Meet Our Pet Sitters

From the very beginning I have always felt a special connection with animals, even the ones who normally don’t like strangers. As soon as I could get a job, I knew right away I wanted to work with animals. All my life I grew up around cats and dogs, so I don’t know a life without them. I started out with my hometowns boarding facility in Okoboji, Iowa and when I moved to Sioux Falls, I worked at Paws Pet Resort for a couple of years. While I worked at Paws, I took a couple of training classes which consisted of obedience and recognizing certain signs from dogs. I recently was a Rover provider until I joined Home Away From Home Pet Service, LLC. Collectively, I have 7 years of experience caring for animals. At home I have two of my own cats, Herschel and Sloane! Throughout my experience, I’ve taken care of many breeds of dogs and cats with different size ranges, ages, and special needs. From the toy breeds to Great Danes, I’ve taken care of them all. I am currently a licensed nurse which gives me special knowledge for medications including insulin injections as well as medical diagnoses like seizures, anxiety, arthritis, etc. I am also Pet Care Team Training certified and Pet First Aid/CPR certified. 

Pet sitting is my part time job as I work as a full time LPN on an orthopedic inpatient unit at Avera. I work 3-twelve hour shifts a week which gives me more than half of my week left to care for your furry family members! Even though I have a full-time job, I love spending my available time with animals as it makes me happy seeing them having fun! I am flexible to accommodate your schedule and specific needs during our visits to make it fun and comfortable for your furry friend!

My services include drop-in visits, dog walking, and pet taxi. I have experience providing care for dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, and more. I provide these services mostly from 7am-12pm on the weekdays but also do a few during the rest of the day, as well as the weekends depending on my LPN schedule. These services range from 30 minutes or 60 minutes per visit, you choose! Safety and security are my number one priority for the animals and some feel the most comfortable in their own home, especially those who have anxiety. I follow the care instructions given to me whether they are about feeding, medications, walking, or just your usual routine you’d like me to follow. I ensure your animals receive tons of affection, as well as play time of course. If your animal is a little unsure or uncomfortable, I will try my best to make them feel comfortable without pushing their boundaries. 

Safety is very important to me, as I’d like my own personal cats to be safe while in someone else’s care. As I provide my services in your home, I respect your personal space and always clean up if messes occur. If you have a repeat escapee on your hands, I make sure to take that into account when opening doors or letting them outside. I also always double check everything before I leave your house to ensure the safety of your furry family member. If anything were to happen during our visit, I will promptly let you know right away so you are updated and know what is going on. I do require a meet and greet before I book with any new client because sometimes it can be scary for an animal to see a stranger enter their home for the first time. Providing a warm happy environment is what I strive to do at every visit. It makes me happy when I come back over and they are so excited about our visit, this is why I do what I do! Contact me today so your furry family member can find their favorite playdate partner with Home Away From Home.