Before moving to Arizona, we'd get stressed every time we moved because that meant finding a new pet sitter who would service our new location. Although many people do not get a pet sitter for their cats, we believe that they will be more comfortable in their natural environment (and, of course, I mean inside at home not roaming the yard in the desert heat to be eaten by coyotes or hit by a car), so we have always chosen to have someone come to our home to feed and play with our cats, as well as change the litter box, collect our mail and just generally keep an eye on things while we're away.
So, given our obvious passion for cat welfare, we were just as concerned when moving to Arizona (a little over two years ago) about finding the right pet sitter. The first person we interviewed seemed flat out disinterested in being there and told us outright that he "didn't like cats." What the hell? I mean, I guess I'm glad he was honest so we didn't mistakenly hire him and regret it, but why not just advertise yourself as being a dogs-only pet sitter?
Anyway, when Teri Ann first came to our house, we just knew right away that she would be a great fit. She was really friendly, smiling and putting us at ease, and once she started interacting with cats, it was clear that she was a die-hard animal lover. She took her time to let each one pick up her scent and talked to them in a soothing voice.
Since that initial meeting, we have probably had Teri Ann pet sit for us about 20-25 times. Each time, our cats have seemed happy and healthy upon our return, and she always takes the time to leave us a note about the visit, as well as to text us updates while we are gone. Her pricing is also reasonable at $20/visit and we have saved around 15% percent by purchasing a visit pack (I believe it's 30 visits) in advance. Customers with visits also get a bit of leeway in terms of last-minute scheduling or cancellations, so that's another benefit of the bundle. When she couldn't make a visit or was herself out of town, she either has her sitter or another trusted pet sitter substitute. Also, when we lost one of our four kitties to an incurable disease, she showed us true sympathy and compassion.
About a month ago, we moved to Central Phoenix and were again put back in our "worry place" about finding a new pet sitter. Well, good news for us and our kitties: Teri Ann agreed to still be our pet sitter! I'm not saying that she would travel that far from her home base (Laveen) for every client, but it was just another testament to her dedication to our cats.
Although we don't have a need for her additional services, Teri Ann also offers hiking lessons for people, hiking events for dogs, as well as a variety of other dog-related services (airport rides, walking, etc.). read more