog-waste bags are used annually, the National Institutes of Health reports.

Nearly 99% of the bags end up in landfills, where the dog waste gives off planet-warming methane. The single-use bags represent a significant source of plastic pollution, because they are not recyclable or biodegradable.

Who let the dogs out?

AnnMarie founded Doggy Do Good in 2015 with husband David Wesch. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

The statistics sparked a streak of entrepreneurial ambition in AnnMarie and Wesch. And since 2015, they have operated the eco-friendly pet brand, Doggy Do Good.

“As an actress, there is a lot of time between jobs, so you need a side hustle to make extra income to support your artistic pursuits,” AnnMarie says. “David and I began thinking about what we could create together that would be good for the planet and also give us greater flexibility and mobility.”

Together they set out to formulate and market an eco-friendly alternative to ordinary plastic dog-waste bags, along with a sustainable line of pet wipes, soaps, and shampoos. They tapped their personal savings for the initial $5,000 investment in Doggy Do Good.

A dogged work ethic

Wesch and AnnMarie. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

The couple spent a year sourcing a vegetable-based, compostable pet-waste bag and then began selling their entire product line on Amazon, Chewy, and the Doggy Do Good website.

Wesch, a graduate of the College for Creative Studies, paused his professional career in advertising and commercial post-production to work full-time on the startup.

Everything appeared to be going according to plan.

Little did the couple anticipate that in 2020, they would become new parents during a global pandemic and hit the road, living in a 40-foot RV while running a startup business, pursuing an acting career, and caring for a three-month-old baby and two frisky dogs.

In the spotlight

AnnMarie (left) in a Basement Arts musical at U-M. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

Admittedly, the entrepreneurial journey has been somewhat of an uphill climb for the two creative artists. They have plenty of show-biz experience. But business savvy ― well, not so much.

Growing up in Chelsea, Michigan, AnnMarie (Heitman) had one career in mind.

“I always wanted to be on Broadway,” says the actress, who began singing at an early age. She landed her first leading role, as Lady Macbeth, in the fourth grade and sang in local choral groups.

When AnnMarie began looking at colleges, the University of Michigan stood out.

“I knew Michigan had a wonderful vocal program, so I applied and was accepted,” she recalls. “It was an incredible opportunity.”

Chasing the dream

An opera major, she soon gravitated toward musical theatre and performed in many U-M Gilbert and Sullivan productions. During summer break, she booked her first professional musical theatre roles at venues outside Chicago.

AnnMarie in the streaming series “Cobra Kai” on Netflix. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

After graduation, AnnMarie packed her bags and spent the next 10 years performing in regional theaters, cruise-line Broadway shows, and tours in the U.S. and internationally.

An off-hand comment made by her U-M voice teacher, Martha Sheil, always stuck in the back of her mind.

“One day, Professor Sheil said to me: ‘I think you should be on TV,'” the actress says. “At the time, I thought she’d lost her mind. It was not on my radar.”

These days, talent agents keep AnnMarie busy with a steady flow of auditions for TV series, movies, and commercials. Series credits include the comedy “Detroiters” and the martial-arts drama “Cobra Kai.” This summer, she appears in the Wayans brothers’ movie Scary Movie 6, which opened in theaters June 5.

On the road again

“RV Actress” is on YouTube. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

For the past six years, AnnMarie, Wesch, and son Whitaker have traveled coast-to-coast in their super-size RV. A new rescue dog, Oscar, recently joined the road-tripping pack. Whittaker works the pet trade circuit with his parents and makes audition tapes, with AnnMarie’s help, for roles in TV and film.

Recently, AnnMarie started a YouTube channel called “RV Actress,” which invites viewers to share in the family’s adventures, and misadventures, on the road.

“As long as we are all healthy and happy and have each other — and the coffeemaker — we will be fine,” she says.

Meanwhile, Doggy Do Good has grown into a doggone successful business, generating $19 million in revenue since 2015, says AnnMarie.

“RV Actress” chronicles life on the road. (Image courtesy of AnnMarie.)

Over the past 18 months, the company has sold more than 25 million landfill-friendly pet-waste bags, which contain a proprietary additive, Plasgreen, that accelerates the breakdown of the recycled plastic in municipal waste-disposal sites.

“Our mission is to leave this land a little better than we found it,” AnnMarie says.

The company has begun private-labeling its bags for big-box retailers, which are selling them in 9,000 stores nationwide, with another 10,000 stores coming online in 2027.

Next on the agenda: a pitch for venture capital from private investors — and perhaps an appearance on the business reality TV show “Shark Tank.”