With about 500 clients on her pet sitting business list, Colleen Stevenson and her 10 contractors see a lot of big brown –and blue– eyes anxious for attention. Giving pet owners some peace of mind while working or vacationing, Sit & Stay! is like having a nanny in the home, she says. “We are happy to make sure their pets and homes are being taken care of when they are away. I know I can be a bright spot in an animal’s life, even for just a few hours a day.”
Business name: Sit & Stay! Pet and House Sitting Services; 360-574-6855, www.sitstaypets.com. Sit & Stay! on Facebook
Age: 47
How — and when — you got started in your business: I’ve always had pets: birds, fish, rats, dogs, cats. I’ve always been active in some kind of animal care, pet sitting for neighbors when I was a kid and grew up wanting to be a veterinarian. In college, I worked at a pet store for several years and worked my way up to manager. After that, I worked as a veterinary assistant for another two years before I had to move, leave college, and enter the corporate world.
In 2002, I lost my job. After three days of feeling sad, I decided to take a leap and start my own pet sitting business. Since I was just starting out, I didn’t want to turn any clients down, so I found myself running all over the place. It was just me for a year until I reluctantly hired my first independent contractor. It worked out well since I no longer had to cover the entire county by myself. Now I have 10 wonderful contractors working for me. Our services are priced both by the visit and by the task.
Personal/business philosophy: Honest and reliable care for your pets and home. We do have first aid training, and all of my sitters are able to give medication, and 90 percent of them can give shots (e.g., for diabetic pets). We are working to train each sitter as they come on board.
Most rewarding part of job: Seeing those sweet little faces every day.
Most challenging part of job: Sometimes it’s hard to leave when our time is over. We grow very close to these critters, and it breaks our heart when they are sick or pass away.
Something surprising about your work: We take care of all sorts of animals; including goats, chickens, turtles, etc. Most people are surprised when I tell them, “I just got back from taking care of some sheep!” Many think we just care for dogs and cats.
Best feature of my Clark County community: People love their pets! We have lots of restaurants where you can eat out and have your dogs with you. They’re allowed to be more places than they used to be. There a lot of people who intentionally start their family with their pet — their first child is furry!
Your favorite travel destination and type: New Zealand, traveling across the country by train, car, or plane. New Zealanders are not so much in a rush, they live at a leisurely pace, one day at a time, don’t stress about things. It’s a quieter, more peaceful way of life.
Favorite restaurant or pub: Latte Da Coffee House and Who Song and Larry’s.
Hobbies: Gardening, music and sheepherding with my dogs out at Brigand’s Hideout. I used to do it competitively, but now it’s just for fun, exercise and enrichment for them. It’s actually kind of Zen. All you think about is where the dog, you, and the sheep are, and where they’re going. You’re not thinking about bills, did I put gas in my car, air in my tires … your mind is right there. It’s a mindfulness experience.
Most enjoyable book/play/movie/arts event in past 12 months: “The Crown” on Netflix.
Something you’d like to do this year/within five years: Go back to New Zealand.
One word to describe yourself: Loyal.
Person you’d most like to meet: Jason Mraz.
