The Adventures of a Cape Cod Pet Sitter

By Kathy Reynolds

When I first began my journey as a pet sitter in Falmouth on Cape Cod, I had no idea where the journey would lead me. Pet sitting involves visits to clients' homes, giving peace of mind to pet owners, and eliminates the trauma that many pets experience when they are boarded in an unfamiliar environment. I believe pets are God's example to us of unconditional love. If we could be half as loving, loyal, trusting, and awesome as pets, we could change the world. Much to my surprise, in the past fifteen years my earnings have exceeded $300,000. Much more than income though, was the satisfaction and love I received in return from fur friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644716601

Book preview

Becoming a Pet Sitter

When hubby, our son, and I moved to Cape Cod, our son was six, and I was seeking employment. Like anyone with a child, I was hoping for a job with some flexibility, but I wasn’t having much luck. I dropped my son off at school one morning, and my co-pilot Sparky was with me as usual.

He was a springer spaniel and had belonged to my brother. As it turned out, my brother Brian passed away, so my mother took him in. After a few years, she developed lung cancer, and that’s when he came to live with us at age eleven. My brother had found sweet Sparky as a stray in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was always bringing a dog home; it seemed, and my mother always had trouble saying no. My dad loved pets as well.

Heidi (a neighbor’s dog), Brian top center, Nephew

Danny bottom center and Sparky

In fact, one reason I feel I had a great love for pets was due to the way we acquired my dog that grew up with me from around grade six through high school.

My uncle was at the town of Sterling landfill dump and heard a strange noise coming from within the trash heap. He stepped through the trash to get to it and discovered a puppy tied in a burlap bag. He retrieved her and brought her to us as we lived close by. She was covered in sweat and was traumatized. At that time, they lit the dump on fire every few days, so his being there was a wonderful miracle. We all couldn’t believe someone would do this to an innocent puppy, but sadly, there are some very cruel people out there.

We named her Princess, and she surely was just that. She was loving, gentle, and sweet beyond words. She even waited at the bus stop for me, and if I stayed after school, she hopped onto the bus looking for me, and the bus driver had trouble convincing her I wasn’t there. Evil intent was meant for her, but God had a different plan, and I am forever grateful for the fourteen years she blessed our lives.

Princess

One day Sparky and I parked at Menauhant beach here in Falmouth after seeing Tim off to school, and then we took a walk. We had only been on Cape Cod a few weeks, and what was on my mind was how important it was for me to find a job. The waves were slowly coming ashore, warm sunshine on my skin and his fur—so peaceful. I found myself a bit teary eyed though because I knew staying on the Cape was everything to us; we never wanted to leave.

Sparky

Sparky and Tim

We tried a few times to move here in the past to no avail. Walking along with Sparky, I surveyed the sand as many do, looking for sea shells and sea glass to collect. It’s such fun to find different colored glass and pretty shells. I then said to Sparky as we walked along, Gee Sparky, I sure wish mom could make money doing this, referring to collecting the treasures, perhaps then making them into something the tourists would want to buy. Like selling sea shells by the sea shore… Hmm probably not too profitable. I gave a big sigh, and we kept walking.

At some point in the next few months, I went to a vet appointment for my Angora bunny Peter, who needed his butt shaved occasionally to keep poop from sticking to his fur. I had him over six years; he was so sweet. He was a rescue from neighbor’s kids who abused him using a bat to hit stones against his cage.

While there, I asked the receptionist if they needed help of any kind walking or working with the animals in some way. The girl working there, Lynne, said no they didn’t, but there was a great need for pet sitters.

What’s a pet sitter? I asked her. My mission as I left was to find out what pet sitting involved, and could I do it? I got a book on pet sitting, and I also called a local girl who was a pet sitter, and asked if we could have lunch so I could learn more.

This person at that time was in her seventh year and was very busy. She said she was trying to find a way to get an entire day off, and I thought how hard can that be? Before long, I found out…

A few months later, when I took Peter bunny again for his shave and was returning him to his cage, I had several pet sitting jobs lined up. I kind of laughed walking back in the house, saying out loud, Well, Peter, looks like I may have a job after all.

Over $300,000 later, indeed it was true. To become a pet sitter, I took steps to help be more successful. I registered my business with the town hall, mainly to show prospective clients that I was serious and to provide them with recourse if they weren’t happy with me.

I learned that there was a local pet sitter who was not reliable or trustworthy, and I knew how important it would be to pet owners to have peace of mind over their pets and homes while they were away. This unreliable person was not registered, so who do you complain to? Be sure to get referrals before hiring, and I encourage nanny cams. I have heard some bad stories, and your pet deserves the best.

I also obtained pet sitters insurance, made business cards, and started to put them at various locations. The most fun part of the beginning stages of any business is naming it. Of course, I had a lot of ideas, but finally settled on Friends Fur Ever Pet Care, and I liked it. The idea of caring for peoples’ pets would mean they would be able to be in their own home and not a kennel or boarding facility.

Just before moving to the Cape, we had boarded our springer spaniel, Sparky, for only two nights, and it severely traumatized him. He was sore and stiff, throwing up and was in rough shape. We had boarded him with his vet that he went to for several years, but he did not understand and must have been terrified. No familiar faces, new smells, barking dogs—he must have felt abandoned. I told him, "I’ll never ever do that to you again if you live to be two hundred years old, never again."

I have heard dozens of bad tales of people who used kennels, and some of the dogs died or were very traumatized, very sad indeed. There are dogs who like kennels especially if started at a young age, and there are quality kennels out there. For