Alyssa S.
Tigard, OR
Alyssa S. has Star Sitter status
The Star Sitter program highlights responsive sitters who deliver highly rated care and have a history of listing accurate availability and preferences, making it easier for pet parents to find the best care for their pets.
Experienced with special needs!
Pet care experience
Greetings! Animals are truly my passion and once I figured that out, I went for it, leaving college to work full time at the humane society, then transitioning to dog walking and petsitting. It didn't come as a huge surprise to anyone as I had grown up with dogs, bunnies, rats, mice, and a turtle and my favorite part of summer camp had always been doing farm chores (my favorites were the cows, but I liked cleaning up after the horses best.) The bulk of my experience is with cats, dogs, house rabbits, rats/mice/other "pocket pets", though I've cared for a variety including guinea pigs, turtles, lizards, snakes, birds (including backyard chickens), fish, hermit crabs, and a pot bellied pig. I'm experienced with special needs pets in particular. I've cared for deaf and blind pets, quite a few senior pets, and pets with a little bit extra going on medically or behaviorally. I have experience administering subcutaneous fluids, giving injections, getting oral meds into pets who'd rather not have them (or just coaxing food into picky eaters), and at one point I even learned how to jerry rig a cat diaper for an incontinent extremely senior cat. I've known dogs of all breeds and sizes whom I've fallen absolutely in love with. My personal favorites tend to be herding breeds/mixes. I love working with that crazy, smart energy and I have a soft spot for Velcro dogs. My favorites to work with have always been shy and scared animals. I love watching them slowly come out of their shells and gain confidence - puppies and kittens are cute and fun, but nothing beats the first time a dog you've been working with for months, who wouldn't even look at you for the first couple weeks, finally feels confident enough to give you a play bow and a good morning bark when she sees you or a cat or bunny who finally trusts you enough to let you pet him. I'm only comfortable with humane training techniques and practice R+ methods myself. Generally when caring for dogs I'll work a bit of training or maintenance practice in to strengthen my bond with them, provide mental stimulation, improve general manners, and make them even more polite for their families. This typically includes things like polite greetings rather than jumping on people, loose leash walking, and using a soft mouth to take treats.
Reviews
Alyssa is the best! She takes the best care of our bunny Milo and sends great check-in notes and photos. We feel totally confident when he is in her care!
Alyssa is great with our shy dog- she was patient with Chloe and her nervous humans while we worked on a transition plan. We can feel confident leaving Chloe knowing that she is in good hands and will have fun.
Another great visit from Alyssa. Cats and home were well taken care of and happy. Really appreciate the daily pictures!!
This is our second time booking Alyssa and we could not have found a more perfect cat sitter. Alyssa is amazing! She is extremely responsible, caring and our cat warmed up to her quickly. Her daily report cards and adorable photos were something we looked forward to...which made being away much easier. We would highly recommend Alyssa to anyone.
About Alyssa S.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I am bonded and insured. I keep current on pet first aid and CPR certification, most recently opting for the extended version covering dental and senior care. I completed dogTEC's dog walker academy in 2005 (they now go by dog*biz) I have liaised with and learned from multiple House Rabbit Society chapters in my work with Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. I've attended a workshop on bird care given by Mickaboo I still mask 100% of the time inside clients' homes to make sure I'm doing the most I can to keep everyone as safe as possible!
Information Alyssa S. would like to know about your pet
Before caring for an animal, I'll need to know about their normal routine, any fears they have, pertinent veterinary history, behavioral issues, training plans they're on, things they love/hate, any spots they're sensitive to touch, and what motivates them (are they food driven, toy driven, attention driven, etc.) Please note that as animal wellbeing is a priority to me, I'm unwilling to accept jobs that won't adequately care for a pet. Even if you have extra food and water set out, animals have social needs as well and if there were a medical situation and visits were even every other day, they could be waiting for help for almost 48 hours before the next visit if their illness or injury happened right after a visit. When an animal's people will be out of town, my minimum number of visits are: * Once a day for all pets. * Twice a day for dogs who have potty access. * Three times a day for dogs who have to wait for me for potty access. Think about how many times in a day you use the bathroom. Imagine only being able to go once every 12 hours...Waiting 8 is still a long time, but most of us do that while we sleep, so it's at least manageable. Please plan accordingly when requesting service :)
A typical day
I always aim to provide social stimulation/affection, fun/mental stimulation/exercise, and the essentials - food/medicine/keeping things clean. If your pet has special needs or you have special concerns, please let me know so we can find ways to make things as comfortable and low-stress as possible for you and your pet. For animals (especially cats and bunnies) who are too shy for direct interaction at first, I'll often read to them so they get to hear my voice and get used to it while they're getting some human time. It also lets them know exactly where I am so they can relax and either do their own thing or peek at me without worrying about bumping into me when they turn a corner. A NOTE ON LOCATION: It is only possible to enter service area as a mile radius on the rover system, however my standard service area does not cross the Willamette. I am willing to service clients out of my standard service area provided I have space in my schedule, however it will require an additional charge varying by location to cover my additional travel time and expense as well as blocking off extra slots in my schedule to accommodate the travel. I only book through Rover, but feel free to check out some of my past and current animal friends on Instagram where I'm @VeggiePetsitter :)
Services
Alyssa can watch in your home
Availability
This is my full time job and I'm available 7 days a week most weeks. Typically my operating hours are 8-8. Visits outside of that are possible, though more costly.
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About Alyssa S.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I am bonded and insured. I keep current on pet first aid and CPR certification, most recently opting for the extended version covering dental and senior care. I completed dogTEC's dog walker academy in 2005 (they now go by dog*biz) I have liaised with and learned from multiple House Rabbit Society chapters in my work with Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society. I've attended a workshop on bird care given by Mickaboo I still mask 100% of the time inside clients' homes to make sure I'm doing the most I can to keep everyone as safe as possible!
Information Alyssa S. would like to know about your pet
Before caring for an animal, I'll need to know about their normal routine, any fears they have, pertinent veterinary history, behavioral issues, training plans they're on, things they love/hate, any spots they're sensitive to touch, and what motivates them (are they food driven, toy driven, attention driven, etc.) Please note that as animal wellbeing is a priority to me, I'm unwilling to accept jobs that won't adequately care for a pet. Even if you have extra food and water set out, animals have social needs as well and if there were a medical situation and visits were even every other day, they could be waiting for help for almost 48 hours before the next visit if their illness or injury happened right after a visit. When an animal's people will be out of town, my minimum number of visits are: * Once a day for all pets. * Twice a day for dogs who have potty access. * Three times a day for dogs who have to wait for me for potty access. Think about how many times in a day you use the bathroom. Imagine only being able to go once every 12 hours...Waiting 8 is still a long time, but most of us do that while we sleep, so it's at least manageable. Please plan accordingly when requesting service :)
A typical day
I always aim to provide social stimulation/affection, fun/mental stimulation/exercise, and the essentials - food/medicine/keeping things clean. If your pet has special needs or you have special concerns, please let me know so we can find ways to make things as comfortable and low-stress as possible for you and your pet. For animals (especially cats and bunnies) who are too shy for direct interaction at first, I'll often read to them so they get to hear my voice and get used to it while they're getting some human time. It also lets them know exactly where I am so they can relax and either do their own thing or peek at me without worrying about bumping into me when they turn a corner. A NOTE ON LOCATION: It is only possible to enter service area as a mile radius on the rover system, however my standard service area does not cross the Willamette. I am willing to service clients out of my standard service area provided I have space in my schedule, however it will require an additional charge varying by location to cover my additional travel time and expense as well as blocking off extra slots in my schedule to accommodate the travel. I only book through Rover, but feel free to check out some of my past and current animal friends on Instagram where I'm @VeggiePetsitter :)
Location
Tigard, OR
Pets
Alyssa S.
Tigard, OR