We've got a very special business in our next Client Spotlight! Meet Jennifer, Corey, and Furriendly Critter Sitters! Based on the Florida Space Coast in Northern Brevard County, Furriendly provides pet care services running from Edgewater to Viera and Merrit Island. They are veteran-owned, fully insured, pet first-aid & CPR certified, and committed to continuing education and taking care of each pet as if they were their own.
Furriendly offers all types of services including drop-ins, dog walks, overnights, farm animal care, house sitting, and more. Their success is based on the incredibly high level of care they provide to each pet they are lucky enough to interact with. Their experience ranges from dogs and cats to ferrets, hamsters, birds, fish, and tons of other pets. If you live on the Space Coast and are looking for an exceptional pet care provider, be sure to give Furriendly a call! You can learn more on their website. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram as well!
What caused you to get into pet sitting/dog walking?
I got into pet sitting/dog walking because I knew how hard it was to find someone to trust in taking care of my own pet. My husband and I have only taken a one week vacation in the 14 years we have had our dog. We love him so much and just feel too anxious to leave him. I knew there was a need for someone trustworthy that could help pet parents feel a peace of mind when they have to be away from their pets. With both my husband and I in the military for so many years, we have moved with our dog many times to many different places. Each place we lived, I never felt comfortable leaving him. I wanted to help pet parents in our situation. We hear all the time that pet parents are thankful for what we do and we couldn't be more happy for that.
What is the most fulfilling part of owning a pet sitting/dog walking business? The most fulfilling part of owning a pet sitting/dog walking business is providing peace of mind to pet parents. We hear all the time how pet parents are able to fully decompress when they are away on vacation because they know their pets are taken care of. We love the positive feedback we always receive.
What is the most challenging?
The most challenging thing about owning a pet sitting/dog walking business is dealing with emergencies. Although rare, pet emergencies do occur while under our care. We are fully trained to handle such emergencies but emotionally it can be taxing. We care very deeply about each and every pet we care for, that we tend to think of them as one of our own. When an emergency arises, it's like it's happening to one of our own. I have personally gone out at all hours of the day/night if something comes up. Doing so is what a responsible pet care business owner should do. Thankfully we have never experienced a life threatening emergency, but we are prepared if something comes up. Also, when one of our pet parents experiences the passing of their pet, we struggle with that loss as well. We become so attached to the pets we watch. Knowing that we have made an impact on the pet's life, whether for a short or long time, helps us deal with the loss.
Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I see our business in 5 years growing even more to where we have 10-15 pet sitters. We currently have 5 pet sitters on our team. I also see that we own a dog daycare facility with a grooming area and a small retail area. I get calls all the time from pet parents looking for daycare or boarding. There is a real need in our area for such services. I would love to have an actual location to provide these services, in addition to our pet sitting and dog walking. Also, I am currently in school to become a dog trainer. I see in 5 years that we are known as the top dog trainer in our service area and we have even more great reviews on our services.
What has Time To Pet changed the most about how you run your business?
We have used Time To Pet since we opened in April 2022. I love that TTP keeps all of our client and pet care information in one place. We love that we can advertise that we offer GPS tracked visit reports with photos and videos. Every pet parent that we service is impressed how we have an app with a way to group chat with both me and the pet sitter they are assigned to. If another pet sitter on our team has to cover a visit they can easily go into TTP and find all the care information they need. They can also read through the chat and previous visit reports to catch up on what has happened during the previous services. TTP reports are also very convenient for our business. Being able to look up all the statistics and data about our business has been so helpful for tailoring our services and focusing marketing and advertising. We will continue to use TTP as it is a vital asset to our business.
