From Wagging Tails to Professional Pet Care: A Lifetime of Animal Love

Pet care has always been more than a profession for me—it’s a calling that began in childhood. Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation when suddenly your ears perk up at the mere mention of a four-legged friend? That’s me, every single time. I can be completely disengaged from my surroundings until I hear, “Bentley destroyed my new slippers,” or “Luna discovered the open pantry,”.  Suddenly I’m all ears. There’s something about pet stories that speaks directly to my soul. They connect me with fellow animal lovers in a heartbeat.

He never had fresh water.

The Forgotten Dog That Changed Everything

My journey with professional pet care began long before I ever dreamed of running a pet sitting company. When I was nine, my mother enrolled me in baton twirling lessons. While other girls dreamed of sparkly costumes and parade performances, I was preoccupied with something else entirely—a dog tied up behind our practice building.

Week after week, I’d arrive in my bright blue sequined costume, but before I’d even think about practicing my twirls, I’d slip around back to check on him. The poor thing was always there—matted fur, and lonely eyes.  Somehow he maintained that indomitable spirit dogs are famous for. His tail would wag furiously at the sight of a small girl in blue sparkles.  It was as if I were the most exciting thing he’d seen all week.

What broke my heart was his water situation. The bowl was often empty, sometimes missing entirely. Instead of practicing my routine, I’d find myself wandering the alley in my performance outfit, searching for anything that could hold water. I’d “borrow” water from random garden hoses, probably risking neighborly wrath, but it never occurred to me that I was doing anything ‘wrong’ – just what needed to be done.

The way he drank—desperately at first, then with pure joy—taught me something profound about compassion and gratitude. His tail never stopped moving: “thank-you” on one swing, “thank-you” on the other. In those moments, I wasn’t a reluctant baton twirler; I was someone who mattered deeply to another living being.

From Childhood Compassion to Professional Calling To Pet Care

I’ve carried that dog in my heart for almost 55 years now. He was my first lesson in what would eventually become my life’s work. What began as a child’s instinctive kindness gradually evolved into something more. Throughout my life, I found myself drawn to animals in need.  I found myself volunteering at shelters, and fostering when possible.   Eventually I realized that my purpose wasn’t just to love animals but to create a profession from that love.

The Pet Parlor wasn’t born overnight. It grew from countless experiences like that first one.  It grew from moments when I recognized that animals deserve advocates who see them as individuals with needs, personalities, and dignity. When I finally took the leap into professional pet sitting, it felt less like starting a business and more like formalizing a calling I’d been answering since I was a nine year old in a sequined costume.

Today, when I make sure our staff is trained in pet CPR or emphasize the importance of noticing subtle changes in behavior, that forgotten dog is in the back of my mind. I’m remembering how something as simple as fresh water meant everything to him. It’s why we emphasize the details at The Pet Parlor.  Sometimes the smallest gestures make the biggest difference in an animal’s life.

So yes, my ears still perk up at any mention of pets in conversation. My eyes still follow every dog walker with unabashed interest. I’m still completely “owned by fur,” as I like to say. But now I’ve built a life and business around that love. I’m proud of our team of professionals who share that same instinctive care for every animal we meet.

Looking back at that little girl in her sequined costume, I realize now she was taking her first steps toward The Pet Parlor. If you’ve ever felt that same pull toward helping animals in need, the ASPCA offers excellent guidance on recognizing and safely responding to animal neglect situations.