Noozhawk’s inaugural Four-Legged Friends and More Guide is officially here! We have sniffed out local businesses that best cater to the needs, health, comfort, training, exercise, and general welfare of our furry companions!
To provide a closer look at the pet establishments in Santa Barbara County, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local businesses for this year’s Four-Legged Friends and More Guide that will be sure to have your tail wagging.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Beth Anne Hathaway, Owner of Best Friend Petsitter, to learn more about the pet services they offer.
Best Friend Pet Sitter
Question: What is the name of your business or practice?
Answer: Best Friend Petsitter, aptly named for the close relationships we build with our clients’ pets.
Q: What is the mission behind your business?
A: Our mission is to tailor a pet care plan for each family that follows your pet’s accustomed routine, providing consistency and stability while pet owners are away.
Q: What types of animals does your business cater to?
A: We care for dogs, cats, hamsters, rats, mice, most small rodents, chickens, parakeets, cockatiels, most birds, geckos, turtles, bearded dragons, most reptiles, and fish.
Q: Can you describe the services or products your business offers?
A: We offer in-home pet sitting, dog walking, and pet bathing. Our most popular service is overnight stays where your pet has continuous 12-hour care from dinner to breakfast. We also offer daily check-ins, potty breaks, and hotel pet sitting. Dog walking services include neighborhood dog walks, extended dog walks or hikes, or playtime adventure walks. If your pup loves to play at Hendry’s Beach, we also offer baths to keep your dog huggably clean. Upon special request, we provide pet concierge services.
Q: How long have you been in this industry?
A: We have been professionally pet sitting for over 15 years and have raised/loved animals of our own for over 35 years.
Q: What makes your business or practice unique?
A: In addition to our 15+ years of experience and certifications, all of our pet care professionals live in Santa Barbara and are active members of the community. We frequently bump into clients at the park or grocery store! Our goal is to help pet owners select a trustworthy pet sitter by offering transparent practices and pricing prior to booking any services. It also helps to know that your pet sitter is close by, vetted, and insured when caring for your pets.
Q: What training, education and experience do you and your staff have? Do you hold any professional certifications?
A: We are Fear Free℠ Certified Professionals and Cat & Dog First Aid Certified through the American Red Cross. Having these certifications means we are trained to safely administer medications, assess potential distress levels and remove stressors, and apply first aid measures in the event of an emergency. In addition to our pet care training, James has a BFA from UC Santa Barbara and Beth Anne holds a BA from UC Irvine.
Q: How do you manage behavioral problems?
A: As part of our initial intake, we observe pets and listen to pet owners describe behavioral habits ahead of services. Once we outline the custom pet care plan, we implement the same routine and safety measures that pet owners do when at home. In the event a pet does something unusual, we’ll follow the care plan as closely as possible and report any pressing matters to the pet owners. Applying our Fear Free℠ training means your pet’s undesirable behaviors are addressed professionally and calmly. Behavioral issues do not happen often, but having a plan in advance and effectively communicating with pet owners is key to ensuring a positive outcome.
Q: Do you work with all breeds/ age groups?
A: Best Friend Petsitter works with all breeds and age groups of animals, ranging from energetic puppies and kittens to limited mobility senior dogs and cats. Beth Anne has bottle fed half a dozen kittens to maturity, some as young as 1 day old! James and Beth Anne have extensive experience with senior dogs both large and small helping them navigate stairs, encouraging eating at mealtimes, and getting the most out of their walks outside.
Q: What kinds of challenges have you faced within the pet care industry? How did you or your team manage them?
A: The greatest challenge is year-round fire risks. With our entire service area in active fire country, our services go beyond usual pet care and factor in developing evacuation plans for each client before services begin. We discuss these plans ahead of time so our clients know which steps we will take to retrieve, secure, and evacuate their pet if under mandatory evacuation orders. We remove the potential for chaos simply by planning ahead, especially if clients aren’t easily reachable in different time zones or spotty cell service areas.
Q: How do you help make your client feel at ease leaving their pet in your care?
A: We make it a point to get to know our clients from the very first phone call or message and connect with them at our complimentary Meet & Greet. We’ll collect details about their pet’s personality, health, feeding schedule, and behavioral habits to get a full sense of your pet. From there, we tailor a pet care plan fulfilling all their pet’s needs and wants while they are away and send frequent text updates on their pet’s activity. We also remind folks that our insurance policy covers their pets and property while we mind their home. It’s all about preparedness and an individual care plan to ensure your pets are healthy, comfortable, and happy while in our care.
Q: What is one fun fact about your business?
A: James and Beth Anne were first introduced to a group of bearded dragons by their third grade teacher who named them after key figures of the OJ Simpson trial. Little did we know how much we would love “Kato Kaelin!”
Click here to learn more about Best Friend Petsitter.