🦠 COVID-19 Policy (Updated 6/28/2025) For the safety of all pets and people, we’re continuing to take extra precautions: - Sandra is immunocompromised, so Mike handles most meet & greets, drop-offs, and pick-ups to minimize health risk. - Meet & greets are held outdoors in our front yard. We unfortunately cannot allow visitors inside the home, but we’re happy to give you a full tour of the yard and answer any questions in person. - All handoffs will take place outdoors on the front lawn or covered porch with limited contact. Thank you for understanding and helping us keep things safe for everyone. --- Hi, I’m Sandra. I live in Springfield, VA with my husband Ryan and our roommate Mike. Together, we offer personalized, in-home care for up to four dogs at a time in a cozy, kennel-free environment. Mike and I both work from home, so your pet will receive constant supervision, structure, and tons of affection, just like one of our own. We are also able to accommodate a solo-stay for your dog if needed! For us, this is more than just pet sitting. It’s about making a difference and saving lives. Since 2013, we’ve used boarding income to help fund our work with animal rescue organizations including City Dogs Rescue, Capitol Canines Animal Rescue, and Nerdy Paws Animal Rescue. Every single stay helps cover the cost of food, vet bills, transport, and medical care for animals still awaiting their furever home. When you book with us, you’re doing more than finding a great place for your pet to stay, You’re directly helping another one survive. 🏡 Our Home & Daily Routine Mike and I both work from home full-time, so your dog will never be left unsupervised. Potty breaks happen every 2–4 hours (more if needed!) and pets have full access to the home, couches, beds, and sunny spots. Our home is quiet, clean, and structured. We strive to keep it a calm place for your dog to stay safe, happy, and loved. What we offer: - A spacious, fully fenced ½-acre backyard (6-foot wood privacy fence, checked daily) - A bone-shaped doggy pool for warm days - Separate spaces with baby gates for dogs who prefer downtime and to separate while feeding. - Crates available when needed (by request or for safety overnight for puppies) - Dogs are free to sleep in the kitchen, living room or upstairs bedrooms, wherever they’re most comfortable. 🐕 Solo Stay Option If your dog does best without other dogs around, whether due to reactivity, medical recovery, being in heat, or being too young for full vaccinations, we can offer a Solo Stay experience. Your pup will stay with Mike in a private in-law suite with: - A separate entrance - Private yard access - No contact with other animals - One-on-one walks and focused attention It’s a quiet, stress-free, fully customized setup ideal for dogs who need their own space. 👩‍⚕️ Who We Are Sandra – The Heart of the Operation Lifelong animal lover, full-time foster mom and the main caretaker your pup will be spending their days with. Before the pandemic, I was on track to become a licensed veterinary technician and though I had to pivot for health reasons, my commitment to animal care never changed. I now work from home as a government contractor, which allows me to be fully present for the pets in our care. I specialize in seniors, special needs, and medical cases. I’ve worked with everything from bottle babies to post-op recovery dogs, aggressive and fearful dogs, diabetic seniors, parvo survivors and everything in between. I’m also trained and certified in: - Oral and injected medication administration - Subcutaneous fluids - Cat & Dog First Aid and CPR (American Red Cross) - Canine Emergency Response & CPR (Melanie Monteiro Safety Course) - Managing post-surgical recovery, behavioral rehab, and chronic conditions Caring for animals isn’t just something I do. It’s who I am. Whether I’m helping a foster get healthy enough for adoption or making sure a boarding pup feels right at home, every single animal matters to me. Mike – Calm, Consistent, and Dogs Just Get Him Mike is my right hand in day-to-day care and the force behind our Solo Stay program. He grew up on a farm in Ohio and has been around animals his entire life. That grounded, steady energy makes him a natural with all types of dogs, especially those who are shy, anxious, or reactive. He handles daily routines like feeding, enrichment, potty breaks, and solo walks, and is also the point person for meet and greets, drop-offs, and pick-ups. For dogs who need more individualized care, Mike manages our Solo Stay guests in the private in-law suite, providing calm, one-on-one attention in a peaceful, low-stimulation environment. Dogs trust him because he’s consistent, intuitive, and always tuned into what they need. Ryan – Grounds Manager and Resident Softie Ryan may work full-time outside the home, but he plays a big role in keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. He’s responsible for maintaining the yard, checking the fence daily, and making sure the entire space stays safe, secure, and ready for zoomies. When he's home, Ryan is quick to jump in with fetch sessions, lazy couch snuggles, and extra hands-on care. His attention to detail ensures the dogs’ environment stays just as comfortable as it is fun. 🐾 Meet & Greets If you’re a new client, we’re happy to arrange a Meet & Greet before your dog’s stay. Meet & Greets are a great way for us to get to know each other, talk through your pup’s routine, and make sure it feels like a good fit for everyone involved. That said, they are completely optional. If you’d prefer to skip the in-person meeting, we’re more than happy to go over everything at drop-off. We can also schedule a phone call ahead of time if that’s more your speed. A Meet & Greet is a short, casual outdoor visit where we’ll go over your dog’s needs and behavior and answer questions you may have. You’ll meet Mike, who handles most handoffs, and can tour our backyard where your pup will enjoy supervised outdoor time. We’ll cover details like: • Feeding schedule and meal preferences • Potty routine • Crate or sleep habits • Social behavior with other dogs • Medical needs, allergies or medications • Anxiety triggers or quirks • What comforts your dog when you're away We encourage you to bring your dog so we can see how they settle into the environment and start building trust right away. 🦠 COVID Safety Guidelines To protect everyone’s health, especially since Sandra is immunocompromised, all Meet & Greets take place outdoors in our front yard or on the covered porch. Visitors are not permitted inside the home, but we’ll gladly walk you through our yard setup and daily routines. While masks are optional, we always maintain respectful social distancing during the visit. If you prefer that we wear a mask, just let us know and we’ll be happy to accommodate. We’re committed to making this process as safe and stress-free as possible for both you and your pup. 📅 Schedule Info We offer last-minute bookings whenever possible and are flexible with scheduling. Drop-off / Pickup Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM Tues/Thurs: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM We often work late and may be active until 3:00 AM, so we kindly ask for no pickups or drop-offs before 9:00 AM. Early or late accommodations may be available with a $20 off-hours fee. 📸 Updates We aim to send frequent updates. Most of them go out in the evenings. If you haven’t received one, it may be due to the Rover app having trouble sending video. Just let us know and we’ll resend. If you’d prefer fewer updates, we’re happy to adjust. 🐾 How Your Stay Saves Lives This isn’t just a job. It’s our mission. We started fostering in 2013. One dog turned into five, Five turned into fifty, and now over a decade later we’ve personally fostered more than 600 dogs and cats. Many of them were seniors, special needs, or had medical conditions that would have otherwise left them overlooked or euthanized in shelters. Pet boarding allows us to keep saying YES to the hard cases. Every single booking with us helps fund: - Emergency vet visits - Routine check-ups and vaccinations - Medications and post-op recovery care - Specialized food for sick or senior dogs - Safe transportation from kill shelters to foster homes - Basic supplies like crates, toys, leashes, and bedding We pledge to use proceeds from every stay to fully fund the care of another rescue animal. It's a promise we've kept since day one. We don’t just love dogs, We are actively working to save them. And if you choose to leave a tip through Rover, 100% of that tip is donated directly back to the rescue to help cover life-saving expenses. No exceptions. So when your pet stays with us, you can feel great knowing they’re in safe, loving hands, and that another dog out there is one step closer to their own forever home filled with love and care. 💼 What to Bring Required: - Collar and leash - Harness (if used) - Vaccination record (if not already submitted) - Food for the full stay - Medications or supplements with instructions Optional: - Toys, treats, chews - Poop bags or wipes - Grooming tools - A scent item (blanket, towel, old t-shirt) No need to bring: (We’ve got plenty of all of these!) - Crates - Bowls - Beds 🌟 Experience Highlights - First Aid and CPR Certified - Comfortable with special needs and senior pets - Trained in administering injections and fluids - Puppies welcome (overnight crating required) - Never more than four dogs at a time - Full supervision indoors and out Thank you for considering us. Whether your dog thrives in a pack or needs a quieter solo setup, we’ve got the experience, environment, and heart to make their stay exceptional. Feel free to reach out with any questions. We’d love to meet you and your pup! 🐾