OUR STORY
Hi there!! My name is Harri and I work as a professional pet sitter for a local company. I am a Veterinary Tech, Medical Assistant and EMT-B. I have over 40+ years’ experience caring for kitties, pups and then some! As you can probably tell already, I LOVE the medical sciences! However, my passion is for the critters. 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 two 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 cat with diabetes being adopted 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 is 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 Lanceys 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!!
Harri~
