We've worked with a number of petsitters over the years, Joan is by far the best, and she's the only petsitter I've used for my cat since moving to Astoria a few years ago. Just a few things to note. 1) The most important qualities I expect in a pet-sitter are reliability and communication. Joan is exceptional at both of these: Whenever we contact her to arrange petsitting, she gets back to me immediately to reconfirm dates and times. If anything comes up while we're away, she's always just a phone call or text or email away. (Like that time we were delayed coming home from a trip because of a snowstorm--Joan was right there on the phone to reassure me she would continue caring for my kitty for an extra couple of days until I could return. This was at Christmastime, certainly her busiest time of year.) 2) She's extremely caring and sweet with her client pets. I've had her come over to help me give liquid medication to my cat when my husband was out of town and I wasn't sure I could do it on my own. She's was wonderfully gentle and kind, helping keep my kitty calm and distracted while I fumbled with the dropper. I could not have done it without her! 3) She's flexible and compassionate with pet owners too! Last summer I had her come in and take care of my cat when we went out of town for a few days. Of course, without any advance warning and with us out of town, that was the week my landlord chose to change the front door lock! Joan didn't skip a beat -- she tracked down the super, got a new key for herself and for us, and continued taking great care of our cat. 4) Joan gives our cat all of the care and attention he could want. Our kitty is a friendly boy and likes a lot of cuddles and playtime. Joan makes sure he gets plenty of attention, and when we come home from a trip he's always as relaxed and happy as if we had taken care of him ourselves. Joan is the best as far as I'm concerned. A+ I'm so grateful we found her! read more

I have been using Joan of Arks pet sitter Joan for over 5 years. Having a difficult dog and 2 cats, one an elderly spooky diabetic to contend with, it has always been a challenge for me to leave my home. I used to rush home at lunch to administer insulin shots to my cat, then clean up the mess made by my poor dog that couldn't wait for me. I was turned onto Joan and her services by a gal at the dog park and numerous other dog walkers that interract with Joan on a daily basis. Believe me..want a true recomendation? Just ask another animal person :) Joan is not only extremely kind to my pets, she is knowledgeable about my cats' needs and swiftly administers the meds before Prissy even finishes her treat ! She has never come out of hiding for ANY other pet sitter ! This is so important to me as she is fragile and can't be stressed. My dog Buddy is in love with Joan :) He prefers her to ME !! The midday walks and company that Joan provides without fail, has changed my boy from a depressed couch potato into a new man ! Accidents are a thing of the past now. I usually find my house cleaner than when I went away !! She washes the dog and cat dishes, and never fails to clean the cat box :) She takes pride in her services and lives up to her reputation . I HIGHLY recommend Joan . She has a meet and greet that is so nice to offer. A chance to see if she and your pets are compatible and to make sure all instructions are clear. In this day and age? I find Joan to be curteous and very reliable but most importantly, my pets adore her. I have many friends who now use Joan and all are very pleased with her efforts to make sure our pets are well cared for. Anyone want an awesome petsitter and walker that knows these guys are our "family?" I say call Joan !! She's the best...just ask Buddy and Prissy !! Mickey read more

I lived in Astoria for 7 years and it was a true godsend when I found Joan. At the time, my Brenden and Tiny needed care and while I had the option of boarding facilities, I can tell you that pet-sitters are the much better choice and Joan, she is the best pet-sitter around. She took wonderful care of my dogs when I worked late, had engagements or went away for vacation. She is reliable, responsible, and communicative with emails, notes, and pictures. I was never concerned about the safety and care of my Brenden and Tiny when Joan was caring for them. She is excellent. My furkids just loved her!! She was my pet sitter for six years. When I left New York, I missed having someone like Joan. When I returned to New York four yrs after I had left, the first thing I did was contact her to arrange sitting again. Bottom line is this. I love my dogs tremendously. And if Joan had been anything less than reasonable, caring, and reliable, I wouldn't have enlisted her service for as long as I did. The fact that I contacted her when I returned to New York speaks volumes. I have since moved back to Chicagoland to be near family, and I'll tell ya, great pet sitters are few and far btwn. Joan is one of the few. I couldn't help but notice the review by Michelle R. It's unfortunate that she had a bad experience but I encourage folks to be their own judge. If you're looking for reliable and caring service, contact Joan. You'll see for yourself whether those of us leaving five-star reviews are on the mark or not. Many thanks. read more

Before Joan I had been used a friend to take care of my cat. Said friend, that we paid, had two jobs to do while we were out of town for a long weekend. 1. Feed said cat and 2. Make sure the water fountain bowl was always filled with water. Long story short, this person is now no longer my friend. Thus began my search for the perfect pet sitter. To say Joan is AMAZING is an understatement, she was prompt, caring and loving to my pets. Also, my elderly landlord who was worried about having someone strange come into the house would always let me know how safe she felt whenever Joan would stop by. Joan never batted an eye when we went from one cat, to two, to four fuzzy felines in her care- three of which look identical. As far as actually taking care of my cats, Joan made sure they were medicated (one of them has allergies and needs shots and pills), fed, litter cleaned and played with (yes one of my cats is destructive if ignored to long). She is also accommodating to ever changing travel plans and last minute requests. I'm going finish this review with saying that we moved out of Queens and had to get a new pet sitter and I'm not actually confident that they can tell my cats apart and reliably medicate. I truly miss Joan and Greek food. read more

A friend of ours recommended that Joan look after our cat while we were on vacation and I couldn't be more pleased with Joans' service. We coordinated a time to meet so that we could go over all the details, provide Joan with keys and have her meet Callie. Callie is an older gal and although she would likely be perfectly fine while we were gone, we needed someone we could trust to come in, feed her and give her some attention. All communication was done via text and email and we set something up fairly quickly. We planned on being out of town for only 5 days but due to winter storm Jonas, our flights were cancelled and we were not able to get home until the 8th day. We immediately reached out to see if Joan could come through one extra day and she said it wouldn't be a problem at all. We were able to Paypal Joan her fee so she wouldn't have to wait for our return. While we were away Joan sent us pictures of Callie and gave us an update. Joan also waters your plants and takes in the mail! I will absolutely be using her services again when we go out of town. When we arrived at home Callie looked great and didn't seem too mad we were gone so long :) We are so glad we found Joan's Pet Sitting. read more

I consider Joan an extended member of my family (only one I hardly get to see, since she always comes when I'm gone). Joan has taken great care of my furry babies for the past 10 years in all sorts of different scenarios. She earned the trust and love of my cat Diva, who was incredibly shy and liked very few people. She has provided care in moments of normalcy, as in just giving her fresh food and water and love when I traveled, to more serious care, including insulin shots when she became diabetic later in life. I was always hold Joan in highest regard because she was also there (by choice, not even by assignment) in my kitty's last hours when my friend was watching her and she became ill (I couldn't get home because a hurricane that closed the roads). Joan is a sweetheart and a true animal lover. She has been with us through three different homes and two different cats spanning more than a decade. She's always respectful of our home, including going above and beyond and bringing our mail in and leaving notes about our kitty's progress. I highly recommend her for entrusted care with your pets. read more

I lived in Queens for three years and had my first cat and many fosters. My job requires me to travel frequently, sometimes a weekend every month. During those times Joan has always been professional and went above and beyond what she needed to do as a pet sitter. Sometimes I had to foster troubled cats who were so shy they hid all day, or others that became aggressive if you came too close. Throughout all of them Joan never once complained, and kept me updated on their well-being and sent me photos. She has also gifted me with books, and once when I forgot to pay for a day she graciously said it was "on the house". She also brings in the mail and refills my ice tray. Once my cat got sick off his dry food and would throw up frequently, and another time I had a foster with chronic diarrhea who would leave unpleasant watery surprises on near every surface of the house, and through it all Joan cleaned it all up without complaint. I highly recommend her services, and am so glad I chose Joan to take care of my cat and myriad of fosters. read more

Joan is an awesome and devoted pet sitter. Some time ago, my beloved cat was diagnosed with diabetes and required twice a day administration of food and medicine (including giving her pills and insulin injections). I had no idea what to do about traveling which was necessary from time to time since my family is out West. I don't remember how I found Joan - probably at the vet in Astoria - but she came through like a champ in care of both of my animals, following my very detailed instructions to the letter. It was a huge relief to have Joan whose great assistance enabled me to feel confident anytime I had to go away. My diabetic kitty lived for four years after her diagnosis and I attribute that in part to Joan's competence in assisting our family with pet care in my absence. And I also have to mention the time when I had a pet emergency and she came to my side right away with her car so that we could go and get help on a Sunday. Thanks, Joan! read more

Joan's Ark Pet Sitting & Services is a 5 star business. Joan has been watching our cats for four years: she is a true animal lover and it shows in her work. While we are away, she not only feeds and tends to our cats, she plays with them to make sure they feel loved in our absence. She also leaves a detailed note about the animals during our absence i.e, Nacho was very cuddly and wanted to play. Peekaboo was more interested in sleeping. Like most pet owners, I am very protective of my animals and want to know they are well cared for in my absence. It is truly a comfort to know that Joan is with them--not only does she provide top notch service; she provides me with a peace of mind when I am gone. Can't say enough good things about her. She is the best! read more

I have used Joan of Ark Pet Sitting for years!!! Joan is a wonderful woman, she comes to your house and gets to know your pets, their needs, and yours. She is extremely thorough and reliable, and I always come home to a happy kitty!!! I highly recommend her service, you will not be disappointed. She sat for me when I had a bunny 7 years ago, and when I reached out to her a few years later to watch my cat, she totally remembered me and all the details of my former pets!! I also recently needed her to watch our cat last min and she made sure it was all taken care of without hesitation-she is truly awesome and your pets couldn't be in better hands!! read more

Joan has been taking care of my two cats for several years now. She is by far the best catsitter I have ever worked with. The first time she came to meet my cats, she made careful notes on them and I have never had to remind her of anything since. She is responsive to emails arranging for care, and is flexible when arrangements change. My cats are always relaxed and happy when I return from a trip, and I can tell that they have been getting attention in addition to feeding. I'm very happy with her and can wholeheartedly recommend her services. read more

I don't know what I would do without Joan. I've been using her services for about a year now to take care of my cat when I go out of town and I couldn't be happier. I recently went on an extended trip and she was so kind when I expressed my discomfort with leaving my buddy for so long. She promised a little extra play time and told me not to worry. Sure enough when I got back my cat was perfectly happy...I wonder if he even missed me : ) Needless to say I recommend Joan's services hands down. read more

Joan took care of our cat for a week while we are away in Italy. She came in for a consultation, took notes about what our cat needed and collected our keys. Since this was our first time getting a pet sitter, we were a bit wary about having a stranger in our apartment. Joan was professional and even took care of our hermit crabs. When we got back we could tell our cat was well taken care of. We would use her services again. Thanks Joan. read more

Joan is a treasure. We have trusted our pets with Joan for years and I don't know what we would do without her. You could not ask for a better friend to your pet. Unquestionably reliable, capable, compassionate...we cannot recommend her highly enough. Even for special needs--she has had to administer subcutaneous fluids to one of our cats--Joan can be depended on for her competence, professionalism, and integrity. Thank you Joan! read more

I wish Joan did remote pet sitting! I haven't found a sitter since I moved from Astoria back to Virginia. But she did such a great job with my dear cat Flopper whether for a weekend or a long vacation. Daily care but also great attention and interaction. And I met and often ran into Joan as she was walking her own pup in our neighborhood, which was a great example of how she felt for these important animals. Miss you, Joan! read more

We have used Joan's services since 2003 and she's become like family! She truly cares about our cats and we trust her completely. As our cats have aged they have needed special foods and even meds from time to time and it's always done with the same care we would give them ourselves. I highly recommend her to anyone who wants their animals in great hands while they are away. We love you Joan! read more

Joan has been our pet sitter for over ten years, and she has been extremely helpful and reliable. She always takes excellent care of our cats -- even the difficult one! -- and even helped us figure out how to get our stubborn, elderly cat to take her medication. She is dedicated and caring, and there's no one else we would trust our little ones with. She is part of our cats' extended family. read more

Joan is great, I have used her ever since I moved to Astoria 6 years ago. I have two large very active dogs, one of which is diabetic and Joan has always done great. She's caring, can give injections, and is loyal to her customers. She always responds to inquiries, and tries to work with you even if you give short notice. Your pets will be in good hands. read more

Once again Joan came through for me like the professional that she is. Thank you Joan, for doing what you do so well... taking care of my crew. What would I do without her. Even with the medications, Joan took splendid care of my cats. I recommend her to all my friends and neighbors. read more