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Listings for Orange County Animal Shelters, Animal Urgent Care Centers, Dog Parks & Beaches, Dog Friendly Beaches, Animal Rescue Groups & More!
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 Ruth Ann Krisa and Debbie Catterall have been animal lovers for so long that they just can't say no to any pet that needs sitting, whether it's your hamster, your Himalayan cat… or your horse. After working for years for pet magazines, they reached a point where they realized that a hands-on approach to working with animals was what they truly desired. A series of mostly serendipitous events led Krisa and Catterall to start OC Pet Companions, with the tag line, "We follow your pet's schedule – not ours." Offering round-the-clock service, "it's the truth," Krisa chuckles. "We answer the phones 24/7… and we have staff out there with your pets 24/7."
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You can contact Ruth Ann at www.OCPetCompanions.com
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Pet Sitting: Standards Of excellence
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Last fall my wife and I decided to take our family on vacation to the east coast to visit relatives. The four of us flew to Washington D.C. to see the changing of the colors and then rented a car to drive up the coast to upstate New read more...
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Why Hire A Pet Sitter: Everything a pet owner needs to know
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While you are carefully planning your next trip remember you have to make some important decisions concerning your pet. If you are like many families your vacations are planned around the care of your pets as they are considered members read more...
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Disabled Pets: Resources and who would you turn to?
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Pets are members of our family that we care for and dearly love. Yet, when tragedy strikes many pets are put down because of costly medical bills and extensive daily care. What would you do if your beloved pet read more...
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Biography Continued...
The philosophy of OC Pet Companions is, "We care for your pets as if they were our own." Either Krisa or Catterall will conduct the initial interview, in which they gently yet thoroughly examine your pet and ask questions regarding any particular idiosyncrasies, likes or dislikes, and medical concerns. They then assign one of their fifteen pet sitters, all trained, mature adults, to your pet, based upon its species and whether it requires daytime and/or evening walks; an in-home overnight or weekend-long companion; boarding; administration of medications or injections of insulin or subcutaneous fluids, or transportation to vet or grooming appointments.
"We have the most fantastic staff," Catterall enthuses. If a dog seems depressed, the sitter usually calls the San Juan Capistrano office to ask to stay a little longer. "We play with the pets, we make sure that they're safe; that's the most important thing, that they're okay, before we walk out the door," says Krisa. The pet companion leaves behind a report card for the owner, indicating when he or she was there and details about the visit. The staff stays in constant touch with Krisa and Catterall, and if the pet owner requests it, the sitter will also call or e-mail the owner after each visit. "We're licensed, bonded and insured, and we're members of Pet Sitters International," adds Krisa. "All our people take pet first aid classes, and Deb and I are both certified in pet first aid and CPR."
Most of the pet sitters at OC Pet Companions have, or have had, professional careers; among them are a teacher, a retired principal, a psychologist, and a publications manager. "You know that these people are doing it for the same reason that Ruth Ann and I are doing it, because of the love of the animals," Catterall smiles.
Since starting their pet-sitting business in May of 2005, Krisa and Catterall have found their clients asking them for advice on all kinds of pet products and services. Always happy to offer suggestions and look up the answers to questions that were new to them, Krisa and Catterall realized that Orange County did not have one all-encompassing source of information for pet owners. "I literally woke up at three o'clock in the morning," Krisa recalls, "and I thought, Why can't I just do that and put everything in one place, all on one website?"
In just two years, the business has expanded into OC Pet Connections, which offers a wealth of information for Orange County pet owners, or, as the website states, "everything a pet owner needs!" In addition to providing links to articles on everything from the best area dog parks to finding lost pets, the website has four specific areas offering noteworthy products and services to pet owners across Orange County. You might think of OC Pet Connections as four-legged, like most of the pets it caters to.
But unlike most pet-related businesses, the wide variety and high quality of products and services that OC Pet Connections promotes makes it truly unique. Krisa states, "We offer more of the services that pet owners need than any other pet sitter out there in Orange County."
OC Pet Companions, which now has 800 clients, mostly dog owners, but also owners of cats, birds, fish, reptiles, horses, and cows. Krisa and Catterall have set themselves apart by not turning away rambunctious puppies, lumbering giant dogs, senior pets, nor those with diabetes, kidney problems, or other health issues. In their office is a library of books covering the care of every type of pet imaginable. With a dependable back-up system, they will care for any pet, anytime, day or night. "People know they can call us at the last minute and we're going to show up," states Krisa. When I compared their attentive, reliable service to having a family member look after your pet, Krisa grinned and said, "Yeah, except we're a lot more thorough than a family member!"
When Krisa first approached Catterall, who sat next to her at work, with the idea for OC Pet Companions, Catterall exclaimed, "I've wanted a pet-sitting business my whole life!" Having survived a year of serious illness, Catterall did some soul searching and decided that there was more to life than sitting behind a corporate desk, struggling to meet quotas. As an owner of Bullmastiffs, including an International/American Champion and a certified therapy dog, she was not only fond of, but also expert at, handling large dogs. This was her chance to do so professionally and realize her dreams.
"Quite honestly," Catterall reflects, "considering... the companionship that my dogs give me, I really didn't anticipate the connection that would develop between myself and many of my clients' pets. I have been taking care of some for almost two years, and I feel extremely close to them."
Krisa's family had always taken in strays, and she grew up surrounded by a menagerie of pets, even spending every summer on a farm. Taking care of animals is in her blood. She has an extensive background in marketing but always worked as a pet sitter in between jobs. When one of her clients asked her for a recommendation for a year-round pet sitter, she called a friend who owned a pet-sitting business. Krisa was surprised to find out that her friend was moving out of the area and was looking for someone to take on her clientele. That's when Krisa knew that the time was right to plunge full-time into caring for pets, her lifelong passion.
Krisa and Catterall hope to expand their pet-sitting service further northward in Orange County. Until then, they and their staff continue to go above and beyond the call of duty in spending quality time with your pets while you're away. When not feeding a trio of turtles or playing fetch with a dog, Krisa keeps researching pet products and services to add to the website.
"We're here to help pet owners find whatever it is they need," Krisa says. "All they need to do is go to OC Pet Connections, and they have everything at their fingertips."
The website address is www.ocpetcompanions You can reach Ruth Ann Krisa at OC Pet Connections by calling 949-709-2707 or by e-mailing them at ruth@ocpetcompanions.com
Written by Dalia Van Den Boogaard Live OC July 2007
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