I've been running my professional pet-sitting business for many years, so I've seen all sorts of folks who say they are "pet-lovers" taking care of animals all the wrong way. You can be assured that Mariela is NOT one of those people. She is loving and sweet with the animals, but she also has a good head on her shoulders and lots of common sense, plus years of experience with her own dogs, not to mention the many animals she helped care for on her family's ranch when she was growing up. She was the most trusted baby-sitter for my own pups for many years when we lived in Florida, and helped out with Hug-a-Dog Pet Care with a level of professionalism, maturity and responsibility that was unmatched by many of the other pet-sitters on our team. Now go ahead, plan that vacation, find a good, really good professional sitter like Mariela, and go away with peace of mind that your pets are being well cared for. Oh, and one more thing-- don't forget to smooch those pooches!