New to Ithaca! I'm a professional animal behaviorist and trainer with over 25 years experience caring for animals including dogs, cats, birds, domesticated small animals, livestock, and exotic species, from primates to marine mammals to elephants. I'm an expert in animal welfare and trained in pet CPR/First Aid, having started with disaster response efforts rescuing pets after Hurricane Katrina and later taken veterinary technology courses at Purdue. As a former zookeeper at the world-famous Central Park Zoo, I know how to keep animals clean and will make sure your pets stay tidy while you're gone. I moved to Ithaca in June from San Diego, where I was teaching at UCSD; before that, I lived in Alaska, where I served as the Chair for my Animal Control Commission. I will always treat your animals like my own and dedicate time to their emotional as well as physical well-being; I have an assortment of toys and treats I am willing to share if your animals aren't destructive. I always work on basic manners refreshers, but am also available to help you reach more advanced training goals after a consultation. Clients requesting drop-ins or house-sitting have the option of also adding on dedicated training sessions. IMPORTANT NOTES: * I require meet-and-greets for all new clients. * I won't accept requests where dogs won't be walked at least three times a day or where other animals aren't being visited at least daily. * Drop-ins include basic care only. Walks are for dogs with pre-existing leash manners. For special services outside standard care, extra fees will apply. For behavioral or training work, I will need to book at the training hourly rate, which includes substantially more help. * Please note that any client located further than a 20-minute round-trip drive from my home near downtown will have a $15 surcharge added for each visit, increasing to $30 for those around 40-60 minutes. I use Google Maps to estimate this and confirm during the free meet-and-greet before booking requests are finalized. * I charge a $25-fee for each last-minute booking (within 48-hours) to account for changes to my schedule. * If free parking is not available, appropriate parking costs will be added to the booking before confirmation.