Allyson S.
Waterville, OH
Making pets happy makes me happy!
Pet care experience
**NEW PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS: Before requesting a booking, please note my scheduling availability outlined below!** Hi! I'm Allyson. I love animals of ALL kinds! I grew up with dogs and cats, and don't consider myself a dog or cat person...I'm a "both" person. :) I was totally the weird kid that was invited to birthday parties and ignored the games and cake to play with the family pet. Not much has changed, to be honest... Since graduating college in 2008, I've cared for my own, my family's, and my friends' pets when duty has called. I adopted my first cat (of my own) in 2006 and he just passed in 2020 due to old age and congestive heart failure. I have experience with puppies, having raised my rescue dog Jenna from a very small 8 weeks old. She lived until 11 and unfortunately developed metastatic cancer. My in-laws own a senior shih tzu that I drop in to visit with/let out/feed when they are out of town. She has vision and hearing loss, and we take things slow. I have actually groomed her as well, working around her various skin and eye issues. My cats have all been rescues! Rue was saved by a good samaritan back in 2020, and was very much a "free kitten" situation. I had just lost my cat and am a sucker...so we got her fixed up and she became part of the family. Most recently, my husband and I adopted Rosie, a 2 year old retired racing greyhound with a ton of energy to spare! She keeps us on our toes (and sometimes steps on them)! It is definitely worth mentioning that I keep reptiles (snakes, geckos) and fish as well, and have experience keeping small mammals (gerbils, hamsters). I am not adverse to frozen rodents or insect feeders, so if you have a scaly member of the family, I'd be more than happy to help out with them! Today, I am on the board of directors for a retired racing greyhound adoption group (going into my 7th year of involvement). I would love to talk to you about retired racers, if you'd like to hear about how awesome they are! Thanks for considering me in the very important decision of who to entrust with your non-human family members.
Reviews
Allyson had her hands full with trying to send us pictures of our 4 cats 2 that were very skiddish, 1 that was swatting her and 1 that was always available for a photo shoot. Allyson went above and beyond so we vould have peace of mind.
Allyson did a fabulous job taking care of my three older-aged cats for a long weekend. She was very organized and diligent in giving them all they needed, including meds! It is so clear that she has a huge heart for animals and I was very confident that they were in great hands! I will absolutely use her help again in the future!
It was like my best friend was watching my cats, but she didn’t trash the place and drink my booze! She heard everything I asked, and went above and beyond. I have never used River before. I will from now until forever, as long as I receive the same extra care from the provider (I will plan on being a repeat with the special lady I found!)
Allyson S. did a great job caring for our three cats. She even made friends with my daughter’s cat who doesn’t always like people. I really appreciated her daily updates and photos. I would book Allyson again!
About Allyson S.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I always ask what treats are okay for new animals I meet. Food is love, in most situations! This is usually a quick and positive way to build trust. Then, I gauge the animals' personality and mood and take things at their pace. If they're having a bad day, I'm not going to force any interactions that might be too much--this always helps the relationship in the long run. If your animal is ready and raring to go, it's playtime, pets time, snuggle time, walkies time...whatever we can do to make the most of our visit!
Information Allyson S. would like to know about your pet
To get to know your pets better, I first want to know what commands your dog knows, and which we can work on while I'm hanging out with your pooch. For cats - their favorite hiding places and anywhere they shouldn’t be hiding! Also, their preferred snacks to help build up that bond! It's also important to know if your dog or cat has any specific triggers or behavioral quirks so I can be best prepared to make my visit with your pet a great one.
A typical day
The great news is that we have SO many nice parks in the Toledo area. I am one mile from the river and love to do a nice river walk when the weather is nice. I am happy to toss a ball/frisbee in the yard for your dog, or play tug and practice tricks/commands indoors!
Services
Allyson can watch in your home
Availability
**MY AVAILABILITY** I am usually completely open on weekends, and only BEFORE 8am / AFTER 4pm on weekdays. I do have a full-time job. This is a passion side project for me to make connections with people and their pets in my community! Another note: I require an in-person meet and greet with you and your pets prior to booking. I am only able to accept same-day bookings from existing clients.
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About Allyson S.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I always ask what treats are okay for new animals I meet. Food is love, in most situations! This is usually a quick and positive way to build trust. Then, I gauge the animals' personality and mood and take things at their pace. If they're having a bad day, I'm not going to force any interactions that might be too much--this always helps the relationship in the long run. If your animal is ready and raring to go, it's playtime, pets time, snuggle time, walkies time...whatever we can do to make the most of our visit!
Information Allyson S. would like to know about your pet
To get to know your pets better, I first want to know what commands your dog knows, and which we can work on while I'm hanging out with your pooch. For cats - their favorite hiding places and anywhere they shouldn’t be hiding! Also, their preferred snacks to help build up that bond! It's also important to know if your dog or cat has any specific triggers or behavioral quirks so I can be best prepared to make my visit with your pet a great one.
A typical day
The great news is that we have SO many nice parks in the Toledo area. I am one mile from the river and love to do a nice river walk when the weather is nice. I am happy to toss a ball/frisbee in the yard for your dog, or play tug and practice tricks/commands indoors!
Location
Waterville, OH
Pets
Allyson S.
Waterville, OH