Two Friends. One Dog. A Mission That Keeps Growing.

Eric and Joey’s story starts long before Pink Tongue. Back in seventh grade, when they met playing basketball. They became close friends, the kind who didn’t realize at the time that one day, they’d be building something much bigger together.

In 2017, Eric’s dog Riley passed away. Riley wasn’t just a pet; he was family, a gentle, loyal service dog who visited hospitals to comfort sick children. His passing left a huge void, but it also inspired something beautiful. Eric began a small family business selling merchandise to raise money for local shelters, determined to make sure dogs would always have homes, just like Riley once did.

When college came, life pulled them in different directions. Eric prepared for dental school, and Joey took the opposite route. He lived in three countries searching for meaning, shaped by a social worker mom and a businessman dad. From an early age, Joey knew he wanted to build something that mattered, a business that left an impact, not just profit.

Eventually, their paths crossed again, and their friendship turned into a partnership. What began as repurposing content for shelters : filming dogs, telling their stories, helping them get adopted , grew into a national movement. They realized that visibility saves lives, and with a camera, creativity, and compassion, they could help change the shelter system from the ground up.

That mission became Pink Tongue: company built on the idea that when a dog’s pink tongue is showing, they’re happy, loved, and free.

Since then, Eric and Joey have helped rescue hundreds of dogs, raised thousands of dollars for shelters, and built a community of over one million followers dedicated to adoption and rescue. Through Pink Tongue, they’ve turned storytelling into impact: transforming the way people see shelter dogs, one bandana at a time.

What started as two friends and one dog’s memory has become a growing movement to make adoption accessible, sustainable, and full of joy. And through every happy family, every wagging tail, and every pink tongue, Riley’s legacy lives on.