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Melissa U.

Star Sitter

Palm Harbor, FL

5.0 out of 5 stars
295 reviews
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Melissa U. 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.

Insulin & Special Needs Experience

Pet care experience

IF YOU SEE I AM UNAVAILABLE ON A TUESDAY YOU NEED- Please message and check with me first. My profile is experiencing a glitch that neither I nor Support seem to be able to fix as it doesn’t happen for everyone. I’m sorry for any inconvenience. Hurricane season is June 1-November 30th with the majority of storms from mid-August to late October. If you require services during this time, it is mandatory that you have a backup care evacuation plan; I recommend boarding with your vet because they have the means to transport and/or shelter your pet should evacuation become mandatory. During this time I can transport your pet(s) to your backup location, but unfortunately I CANNOT take them with me for evacuation. I've had pets for most of my life, though only started caring for them around 9 or 10. Since then I've taken care of my own dogs as well as those of neighbors who have gone away. I've also volunteered for many years at animal shelters taking care of both cats and dogs. I began my journey with Rover in October of 2015. I welcome dogs of all breeds, ages, and needs though I do specialize in large breed, special need, and senior care. I’ve worked with animals as old as 22 years to as young as 9 weeks. I currently own an American Staffordshire, and before that owned a Great Dane, so I’m very comfortable with Large and Giant breeds. A majority of my clientele are special needs such as blindness, deafness, heat prone, long-term prescribed medications, insulin dependency, and incontinence. I am skilled in giving oral, suppository, topical, and injected medications. I book on a first come, first served basis. Your dates cannot be held until we both confirm on Rover. I require a meet and greet with every new client, for the safety of both parties. All walks and drop-ins are 30 minute appointments unless discussed and agreed upon otherwise. In the case of inclement weather (such as extreme heat, rain, or cold) outside time will be kept to 10-15 minutes and the other 15-20 minutes of the appointment will be used for playing, feeding, or whatever else your pet may need. I WILL walk in the rain if your pet likes or wants to, no matter how hard it’s raining; this is Florida and I’m very used to it haha. I don’t use an umbrella because I find them cumbersome while juggling a dog and poop bags, so I just ask that you have a towel available so I can dry off your furry friend when we get home. Not potty trained puppies are $75-100 per night depending on severity, this price is not listed on my profile as it’s not a common need. Some personal facts: I have an 8yo dog and a 17yo cat. I finished school at Southern New Hampshire University with an AA in Liberal Arts. I pet sit full time again, after a partial closure due to Covid. I’m a makeup artist and pet enrichment toy creator. A lot of my clients also refer to me as the dog whisperer because I can (almost) always get a photo of your dog smiling!

Reviews

Christy C.
Drop-In Visits • Apr 09, 2024
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Melissa is an outstanding seasoned pet sitter or pet walker! My Maine Coon cat is very finicky but is always glad to see her. Highly recommend

Candace C.
House Sitting • Apr 08, 2024
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Melissa did a wonderful job. I would highly recommend her to anyone. She sent me a great detail on what was going on while I was away. The house was kept clean and the pets were taken care of. My cat had multiple medication and she had no problem distributing it to him.

Lisa C.
House Sitting • Apr 01, 2024
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I highly recommend Melissa as a dog sitter! She was punctual, communicated regularly with updates and photos, and left my house tidy. Melissa even went above and beyond by washing out the dog bowls and taking out the trash. I felt completely at ease knowing my Zara was in such great hands. Thank you, Melissa!

Heather S.
Dog Walking • Mar 29, 2024
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Melissa is extremely professional, punctual, and caring for my dogs! She kept open lines of communication and was extremely accountable, even covering for my former dogwalker last minute while I was OOT. I have two extra large dogs, so bonus points for being able to manage them and their special needs. I hope to work with her many more times in the future!

About Melissa U.

Communication

117 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in a few minutes
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

10 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

We will discuss all of your pets needs and habits to make sure they are safe and adequately cared for while you are away. All stays include a free meet and greet, as well as pictures and multiple daily updates.

Information Melissa U. would like to know about your pet

I have no breed preferences. I would like to know if they're house trained and if they have a tendency to bite/attack new people, especially if I need to administer an oral medication. If you have a schedule for them, I'd like to know that as well, also if you have treats and if I have permission to give them. I would also like to know if your neighborhood has sidewalks, and if not, if there’s a designated area to take your dog(s).

A typical day

I have my own personal transportation so that would not be an issue. If I'm informed of any local parks/dog parks I would be thrilled to take the dogs there as well. If your dog likes to swim and you have a pool, weather permitting I have no problem going for a swim with them. I also find washing dogs to be a fun challenge, depending on how much the dog likes it, and would have love to wash your dog for you if you needed.

Services

House Sitting
in your home
$40per night
Drop-In Visits
visits in your home
$18per visit
Dog Walking
in your neighborhood
$15per walk

Melissa can watch in your home

Cats
0 to 15 lbs
16 to 40 lbs
41 to 100 lbs
over 101 lbs

Availability

Hours of operation are as follows: ⭐️ Monday-Saturday: 8A-9P ⭐️ Sunday: CLOSED I am closed Sundays for single visits and meets. Stays including a Sunday will still receive service.

Available
Not available
SMTWTFS
Calendar last updated 17 hours ago
Dog Walking Cancellation Policy:

About Melissa U.

Communication

117 repeat pet parents
100% response rate
Usually responds in a few minutes
100% bookings with photo updates
Sends updates with Rover Cards

Skills

10 years of experience
Oral medication administration
Injected medication administration
First aid/CPR
Senior dog experience
Special needs dog experience
Can provide daily exercise

Safety, trust & environment

We will discuss all of your pets needs and habits to make sure they are safe and adequately cared for while you are away. All stays include a free meet and greet, as well as pictures and multiple daily updates.

Information Melissa U. would like to know about your pet

I have no breed preferences. I would like to know if they're house trained and if they have a tendency to bite/attack new people, especially if I need to administer an oral medication. If you have a schedule for them, I'd like to know that as well, also if you have treats and if I have permission to give them. I would also like to know if your neighborhood has sidewalks, and if not, if there’s a designated area to take your dog(s).

A typical day

I have my own personal transportation so that would not be an issue. If I'm informed of any local parks/dog parks I would be thrilled to take the dogs there as well. If your dog likes to swim and you have a pool, weather permitting I have no problem going for a swim with them. I also find washing dogs to be a fun challenge, depending on how much the dog likes it, and would have love to wash your dog for you if you needed.

Location

Palm Harbor, FL

Melissa U.'s Neighborhood

Pets

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Melissa U.

Star Sitter

Palm Harbor, FL

5.0 out of 5 stars
295 reviews