My name is Harriet and I work as a professional pet sitter
for a local company. I am a certified Veterinary Tech,
Medical Assistant and EMT-B. I have over 30 years’
experience caring for kitties, pups and then some! As you can probably tell already, I LOVE the medical
sciences! Throughout the years, I have noticed a lack of services for
those who can't afford a professional pet sitter. While it's
always nice to make money, most Pet Services turn
people away for an inability to pay. Okay... Understandable, right? But aren't pet parents still
pet parents no matter how little they have or make?? Don't their little furry (feathered, scaly or fishy) family
members look to them for care? Let's face it, Life Happens! Some people just need a helping hand to get back on their
feet, while others are facing debilitating illnesses. Here are some typical examples:
Anna is a single mom with 2 small kids. She just left her
abusive husband. The family cat, who’s been with them for
10 years, now has diabetes and requires daily insulin
injections.Unfortunately, Anna has to work 60+ hours a
week to try and make ends meet, and she can't be there to
give poor "Fluffy" his insulin shot. She can't afford the high prices of a pet sitter, on top of vet care, and doesn’t have any friends she can ask to help with the injections. Maybe, she could squeak five bucks (if that!) out of her paycheck to pay someone, but it's just not enough. Now, some people would criticize her, demanding that she bring Fluffy to a shelter. (And the chances of a 10-year old diabetic cat being adopted from a shelter are not good.) After all, what's more important to her?? Her kids or Fluffy?? Fluffy is otherwise in good health and has a great quality
of life with his shots. And while it’s hard to explain to some people, Fluffy has been a constant source of comfort, helping her and the kids with all the changes they’ve been through. He is a very important 4-legged family member!! It's not like Mom will be in this predicament forever. This is temporary! So why should Fluffy and the family suffer because all Mom needs is for someone to give him his injection? Or:
John is an elderly man who can't walk his dog anymore
due to his own health issues. His (human) family members
keep telling him that "Rufus" is just too much for him! However, Rufus holds a special place in this man's heart. Before his late wife passed away, they adopted Rufus
together. This pup not only provides great companionship,
but also connects him with his late wife. Rufus is in great
health and all he needs is a daily walk. However, the man
is on a fixed income and will never be able to afford hiring
someone to walk poor Rufus. Or:
Camille had a bad fall on ice and ended up with broken
bones and torn ligaments. Normally, she’d be able to
afford a pet sitter to care for her pup and 2 kitties, but now
she’s out of work and on temporary disability, and the
money just isn’t there. (If you've ever had to get Disability
checks then you know that it's not enough to live on even
temporarily!)
These are only a few examples that I've run across in my
line of work. Why should these families suffer? Why
doesn't someone step in to help them?? I've seen a lot of these types of situations where people
had to "give up" their family member or worse, euthanize
them, when all they needed was for someone to give them
a hand. Most importantly though, they needed to know
that someone actually cares about their unique situation
and wants to help. I personally have been in some of these predicaments and
there wasn't anyone to help me. I know first hand how
hard it is to deal with, both physically and emotionally. That's why Lancey's Pals was born! We are a small, but upcoming company that offers low
cost or no-fee, quality pet sitting services for the Disabled,
Temporarily Disabled, Low/Fixed Income, Elderly and
Domestic Violence victims (who have left their abusive
partner and are making a fresh start). No matter what your particular circumstance is, we will
work with you to provide quality and professional care for
your fur baby. Feel free to contact us!! We look forward to helping your family thrive!
