fetch pet care

Feature Sitter of the Quarter ~ Wanda Perkins

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Congratulations Wanda Perkins for being our feature sitter of the quarter! Wanda is a positive, punctual, and responsible sitter with a ton of experience working with and fostering rescue dogs. Read more about her volunteer work to help displaced animals after Hurricane Katrina. Lets hear it from Wanda herself…

What is your professional background before you decided to pursue pet sitting full time? 
I worked in the health information management ( hospital medical records) field for 44+ years with 29 years in management and the remaining years traveling the country as a consultant.  I moved to Santa Monica from KY after coming here for a contract and falling in love with the weather and the animal friendly environment.
Why pet sitting? What are the most rewarding parts of your job? 
My dream for many years has been to do volunteer work with animals once I am able financially to retire.  I had not planned to make the career change this early but realized it was time to pursue the job that would feed my soul after working in a very stressful environment for too long.  Animals, and animal rights, are my passion, and it is time to get up and go to work doing something that I enjoy and that leaves me feeling that I have offered an invaluable service to clients as well all love our animal families.  The best part has been seeing the response of the dogs after they have met me and knowing they are comfortable with me.  A wagging tail makes me happy.
Please share with us your foster experience. Any extra special, memorable ones you would like to share? 
Many of my fosters were short term fosters as I was travelling for my work.  When I took a leave of absence from work to prepare my dog for insulin injections/treatment after getting her diabetes diagnosis, I was able to foster two sisters border collie mixes from the local rescue I worked with in KY (S.T.A.R, Saving the Animals of Rowan, Morehead, KY).  I ended up adopting Sissy and Mary Alice when we were not able to find them a home where they could stay together.  Mary Alice is with me now; I lost Sissy in a car accident three years ago.  This was certainly the best foster experience.  
How did you decide to volunteer after Hurricane Katrina? What did you do as part of your volunteer work there?
Hurricane Katrina grabbed my attention so strongly after seeing images of the animals experiences.  I always was too busy with my job to do more than send donations for these disasters but this time I felt like I couldn’t get there to help fast enough!   Fortunately, I was on a long term contract and was able to get approval to take a week off work  to go down to help in St. Bernard Parish, LA.    I worked with ASPCA in the staging and hold area after the dogs were found.  We had to keep track of all the dogs and be sure they were fed, walked, clean kennels, special handling for special need dogs, throughout the day.  We also were able to go on some searches in the neighborhoods looking to see if any animals were overlooked.  It was very difficult to see the devastation there  The few times someone would come in looking for their dog (or cat) and actually find it there would bring tears of joy and motivation to all of us.  It was probably one of the most difficult weeks of my life emotionally but certainly the most rewarding.
What do you like most about working with Fetch! Pet Care? 
Working with Fetch allows me to walk dogs, take care of cats, and actually enjoy my work day.  I care for the animals  as I do my own and want the clients to know they don’t have to worry.  As a dog mother myself, I know how very important that sense of comfort with your sitter is.  I am very impressed with the staff/sitters at Fetch and am proud to be part of this service to the animals.

Happy Anniversary to our Fetch Pet Care Dispatcher, Gina!

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Ever wonder who is on the other end of the phone when you call Fetch Pet Care?  Well, if you’ve called the Hollywood Hills or Silverlake Fetch office anytime in the last 6 years, there is a good chance you’ve spoken with Gina.

Today marks Gina’s 6 year anniversary as a Fetch Pet Care dispatcher.  Gina has a very important role within Fetch- she is the first voice many people hear, explaining the services we offer and working with clients to figure out what will fit their needs best.  And once she is off the phone, she is tasked with the even more critical job of matching clients with the sitter(s) who will be the best for their needs.  It may sound easy, but it’s not.  She has to keep in mind location of the client and sitter, availability of the sitter, their experience level with different types of pets, as well as personalities of the sitter, client and pets, and whether it seems like everyone will “jive.” That last part can often be the toughest part.  

Gina started off as a Fetch client in 2006, shortly after we first opened our doors.  She needed some help administering injections to a very sick bunny who needed regular antibiotics to keep him healthy.  During this time, we developed a great friendship with Gina and her family, and he entourage of pets….we even helped her add a pet. Her dog Mojo had been feeling quite lonely after the loss of his sister, and it just so happened that one of our Fetch petsitters was assisting a rescue group in finding a home for a big black dog named Oso (photo below).  People always passed over Oso, most likely due to his size, but we had a feeling he’d be the perfect fit for Gina’s home.  And almost 7 years later, he’s still happy as a clam, loving his yard, especially when the BBQ comes out. Image 

Gina has been instrumental in the success of Fetch and we hope we have many more years to go with her on the front lines.

If you speak with her today, be sure to wish her a Happy Anniversary!

10 things you need to do to have a great off-leash hike!

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10 things you need to do to have a great
off-leash hike!
Taking your dog on an off-leash adventure is one of the things we dog owners look forward to most.  There is nothing quite like watching your exuberant dog bound with joy up a mountain trail. And who doesn’t love
being hands free??? But a seemingly perfect trip can turn sour fast if you and your dog are not prepared.  Dogs can get disoriented and lost if they stray too far, or they can get in trouble with other animals (wild or domestic) if you aren’t careful.  Going off-leash is a privilege that needs to be earned by your dog (and you!).  Following these tips will help you enjoy your off-leash time even more, and if you aren’t ready yet, will hopefully help to prepare you for
when the time comes!
  1. Bring a leash (huh?)! Keep the leash on you at all times so you can leash up your pup if necessary (see below for some examples)
  2. Practice, practice, PRACTICE your dog’s
    recall.      It needs to be 100% reliable before going off-leash anywhere in public
  3. Bring treats! Use your dog’s favorite treats to continue to reinforce that great recall. Give only when your dog comes right away, not when she waits or wanders in the wrong direction before deciding to
    work her way to you.      You want her to know that she comes right away, every time. (and for goodness sake, don’t scold your dog if she doesn’t come right away- you also want her to know that
    coming to you is a good thing!)
  4. Respect the others on the trail: if you see a leashed dog coming towards you, call your dog and keep him close.  The leashed dog may be perfectly friendly, but don’t assume and don’t let your dog run up to unknown leashed dogs as they are at a disadvantage and could become defensive.  If you aren’t sure if your dog can resist the temptation, use the leash until you have passed (see #1)
  5. Don’t let your dog go so far from you that she
    is out of your sight    .      If she is not coming to you reliably, leash her for the remainder of the walk, go home and see #2 before attempting your next off leash walk.  Or, try attaching a long lead to your dog to drag on the ground- if she starts to go too far and isn’t recalling, simply step on the rope and stop her in her tracks. Remember, it takes time and off-leash walking is a privilege, don’t get discouraged!
  6. Remember, it’s not a free for all. You can allow your dog to run and play with others, but make sure they are not a danger to other hikers/bikers/dogs/horses, etc on the trail.
    Stop play when others (people and dogs included) not with your group are passing through.  See #1- use the
     leash if necessary until the others are safely by. Don’t assume that because it is an off-leash trail everyone will be ok with your dog.
  7. This one’s a no-brainer- pick up after your
    dog    !      Just because he’s off leash doesn’t mean you can pretend you didn’t see it, especially if it is in the
    middle of the trail- remember #5- your dog should always be in sight anyway….
  8. Bring water! An off leash dog often covers, 2, 3, 4, or 10X the distance we cover in their running back and forth and up and down.  She’ll need water to
     rehydrate, and it’s best she doesn’t drink from strange pools of standing water (like mine loves to do)
  9. Keep your eyes open – off leash trails are often in rural or wilderness areas and come with lots of wildlife, some of which can be dangerous.  Take the necessary precautions.  Leash your dog if you
    spot a coyote- they may try to lure your dog away from you. Don’t let your dog chase after prey animals as she may lose track of you and get lost.  And in the summer,  especially if you live in the western
     states, beware of rattlesnakes.  If your dog is an off trail explorer, she may need to stay leashed for those
    months when rattlesnake danger is at its highest.      You can also get a rattlesnake vaccine (which buys you time in case of a bite) and take a rattlesnake aversion course so she will learn not
    to try to play with a snake…but she can still accidentally stumble over one.      Use your own discretion….
  10. Flea/tick and heartworm preventive– whatever your preferred method, use it and keep
    it up to date.  Check your dog after every hike for ticks- they love to hide in folds of skin where it’s
    warm- so do an extra check around the ears, in their “armpits” and in the groin area.  They also like to get under     the collar around the neck.