Thank you for joining me today to celebrate National Pet Sitters Week. How long have you owned PAWSitive Strides Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Services? 

My mom, Paula, and I started the business in April of 2008, so we have been in business for almost nine years! We love taking care of people’s pets, cats, birds, bunnies, fish, reptiles, and… is it OK for me to say this here?... dogs. 

Um… not my favorite word in the world, but OK. Let’s move on. How did you get started in the pet sitting business? 

We both have a great love for pets and we thought, what better thing to do than to work doing something you love? Thus, PAWSitive Strides was born. 

What is pet sitting anyhow? 

Pet sitting is a great alternative that people use when they have to go out of town and leave their fur children behind. As you know, Jean Luc, cats (and most other pets) enjoy the comfort and security they feel being home. With that in mind, we take care of pets in their homes. Not only is it easier for the pets, but it is easier for the owners as well. They don’t have to pack up all of their pet’s belongings and transport them to a boarding facility or a friend’s home. And, when they come back from vacation, they don’t have the added stop to go and pick up their pets. Did you know that we also do dog walking for people with busy schedules? A tired dog is much less likely to annoy a cat! :) 

I am not sure I know of any dog who’s not annoying, but I’ll take your word for it. Next question, what is the best thing about your job? 

The absolute best thing about our job is getting to know and love so many different and wonderful pets. It is extremely fulfilling to be greeted each visit by purring kitties and wagging tails! The pets we care for LOVE our visits and look forward to seeing us. They get lots of love, playtime, and TLC during the visits so we always get very happy greetings!  

It also brings us great satisfaction knowing that, by our being there, our clients get to travel with peace of mind. And what better way to spend the day than by bringing joy and happiness to many furry (and even feathered or scaly) critters! 

Feathered critters? Really??? Sounds delish! Ahem, back to the interview. What is the hardest part about your job? 

The hardest part of our job is when a beloved pet passes away. We get very attached to the pets in our care. We get to know them and love them for many years. So, when they go, it is very hard for us. It breaks our hearts every single time. 

That is sad. Let’s move on to something more “pawsitive”. What is your take on the age-old question, “do cats rule and dogs drool?” 

Oh, that’s a tough one for me, Jean Luc! You know I have dogs, right? 

I know. Nobody’s perfect. I am glad you felt safe admitting it during our interview. I wouldn't make a practice of mentioning that, though, if I were you. 

Well, having been a proud mom of dogs, cats, birds, and fish, I must say that all pets are special to me. I even save lizards or wasps that get into the house and put them back outside. Every critter is unique and wonderful in his own way. 

Um… I guess… still not convinced about dogs, though. And lizards, well, they’re just a cat’s chew toy! Well, thank you for your time and taking a few moments from your busy day to chat with the Coolest Cat in town…ME!