In 1999, Sue Runge began The Next Best Thing of Gunnison, LLC as a hobby business, allowing her a chance to get out of the office setting & use her animal husbandry skills. The business quickly grew & by 2003, there were 4 Animal Care Professionals on staff, providing visits & overnight care to pets in homes, as well as ranches and large commercial operations. Word of mouth advertising was more th
an sufficient, so the decision was made to discontinue all print advertising, allowing the business to settle down over the next 15 years to a comfortable part-time job for 2 staff members. In 2018, the time had come to let the newcomers to the Gunnison Valley know about the best kept secret in Personalized Animal Care. As members of Pet Sitters International, The Next Best Thing is fully insured & bonded. However, we refer to our services as "animal care" not "pet sitting" because we do not exclude ranchers, livestock owners or commercial operation caretakers from the opportunity to enjoy peace of mind while traveling. Incidentally, over the decades of business operations, we can honestly say we have never sat on a pet! We offer 1/2 hour visits, 1 hour visits & overnight stays, & are competent in providing the highest quality care to any specie of small or large animal. Sue has a Bachelors of Science in Equine Science from Colorado State University
