Welcome! Thanks for stopping in! I am Alice Coulter, a resident of this area since 1995 when I moved here from Nashville, TN. I have over 37 years of pet care experience and I established my Licensed/Bonded/Insured Professional Pet Sitting business April 1st, 2001 here in Navarre, FL.
My first foray into the wonderful world of pet sitting began like many others in this business, as a part-time “hobby” to supplement my income in 1982 in my home state of Wisconsin, then again in Nashville, TN. when I moved there in the mid 80s. I always had a full-time job but really looked forward to caring for other people’s pets “on the side”. Such a joy! I spent my formative years from birth growing up on a Dairy Farm in WI which undoubtedly influenced my true passion for all animals, large & small throughout my adult life.
Currently my best friends and the loves of my life are Vincent, my 16 year old Min Pin, Percy, my 14 year old mixed breed rescue, and sweet little Cha Cha, the friendliest Chihuahua in the world who is 11 years old. I also gave a safe haven to a now very spoiled rotten rescue bird named Simon many years ago. They are my life and forgive me completely when I arrive back home after “cheating on them” all day long smelling of everyone else’s pets.
When I started my business in 2001 I also cared for “farm animals” (horses, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, etc) in addition to dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles and “pocket pets”. After a couple of years I regrettably had to phase out horses due to the time involved as my business grew fast & furious and it was difficult to fit the canines into the same time frame that the equines required. (Although I DID keep caring for 2 horses until their USAF Mom moved away a few years later) One of my first customers was a large Macaw named Mugsy who didn’t like anyone except his Mom and...me! To begin my formal bird care experience with this guy was a blessing as he taught me a lot about handling a “difficult” larger case. We became best of buddies. (Sadly, he recently moved away) He also sparked a love & desire to care for the “big” birds, even though I only seemed to have had a canary, budgie or Cockatiel in my home at any given time throughout my life. Caring for cats has also been a focus since I have always had a cat (or 3, or more!) throughout my life from birth until the passing of my last kitty in 1999. (my Significant-Other is highly allergic) My heart hurts not having a feline in my life at HOME, but I certainly enjoy caring for them now!
In 2016 I began the heart-breaking process of referring canine care to various professional pet sitters in our area as my time was very limited due to the volume of dog clients along with the desire to customize my business, specializing in the care of felines, avian, aquatic & exotic pets. I also included the extra service of “home security checks” for those who are away from their home for extended periods of time.
Physical limitations as well as a serious dog attack in 2015 that left me with permanent damage in my hand and arm also played a part in this change. Like everyone else, I have gotten older and I did not want to be in a position where a high-energy larger breed puppy/adult that requires more strength to maintain control could present a problem. Add to that the time requirement involved (mornings/lunchtime/evenings) became an issue with so many to care for at any given time left me with little availability on most days. I have had to decline many jobs in recent years due to these limitations.
I know my limitations so I had to “hang up the leash” so to speak. I made this decision in 2016 and it has made a big difference in my daily life. My “low impact” & gentle current dog customers who have been using my services for years are still on my roster as they are easier to care for due to familiarity.
I have been fortunate over the last year to find a handful of qualified professional pet sitters in our area to help. Whenever I am too busy, need a day off/schedule vacation or I am presented with a dog account, I can refer you out to another Licensed/Bonded/Insured Pet Sitter in our area.. Of course, I cannot promise that someone else WILL have the time available, but I will forward you the information for you to connect. Hopefully this will bring me an occasional day off or vacation in my future and I will post those dates in advance on my page and website. I have always preferred to make sure that my customers continue to receive care in my absence, although of course, it is not guaranteed as I have to rely on the availability & desire of other sitters to cover for me. Researching other pet sitters in our area will be a benefit for you in the event I can not secure backup care. I also have referrals for you if you are needing Overnight Visits or Boarding. (which I do not include in my own services)
My focus the previous 2 years has been promoting care involving birds, cats, backyard chickens/ducks, salt water fish tanks/ponds, reptiles and “pocket pets”. (rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, rodents, etc.) This has made a HUGE difference in my health and well-being and I am enjoying every second of it! I had to be proactive to allow myself a few more years of doing what I love to do and insuring that every single person who hires me knows that they are getting quality care and a healthy & experienced pet care provider.
Another service I provide are “home security” visits for the many military clients, snowbirds and busy professionals who are away from their homes for extended periods of time, where I keep a close watch inside & outside of their homes for their security & peace of mind, sans animals. This service includes indoor plant care/outside flower bed watering, wild bird care, fish tanks/ponds, and bringing mail/packages inside. I have surprisingly been getting many more requests for that service through word-of-mouth and this is something to consider when you do not have friend/family connections nearby to keep an eye out for you while gone for extended periods of time. Many of my regular/current dog customers who travel by RV on vacations outside of our area use this service to check on their homes in their extended absence when fido gets to go along with Mom & Dad on vacation. (my Bucket-List includes buying an RV when I retire to do the same!)
I have always been committed to providing you with the best pet sitter experience you can find so that you can relax and enjoy your time away from home with someone that you can trust to maintain a home environment your pet(s) are used to. They will receive lots of love and attention to be sure! The most spoiled of pets are truly welcome!
Thank you again for stopping in to see what services I have to offer! New information on my changes are listed on my website if you would like to take a peek.
www.petnannyalice.com
~Alice The Pet Nanny
Updated: Oct 27, 2019
