About VIP Beds
V.I.P. Beds has been in business for over 35 years! This wool bedding has been sent countrywide since 1991, making many very important pets cozy and comfortable for many years.
Our Story
A legacy of comfort: from Barbie to today
The story of V.I.P. Dog Beds began in 1991 in Waipukurau, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, with a gift of two bags of knopped wool and a deep love for animals.
As a former veterinary nurse and passionate Labrador breeder, our founder, Barbie Cassidy, saw firsthand how large dogs suffered from arthritis and sore joints. They were either living in pain or reliant on expensive medications. Barbie knew they deserved better, warmer, and more therapeutic support. Disappointed by the cheap, synthetic-filled beds on the market, she knew natural wool was the answer.
Galvanised to ease her canine friends' plight, Barbie sat up in bed at three o'clock one morning and sketched out a revolutionary design. She persuaded a local saddler to stitch together the very first prototypes, one for a Jack Russell and one for a Labrador. They sold immediately. And from that day forward, V.I.P. Beds has been dedicated to crafting the ultimate therapeutic comfort for very important pets.
The Secret Ingredient: Why Knopped Wool Changes Everything
What makes a V.I.P. Bed a lifelong investment in your pet's health is the unique knopping process. Unlike standard wool batting or synthetic fills that eventually "felt down," compress, and flatten into hard surfaces, our mattresses are filled with tiny, loose wool balls. These knops move dynamically within the cover, subtly shifting to contour to your dog’s body and gently massaging their joints to relieve arthritis and combat it.
We source the best of New Zealand's natural fibres to provide the very best in therapeutic beds for your pets, while keeping New Zealand’s sustainability commitment to our environment.
The Next Chapter: A Homecoming
After more than three decades of keeping New Zealand’s pets warm and comfortable, Barbie’s incredible legacy is stepping into a new season - one that marks a deeply personal homecoming for me.
My connection to this beautiful region runs deep; I grew up right here in Hawke's Bay, forming a lifelong love for the community, the landscapes, and the incredible natural resources that define the Bay. Though life eventually took me across the world to the United States, where I lived and worked for 28 years, my heart never truly left home.
Now, I have returned to New Zealand, bringing my own furry family along for the adventure: my Golden Retriever, Cash, and my Ragdoll cat, Penn. Managing their big move back with me made me realise just how vital, truly high-quality, supportive pet care is.
As the proud new custodian of V.I.P. Beds for very important pets, my mission is simple: to honour the 35-year reputation of artisan quality that Barbie built, while ensuring our therapeutic beds continue to support the next generation of your beloved pets.
We aren't changing the golden recipe. The design Barbie sketched at 3:00 am, the local North Island craftsmanship, and the premium blend of woollen knops remain unchanged. Together with Cash and Penn, who have officially stepped into their roles as Chief Comfort Officer and Senior Snuggle Consultant, we are carrying the torch forward with the same dedication to animal wellness, natural materials, and New Zealand-made excellence that started it all.
Your pets are just as important to us today as they were to Barbie in 1991. Welcome to the VIP family.
Knopped wool - the secret ingredient to a comfortable and therapeutic dog bed...
Knops are tiny balls of cross-bred wool fibre, created when small tufts of wool are whirled in a machine using centrifugal force and blown into partially formed ball shapes. This unique process enhances wool's already impressive insulating properties — its warmth, and its ability to repel water by attracting and holding natural grease and oil. Unlike compressed wool, knops retain enough movement to gently massage inside their covers without felting down over time.
Mattresses filled with these wool balls gently massage your dog's joints and help relieve and combat arthritis