Pet Sitting John Ball Park

About: I have taken care of and been around pets my whole life. I grew up with a dog for a short time and two cats. Those cats are now 16 and 17 so I have learned to adapt to their dietary needs as well as administer different medications they may need. I also adopted a senior kitty about a year ago who also has belly and GI issues so I have learned to take care of that. I have pet sat for many friends and family members. I enjoy taking dogs on walks to playing with cats! I currently work part time at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital! I work 2-4 days a week depending so my schedule is varied. I am more than willing to switch around my schedule to help watch some furry friends ! With my own cat personally, I take time each day to entertain her and play with her weather that means we go for a little walk or brush her. I am very cautious about the types of plants, clearers, and objects I have around that may be harmful to pets.

“Andy was wonderful! She communicated with me throughout and took such great care of my cats. It gave me so much peace of mind knowing they were in such caring hands. She is kind, reliable, and truly loves animals. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a pet sitter, and I will absolutely book with her again in the future.”

Ismat A.

About: At a young age, I began to understand and care for our pets and those of friends and family members. I’ve learned how to be patient, kind, and active in order to provide the best care for dogs of various ages and sizes. Living in an apartment now post college, I’ve quickly realized how much I miss the joy and love a dog can bring. I would be incredibly honored to care and provide the most love to your furry family members! I do have a hybrid work schedule but it does come with flexibility to work around any at home requirements. I’ll typically be out of town Monday through Thursday, and have Friday through Sunday available at home. If given enough advance notice, I can manage my schedule to fit around your pets schedule. My work events can change weekly, so planning ahead of time is essential. When I’m not on the road, I work from home and have the ability to care for pets around the clock. My apartment complex is pet friendly, and there are many dogs that live throughout the building. There is an open grass area where many of them do their business, but I do prefer to walk around the block to give your dog more to sniff and space to choose where they’d like to “go”. There are also many local parks that I enjoy going to for little adventures! Since I will likely be working from home while caring for your pet, I will be able to provide 24 hour care and understand their needs throughout the day. Over the weekends, this will also be provided, as I typically stay home and go out around the area locally only.

“Kate did an amazing job! She took care of our Hemi cat and followed the directions well. She was very polite and took pictures and videos every time she came by. She knows animals and knows how to take care of them. I highly recommend Kate for your animal sitting needs!”

Cody O.

“Molly was very responsive throughout our trip. It was so nice to recieve pictures with our daily check in. Will definitely reach back out for any future cat sitting needs!”

Courtney D.

About: I have cared for animals since I can remember- I grew up on a farm and my first ever job was at a pet store where we had extensive education about animal behavior and nutrition. I started fostering animals after college and while I don't do that full time anymore - cats and dogs always seems to find their way to our house when in need. I have done dog walking and house/ cat sitting on and off for friends and friends of friends for years and I always go out of my way to find more animals to cuddle. This gig seems like the best way to do that! I work 12 hour shifts only a couple days a week so I have many free days for pet care. I am home all the days I'm not working and can spend it with furry friends! I have a fenced in back yard and tons of walkable space near my house for plays and exercise for your baby. I am good at going with the flow of whatever the fur baby's energy is but I am also great at following a routine for your baby as well.

“Alexandria checked in on our two golden retrievers and was great! She was communicative, on time, and took good care of our pups! Highly recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

Michael J.

About: I’ve dog-walked and house-sat for friends and families for over ten years. I have experience walking two dogs at a time, taking them to dog parks too, and experience with young puppies still house training and aging dogs with mobility issues. My mom ran a kennel and dog-walking service while I was at home (1st grade-12th grade years of my life), so I am very comfortable with all breeds and temperaments, from German Shepherds, Pitbulls, and Weimaraners to Dachshunds, Terriers and Schnauzers, along with mixed-breeds and rescues. I also have experience with cats, being a cat-mom for the last five years, and I've rescued and rehomed several cats over the last ten years. Working locally in downtown Grand Rapids allows me to visit pets, including my own, several times a day. Walking and physical activity are habits for me, so taking dogs out and walking them, running them at parks or in yards, is easy to fit into my schedule. I don't work a standard 9-5 so my hours are flexible and I can make visits at my own convenience. Dogs: I work to respond to the needs of the pet and the preferences/requests of the owner. Depending on that, care is case-by-case, but several rules I abide by are always: greet the dog calmly and warmly, and take outside first before checking on food and water. This gives the pup a moment to get the wiggles or nervous pees out, and diverts attention to sniffing and other senses so their energy calms slightly. We go back in to make sure food, water, and other elements requested by the owner are attended to. For the walk, I always bring a bag with poop bags, treats, and an extra collar. When we go further, like to trails or a park, I also bring a container and water as well as a towel for mud/wipe-downs, which I always do before we head back into the home, to make sure the dog is clean and won’t track in mud. I always practice basic commands as well, like sit, wait/stay, and come/here when we are at home, to build trust and reinforce the commands before going out. I always make sure to leave the home as it was, and check elements that the owner asked me to (i.e. water, food, mail, lights). I always leave a note on how the visit went and take a photo too so they know the doggo is happy and healthy. Cats: I work to respond to the needs of the pet and the preferences/requests of the owner. Depending on that, care is case-by-case, but several rules I abide by are always: call for the cat and then head straight to checking food and water, talking and calling for the kitty as I go. If they greet me, we pet/play for at least a half an hour. If they don’t greet me, I’ll look for them in the usual spots and speak gently and make sounds of play for them until they come out. I will not leave until I have set eyes on the kitty. I make sure to ask the owner what the favorite toys and types of play are for the cat. I then take care of the litter box. I always make sure to leave the home as it was, and check elements that the owner asked me to (i.e. water, food, mail, lights). I always leave a note on how the visit went and take a photo too so they know their kitty is happy and healthy.

“Kristina gave exceptional care to Contessa. She gave dedicated attention and reassurance to a rather anxious senior dog. She is a trusted sitter.”

Laura Jean K.

“Holly Jean was wonderful! She sent me detailed updates about how her drop in visit went. She followed all my instructions perfectly. She was communicative during the booking process and did not hesitate to reach out if she had any further questions. I felt like my cats were well cared for with her!”

Maia R.

“Had to do last minute planning and she came through! Thank you so much. You were great ❤️”

Kerstie F.

“Lauren was a great help with my last minute booking! She was very accommodating and followed all my instructions. I would definitely book with her again.”

Andalynn M.

“Leah is amazing!!! Communication is awesome and she’s beyond flexible!! Been booking with her continuously and couldn’t be happier with her service!!!”

Hannah L.

About: I’ve always had animals of my own, basically since I was old enough to walk. I started my own pet-sitting business when I was 13. I’m the go-to for friends and family when they need their babies cared for and I love every breed. I studied veterinary medicine for a number of years and have more recently begun to train dogs, as well. I work full-time but I make my own schedule and I can have dogs at my work. I also live just a few minutes away from my work and can pop back to my house when need be. I’m already taking care of our senior dog, our new puppy, and our two cats. I love being outside and taking the babies for walks. I have a fenced in yard as well as two other dogs and two other cats. I have a large crate as well as two portable enclosures and no shortage of extra bowls, blankets, toys, and towels. I live in a great neighborhood and there is a park a block away. It’s important to me that animals are well taken care of and I love spending extra time playing and snuggling with any babies I get to hang out with.

“Our German Shepherd loves Kelsey! Anytime I’m out of town for work she lets him out for potty and play. I love getting photos and she is always responsive and on time. Thanks Kelsey!”

Madison H.

About: I've pet sat on and off for neighbors since I was a kid and grew up with dogs and cats in my own home. My childhood dog was the sweetest pitbull so I don't have any preconceived notions about any breed I love them all! I'm currently in real estate photography so I do shoots on and off during the day so if planned I can do stop ins and walks throughout the day. But for longer pet care I can do overnights on weekends. I'm very gentle with all animals but I also know how to handle difficult situations very well. It's very important for a pet owner to know how to deal with aggression/fights, sickness, running from the house, etc. and I've dealt with all of this and more.

“Oh my goodness, amazing! It’s clear she is an animal lover and caretaker. The thoughtful updates on what the kitties were up to and what she did during her time at the check in were so helpful and made me feel so at ease. Will DEFINITELY rebook. Thank you SO much Moira!!!”

Cherie L.

About: I used Rover and loved it! Now, I am opening my home, yard (and next door park), to other dogparents. How can we care for your pup(s)? I work from home full time and have a flexible schedule based around events and site visits. Your pups will have supervision, fun, and lots of snuggles if they’d like. I am a German Shepherd mom. I have watched my family member’s pets before and have a crate from when my girl was a pup. My son loves animals and helps care for them all. This was his idea (and he affectionately calls this endeavor “Brayden’s Amazing Dog Boarding”. We treat pups like family but our two story, fenced in home has plenty of space for us to give visitors whatever kind of engagement or isolation they prefer.

“Isabel was awesome with my 2 little pomeranians. They are handful and took such good care of them. The pictures and little report cards she would send made my day! Definitely would recommend her to anyone who needs a sitter for their fur babies. Thanks Isabel!”

Maddi M.

“Kelly did great with a drop in visit with my dogs. Asha is a senior lab with some health issues and Nala is very anxious but they both seemed happy and relaxed. Kelly sent pictures and updates and I would definitely hire her again.”

Alyssa M.