Elijah J.
Elijah J.
Contact for Drop-In Visits
$17 total per visit
Highlights
Pet care experience
Attentive, Inclusive Pet Care 🐕🌈
I am a 43-yr old gay Navy vet that got stationed in San Diego, fell in love with the city [and the Padres!], and made it my home when I got out in ‘15 [after 10yrs of service]. I live in North Park, and work as a bartender at Hillcrest Brewing Co (HBC). Working at HBC is where my pet sitting really took off; regulars would come in with their dogs, find out that I’d been sitting for several friends, and ask me about sitting their dogs/cats. Through word of mouth, it became my full-time job [and HBC my part-time]. I recently joined Rover to further expand my client base. What sets me apart is my depth of experience and the level of attention I give every animal in my care. I have nearly two decades of hands-on pet experience, and what started as helping friends and neighbors has grown into a dedicated pet-sitting business built on trust and referrals. I’m comfortable caring for pets with complex needs, including administering medications, managing detailed care routines, and supporting pets prone to seizures. I also have experience with senior pets who need extra patience and gentleness, as well as energetic younger pets who thrive on structure and engagement. Above all, I treat every pet—dogs, cats, and birds—as if they were my own. I focus on providing consistent attention, affection, and a calm environment so they feel safe and loved while you’re away.
Qualifications
Safety, trust & environment
I prefer to sit in the client’s home, as I feel this is ideal for the pet majority of the time. On occasion, I am able to host a pet [we have one dog in our household]. Because of the logistical nature, however, this would just entail me charging more than my normal rate.
Ratings and reviews
I was going for a brief trip out of town and Elijah was responsive and ready to help. After he came for a meet and greet with my dog, I felt confident leaving her with him. Throughout the trip, Elijah provided updates and pics. House was the same as when I left. Would definitely book again.
Elijah was fantastic! I have a rescue pitbull who can sometimes get spooked by strangers coming into the house. I asked Elijah to meet us a day early so I could introduce them properly and he was happy to do so. While he was dog sitting he sent a ton of cute photos of the pups and updated me periodically so I knew everything was going smoothly. He’s the first dog sitter I’ve trusted outside of family members and everything went great! 10/10 highly recommend!
Elijah was so helpful in helping us set up an in-house dog sitting, walks, and feeding. We had a meet and greet with our pup before the start date. He kept us informed while we were overseas. He coordinated around his afternoon employment to keep our pup’s walks on track. Elijah was able to communicate with our close friend/emergency contact as she stayed one night during our absence. We got home to a happy pup in a happy home. We are very grateful Elijah worked with us.
Elijah was awesome. Super response. Great with my boys. House is the same state I left it. Wouldn't hesitate to book with him again.
I’m always somewhat nervous when I use someone new. However, Eli’s regular updates put me at ease. I would not hesitate to use him again.
Eli has been taking care of our 4 pets (2 dogs, 2 cats) for several years. Not only do we trust him, but he has become a safe space for our pets and we are so incredibly grateful for that. All of our pets are over 10 years old and we have a very senior Pomeranian Ella, who is 16! We needed to ensure that when we were gone that all of her needs were met and she was comfortable and safe, and Eli provides that fully. We are so lucky with his flexibility, whether he pops in for a walk or two, or stays at our place with our babies, we know they are in good hands, and have a trustworthy person staying in our home! We receive as many updates as we want but without asking, he is consistently keeping us posted which is such a relief especially when we are on vacation and checking in on the pets isn't at top of mind. I would truly be devastated if we had to search elsewhere for care with our pets. Eli is hands down the BEST pet sitter in San Diego! Couldn't recommend him more.
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I work set bar shifts (Tues, Fri & Sat: 4-9pm, and Sun: 11-6pm… I am always off on Mon, Wed & Thurs), so I generally work around those shifts [and can also provide overnight care]. Sunday is generally my only shift that is longer than 5-5.5 hours. However, I can get my bar shifts covered for sitting gigs when needed; it just requires me to charge more accordingly.