March 20, 2024 Pet sitting services are no longer available in the Houston area. We may be moving cities soon and have to discontinue boarding. Thank you to my clients over the last 5+ years who have supported my business and allowed your pets to stay with me. I enjoyed getting to know you and your pets. Please feel free to send updates/photos of how your furbabies are doing. Services may be opened again in the future, although not in Houston, such as dog walking. Check my page for updates, and message me if you have any questions. Thanks again October 2, 2022 Hello! I am currently accepting bookings for established clients and new clients. Please send me a message if you have questions about boarding or would like to book. I'm looking forward to taking care of your pets this Fall! I am currently accepting bookings for dogs under 25 lbs primarily, as I specialize in small dog boarding. Dogs over this weight will be considered on case by case basis. All pets must be current on vaccinations or have titers after having their initial vaccines showing immunity to DHPP, rabies, and bordetella. Dogs without vet records for these three vaccines cannot be boarded, due to health risks to other animals. These records must be submitted to me before your pets are dropped off for boarding. HOLDING BOARDING SPOTS NOTICE: If you make a request and no longer need boarding for any reason, please message me to let me know, so that I can close your request and RELEASE your held spot for boarding. It has been a frequent occurrence for pet parents not to respond to check ins about whether they still need care, when their plans have changed or been cancelled. The calendar will be blocked off for those dates by rover otherwise, and it prevents other pet parents from being able to request spots. Thank you for for your courtesy helping fellow pet parents with this! COVID NOTICE: Client, family, and pet health is my utmost priority. For everyone's safety, I require all clients and passengers of their vehicle to wear a mask over their nose and mouth the entire time during at pet drop off and pick up. All drop offs and pick ups of pets are also exclusively curbside at this time. Tours of the home are currently discontinued as well, for the duration of the covid pandemic. Photos inside the house can be provided to new clients on request, if desired. I will update covid policies as needed. A very short boarding questionnaire will be sent to each client before the start of each stay, to check in with clients. OVERVIEW OF KARA'S PET CARE Thank you for choosing to board your fur kids with me. I offer full time, professional pet care to your pets. I will love them like my own during their boarding and daycare stays with me. I look forward to caring for your pets and spoiling them! I am available and accepting bookings for weekday and weekend bookings. I have several spots available for pets. Multi pet bookings welcome! I also offer boarding for smaller pets - from hamsters to birds! Please see my rates for small pets below. I'd love to talk to you about your pet care needs. Feel free to send me a message today! Ask about discounts for military, current students, extended stays, and multi-pet bookings. I would love to help you with a discount for these. I also offer grooming. Specific grooming services and rates can be found below. Baths, brushing, trimming, and clipper services all offered for additional fees. I am happy to add grooming to your pet's care during their stay with me. I do not yet offer specific styling for coats, but I do offer general trims and shaves to help keep your pets coat looking fresh and beautiful. Matting that cannot be comfortably brushed out (i.e. causes discomfort to the animal) must be shaved, and additional grooming fees will be applied based on the severity of the matting and size of the dog. Added fees for shaving matting starts at $12. All dogs are required to wear washable wraps/diaper (I will provide these) over carpeted areas, at in-home meet and greets and during boarding, until I know they do not mark. This has been an issue lately even with housebroken dogs. Even the most well trained dogs are tempted to mark when they can smell new animals in an area. BACKGROUND I'm extremely passionate about animals! Here is a little background on my experience: I grew up with dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, mice, rats, parakeets, aquariums, turtles, and even chickens! I enjoyed being around horses and collected Breyer model horses, as well as any books about animals I could get my hands on. I learned about proper care of animals from an early age and loved being around any type of animals. I have over 14 years experience pet sitting and walking dogs. I trained and showed my own dogs for over five years, even building agility courses in my back yard. My dogs and I competed in conformation, agility, go-to-ground, lure coursing, and other events, and won many ribbons. As a child, I was in 4H and went to rabbit shows. VOLUNTEERING I volunteered at a local animal center over a period of a couple years, caring for a wide variety of animals, from small birds, to rodents (like mice, rats, guinea pigs, degus, chinchillas, rabbits, etc.), reptiles (snakes, lizards, geckos, turtles, tortoises), and even insects. I enjoyed caring for, interacting with, and learning about the different animals. PREVIOUS PET SITTING EXPERIENCE I have done daily home visits for neighbors’ pets to walk and feed their dogs, cats, and even put out bird seed and food for the squirrels. Sometimes I would do other tasks requested by clients, such as bringing in the mail or newspaper, or taking out the recycling. I work with clients based on their needs. I also pet sit and board in my home a lot too. INTERNSHIPS/TRAINING I completed two internships with a natural pet food store, learning about natural pet foods, the importance of grain free diet, aquariums/fish care and maintenance, and excellent customer service. Listening to what customers need is a top priority, as well as providing the best service possible. I really enjoy helping people learn about pet care and health. I also worked for a pet store in college that showed the same values of high quality pet care and service. ACTIVE IN ANIMAL RESCUE In the past few years, I have become very active in the rescue community. I rescued a wonderful dog in 2014 that was in bad shape. He inspired me to become a networker for strays and dogs at risk of euthanasia in shelters. When he passed unexpectedly of cancer, I became a foster parent for at risk dogs and cats, and fostered and rehomed several dogs, cats, and even hamsters. I foster for a local rescue. MY PETS Currently I have a neutered three year old schnauzer mix named Joey, a one and a half year old cat named Sasha (who loves dogs!), and four rescued hamsters. I also have an aquarium. I enjoy having all my pets and they do well with other animals around, which helps fosters socialize and prepare for their forever home. MY HOME In our house it's me and my partner Cam, who is very involved in the care of our personal animals and fostering dogs with me. He attends all adoption events for our fosters and helps potential adopters socialize with the dogs, educates them about the adoption process, and helps pack up after the events. There are no kids that live in my home. Your pet would never be without supervision around children or other people. I am always with my fosters and personal pets when there are other people around. I will care for your pet in the same way as I care for my own fur kids. If needed, I use dog gates often with my dog and fosters and have no issues with that. ___ DOGS I specialize in small dog boarding at this time (dogs up to 25 lbs). I sometimes make exceptions for dogs over that weight that are: calm, well behaved, and good with other dogs/animals. BOARDING DOGS MUST NOT BE CAT AGGRESSIVE OR DOG AGGRESSIVE. I have a cat in the home who is very dog friendly and will play with the dogs. I also have a dog. He is sometimes anxious meeting new dogs, but does well after an introduction. If your dog has a history of aggression towards cats/dogs, this will not be a good match, and you should find another sitter without pets. MULTIPLE DOGS I offer boarding for multiple dogs or small pets at once, upon discussing it with you first. I have cared for multiple dogs and other animals before. Just ask if you have multiple pets before booking, and we can discuss it and ensure I have room. PREPARING FOR DOG BOARDING: -Copy of all current vaccinations (vaccines must be given within the past year, be two or three year vaccines, OR you can provide vet documentation for titer testing showing immunity to diseases). *Required vaccines or titers - rabies, bordetella, and DHAPP. Lepto is required if your pet spends time in the outdoors, such as in areas they may be exposed to ticks. You may also choose to vaccinate for canine influenza. -Pets should be flea and tick free upon boarding, to avoid the spread of pests to other animals/house. Animals with fleas will be given Capstar ($7 charge per tablet) to prevent spreading them to other animals or the house. -Pets should be free of parasites upon boarding, and have annual or biannual testing for parasites. Regular worming (every 3-6 months) is strongly recommended as pets can often be asymptomatic and carry parasites. I regularly deworm my personal pets to ensure they remain clear of parasites. -Pets showing signs of parasites during their stay will be dewormed, and a charge will be added to their stay for the cost of dewormer (price depends on weight/amount of dewormer needed). -Enough food for the time they will be boarding, and a little extra if you think you may possibly extend your trip -Medications and instructions, including dose amounts and times. -Info on what flea/heartworm prevention they are on, and date last given. If your pet needs their next dose(s) of these during their stay, please also pack this for them so I can administer their prevention during the stay. -Any toys and treats they like -Kennel and bedding (if desired - I do have extra kennels and blankets on hand for boarding) -Collar with tags (ID tag must have current contact information) -Harness and leash for walking (little dogs have delicate necks and collars alone can damage their trachea. Harness prevent that and are more secure). -Veterinarian name and number -Emergency contact information, including for anyone you would like to pick up your pet in the event you are unable to -Anything else your pet needs or you feel I need to know ___ CATS I recently started offering boarding in my home for cats. Boarding kitties get free roam of both upstairs and downstairs, and access to a large designated cat area that is gated off where dogs can't get to it. The cat area has a large multilevel cat tree, as well as a smaller tree, for the cats to play on. REQUIREMENTS FOR CAT BOARDING: -All cats MUST be spayed or neutered. Exception: Kittens 4 months old or younger. Any cats that have started to mature and aren’t altered, will not be able to board. -They must not display any marking behavior -FIV/FeLV negative (Must provide a negative test result documentation from the veterinarian). -Inside only cats. If your cat is allowed outside on its own at any point please let me know. -Not destructive: such as scratching furniture or tearing carpet. If they know to use just scratching posts, that will be perfect, as I have two cat trees they can play on as much as they want. -No aggressive behavior, such as biting or scratching. Please disclose behavioral issues. -Free of any signs of illness. Flea/tick free. Regular worming (biannual recommended). -Up to date on vaccinations : REQUIRED between 8-16 weeks: Most current kitten vaccines in series. Six months and older: Rabies, full core adult vaccines (FVRCP, FeLV), Bordetella (every 6-12 months) (Very important for boarding – this can be spread between dogs, cats, and humans). For frequently boarded cats, Chlamydophila felis (causes conjunctivitis and other problems) may be something to ask your vet to vaccinate for. One, two or three year vaccines are fine. Recent titers are also accepted if they show your pet is within the range of immunity. Please try to wait at least two weeks after vaccinations to board, so that the vaccine has time to take effect. As with dogs, bring all supplies your cat would normally need at home (wet food, dry food, collar/tags, favorite toys, treats, travel carrier, bowls, medications, litter boxes, litter). I will provide cat trees and have extra blankets. I will board multiple cats from one household, as well as cats and dogs from one household, so long as all the pets get along together. ___ PET FOOD Please bring all the food, both wet an dry (raw, dehydrated, homemade, etc) your pets will need during their stay, plus a little extra in case on flight delays, etc. Providing food is not something I usually do, because: a) Abruptly changing foods can be harmful/disruptive to pets digestive systems b) Pets have individual dietary needs and sometimes allergies c) Providing food causes boarding rates to go up to cover expenses. To give you the best rate possible, I ask that you bring your pets own food. I will provide food on request, but add cost of the food for their stay. ___ HOUSETRAINING I would prefer that dogs boarding with me be housetrained already, as my entire house is carpeted. If they are not housetrained yet, I do have washable doggy diapers they can wear during boarding. They would have them on between potty breaks during the day, to prevent accidents. I take potty training dogs out extra often (every 1-2 hours), to help them get used to pottying outside. If your dog is not yet potty trained, just let me know and tell me their progress and your current training techniques. ___ GROOMING I offer grooming as an optional service during your dog’s daycare or boarding stay. I am not a professional groomer, but I used to groom my dog for dog shows, have groomed many family dogs and foster dogs, and I now shave my own schnauzer mix with grooming clippers at home. Each groom consists of a bath and dry, plus a nail trim if needed. For dogs 20 lbs. and under, it's $22 for a bath, dry and nail trim. You can add a full body clip and trim for $27. I know how expensive going to a groomer is (a bath, dry, and shave for a small dog is $45-$60+, depending on the groomer), so I want my clients to have a fair price - with the convenience of having their pet groomed while they are already at daycare or boarding. Let me know if your dog has any issues with grooming beforehand. I do not groom dogs showing signs of aggression. Grooming fees $7 Nail trim $15 Bath and dry $22 Bath, dry, nail trim $27 Shave/Clippers and trim (full body) $49 All of the above Matting that cannot be comfortably brushed out will require the dog to be shaved down. Additional fees apply for shaving down with matting, starting at $12. ___ SMALL ANIMALS BOARDING I board other animals besides dogs - including hamsters, mice, gerbils, birds, etc. Please just ask if I can watch a different type of animal and have availability, and I will try to accommodate your needs. I will not accept venomous animals. *Meet and greets for small pets are REQUIRED too! This allows me to ensure the animals are healthy and will do well in boarding. Please provide your most recent vet records for all small pets who will be boarding. Make sure to get a wellness check for them and any vaccines your vet recommends for boarding. For example, your vet may recommend some specifc vaccines for your ferret or rabbits. SMALL PET BOARDING RATES My rates for small pets like hamsters and birds, are lower than my rates for dogs. If you don't see your pet listed below, please ask for rates. Hamsters, mice, gerbils - $7/night per pet Rats -$8/night per pet Guinea pigs - $10/night per pet Rabbits - $10/night (0-5 lbs), $12 (6-10 lbs) Degus, Chinchillas, Ferrets, Sugar gliders, (exotics) etc - $12/night per pet Birds: $7/night per pet (Extra small - finches, canaries, etc), $10/night per pet (Small - parakeets, lovebirds, cockatiels, etc), $12/night per pet (Medium - conures, etc) HAMSTER HOUSING DURING BOARDING Syrian hamsters must be housed individually, as well as Chinese hamsters. These are naturally solitary animals. Campbell dwarfs, Winter white dwarfs, and roborovski's may be housed in same-sex pairings of their own species, as long as they get along. Multiple species of hamsters may not be housed together. Fighting animals will be separated. It is a good idea to bring extra enclosures for multi- pet bookings, in case separation is required. SMALL ANIMAL SUPPLIES Bring any supplies your small pets would normally need for their care when dropping them off for boarding too. This includes enclosures, food and water bowls/bottles, food, treats, wheels, toys, bedding, etc. I will provide pet safe fresh veggies/fruit I have on hand to small pets, free of charge, if desired. *All small animals are housed away from dogs and cats. PROPERLY SIZED ENCLOSURES FOR SMALL PETS Many are not aware that small animals require a minimum cage size for their health and happiness. Unfortunately, a large majority of enclosures marketed for small pets do not actually meet even their basic needs. For example, EVERY species of hamster needs an absolute minimum of 450 square inches of unbroken/continuous floor space. If the length times the width of the base of the cage does not equal 450 square inches of floor space or greater, the cage is too small. Wheels for hamsters need to be at least 6.5 inches-8 inches for small dwarves, and 10-12 inches for Syrians hamsters and larger hamsters. Mesh wheels are dangerous and should not be used. Silent Spinners, bucket wheels, Wodent wheels, or California Storm Wheels are all appropriate. I encourage small pet owners to read information from professional associations of their pets’ species. The California Hamster Association is the organization for hamsters in the US. All hamsters and small animals boarding with me need to be in appropriately sized cages and have the correct size and type of wheels. Bin cages are excellent, lightweight options for cleaning and travel. If you need help learning to make one, please ask. ___ MEETING BEFORE PET SITTING I would like to meet you and your pets prior to boarding, so we can introduce ourselves and discuss anything needed beforehand. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. I want you and your fur kids to feel comfortable and secure when I am caring for them. I take great pride in being able to provide quality care and love to animals. It's truly my passion. Thank you for trusting me with your furry family members.