Sarah L.
Holyoke, MA
High Energy, Passionate, Caring
Pet care experience
My name is Sarah, I'm 29 and live in Holyoke. I’ve been providing pet care services professionally since 2019 and I've been a pet owner my entire life - cats and dogs (of all ages), lizards, hamsters, bunnies, ducks - the whole lot! I enjoy engaging with each pet's individual personality and doing what I can to enrich their life. I am reliable, knowledgeable, and an open communicator. I pride myself on knowing what I am good at and I will be honest if I feel that I am not a good match for your pet - I want what is best for them and if that requires a different pet caretaker, then that’s what they deserve!
Reviews
Sarah is the best and came for an admittedly long meet and greet to listen to my concerns regarding our anxious cat AND our bearded dragon. She took the time to learn about our cats quirks and hiding places, and our lizard's wiley ways. Sarah's responsiveness, comfortability with our pets and daily updates helped to ease our minds while we were away. We will definitely be booking with Sarah next time we need a sitter. :)
Sarah has been walking our 3 year old rescue for several months now and just began staying with her while we’re away. Our pup has some (ok, many!) issues, and Sarah has been able to roll with all of them. Our dog can be anxious around new people and doesn’t like to be handled. Sarah has developed enough trust with her that, notably does our dog become a giddy little puppy when Sarah arrives for walks, but she allows Sarah to perform less comfortable handling tasks, like tick removal. Sarah is communicative, flexible, and understands. She seems to really understand dogs, can read canine body language well, and, most importantly, she seems to love our girl!
My partner and I both travel for work frequently and have worked with dozens of sitters. Sarah stands out as one of the most thoughtful and communicative sitters we've ever had! She sent daily photos and updates to assure me that our cats were happy and cared for. She will be the first person I reach out to next time I need a sitter. Thank you, Sarah!
Sarah was great. She always made sure to update us after her drop ins, and even brought in some packages on our porch while we were gone. Would absolutely book again
About Sarah L.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I cannot provide services at my home so it will always take place in your home/neighborhood. I am very knowledgeable and constantly attentive to dog and cat body language. I am always observing them for subtle changes in their expression to understand their mood/desires/fears/etc. I base my behavior on theirs to ensure they feel happy and safe with me. PLEASE NOTE: I am not willing to provide off-leash walks or to bring dogs to a dog park. While these may be activities that you enjoy with your dog, there are many risks in these activities and I cannot guarantee your dog’s safety. I only feel confident in ensuring their safety through on-leash walks or off-leash playtime in fenced-in yards. I also do not use prong or shock collars for dogs. I understand that many people use them as training devices but I exclusively use force-free positive reinforcement for behavior modification in dogs. If prong/shock collars are non-negotiable in your dog’s care, I understand and am glad that you have found something that works for them, but I respectfully withdraw myself from consideration as their caretaker. If you are willing to let me take the collars off and see how we do without them, I am open to doing that. If your dog has displayed excessive aggression toward humans or other dogs, I would be apprehensive in agreeing to work with them. I fully believe that they are good dogs who deserve specialized care from someone highly trained in working with aggressive dogs. I do not yet have professional training with aggressive dogs and do not feel confident in my ability to deescalate them. If you have worked with a trainer who has developed a clear plan of care and identified consistent, avoidable triggers, I am open to learning more about that and seeing if feel confident in following that plan. A side note about photos: all moments of affection displayed in my photos were initiated by the pet. I do not solicit affection for photos or for my own enjoyment. I will not initiate close physical affection (beyond gentle greetings) with a new pet as it can be confusing and even upsetting for some pets. If physical affection develops naturally between us, I am more than happy to engage in it but I would not violate their boundaries for my own enjoyment. If you have concerns regarding your pet and physical affection, please let me know.
Information Sarah L. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know if your pet has any physical preferences for interactions before we meet, for example, do they have a particular spot on their body that they absolutely do not like touched? do they prefer to initiate the greeting on their terms or are they open to having their name called, etc. For cats: please let me know if they are generally fearful of strangers and have a tendency to hide. I will always make sure to get a visual of them to acknowledge that they are safe and healthy but will respect their need for space. If they do hide but you know they’d like the chance to say hello if I stay still and quiet, please also tell me that. I am more than happy to provide the opportunity for greetings but will not force it for truly fearful cats. For dogs: Please let me know your dog’s general temperament toward new people. Are they over-the-moon excited and expecting playtime immediately? Are they timid and prefer a more hands-off approach for building trust first? I can usually gauge this quickly anyway but if you already know the answer, I’m happy to know it beforehand. I don't have any dog breed preferences but I am on the smaller side - 5'4" and 130lbs, so physically controlling very large breeds during walks can be a challenge.
A typical day
Going for on-leash walks or runs around your neighborhood can be a great way to burn off energy, stimulate their curiosity, and take care of potty time. If you have a yard we can engage in their preferred play activity until they are worn out and ready for a nap. I'm a huge fan of tug, fetch, chase, and hide and seek. I've cared for elderly dogs, sick dogs, and dogs recovering from surgery. I understand that potty time and feeding can be a challenge during these times but have the patience and compassion to ensure that they are comfortable and getting their needs met.
Services
Sarah can watch in your home
Availability
My current availability is late afternoons and evenings on weekdays - I am only able to accept walks or drop-ins after 3pm. I have more open availability on weekends.
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About Sarah L.
Communication
Skills
Safety, trust & environment
I cannot provide services at my home so it will always take place in your home/neighborhood. I am very knowledgeable and constantly attentive to dog and cat body language. I am always observing them for subtle changes in their expression to understand their mood/desires/fears/etc. I base my behavior on theirs to ensure they feel happy and safe with me. PLEASE NOTE: I am not willing to provide off-leash walks or to bring dogs to a dog park. While these may be activities that you enjoy with your dog, there are many risks in these activities and I cannot guarantee your dog’s safety. I only feel confident in ensuring their safety through on-leash walks or off-leash playtime in fenced-in yards. I also do not use prong or shock collars for dogs. I understand that many people use them as training devices but I exclusively use force-free positive reinforcement for behavior modification in dogs. If prong/shock collars are non-negotiable in your dog’s care, I understand and am glad that you have found something that works for them, but I respectfully withdraw myself from consideration as their caretaker. If you are willing to let me take the collars off and see how we do without them, I am open to doing that. If your dog has displayed excessive aggression toward humans or other dogs, I would be apprehensive in agreeing to work with them. I fully believe that they are good dogs who deserve specialized care from someone highly trained in working with aggressive dogs. I do not yet have professional training with aggressive dogs and do not feel confident in my ability to deescalate them. If you have worked with a trainer who has developed a clear plan of care and identified consistent, avoidable triggers, I am open to learning more about that and seeing if feel confident in following that plan. A side note about photos: all moments of affection displayed in my photos were initiated by the pet. I do not solicit affection for photos or for my own enjoyment. I will not initiate close physical affection (beyond gentle greetings) with a new pet as it can be confusing and even upsetting for some pets. If physical affection develops naturally between us, I am more than happy to engage in it but I would not violate their boundaries for my own enjoyment. If you have concerns regarding your pet and physical affection, please let me know.
Information Sarah L. would like to know about your pet
Please let me know if your pet has any physical preferences for interactions before we meet, for example, do they have a particular spot on their body that they absolutely do not like touched? do they prefer to initiate the greeting on their terms or are they open to having their name called, etc. For cats: please let me know if they are generally fearful of strangers and have a tendency to hide. I will always make sure to get a visual of them to acknowledge that they are safe and healthy but will respect their need for space. If they do hide but you know they’d like the chance to say hello if I stay still and quiet, please also tell me that. I am more than happy to provide the opportunity for greetings but will not force it for truly fearful cats. For dogs: Please let me know your dog’s general temperament toward new people. Are they over-the-moon excited and expecting playtime immediately? Are they timid and prefer a more hands-off approach for building trust first? I can usually gauge this quickly anyway but if you already know the answer, I’m happy to know it beforehand. I don't have any dog breed preferences but I am on the smaller side - 5'4" and 130lbs, so physically controlling very large breeds during walks can be a challenge.
A typical day
Going for on-leash walks or runs around your neighborhood can be a great way to burn off energy, stimulate their curiosity, and take care of potty time. If you have a yard we can engage in their preferred play activity until they are worn out and ready for a nap. I'm a huge fan of tug, fetch, chase, and hide and seek. I've cared for elderly dogs, sick dogs, and dogs recovering from surgery. I understand that potty time and feeding can be a challenge during these times but have the patience and compassion to ensure that they are comfortable and getting their needs met.
Location
Holyoke, MA
Sarah L.
Holyoke, MA