Some Other Local Pet Sitters

Hello, clients, [Warning: My kitten, JoJo, is "helping" me with this message, so if there are any glaring errors, typos, gibberish, etc., I blame him!]

Thank you all for your kind messages you have sent to me over the past week. I will respond to each of you individually in time, but I wanted to respond more immediately to your requests for referrals of other sitters. In lieu of responding to each client individually with names of specific sitters in that client's area, I decided it would be more efficient to just post names and contact information for all of you on my website. Please do your own due diligence on these sitters! I know many of them and believe them to be kind and thoughtful people, but in most cases have not talked to their clients or checked their references so cannot vouch for them as pet sitters. I am merely providing you names so that you can follow up for yourself.


For those in Western Albemarle and surrounding areas:

(1) Laura Daly, Country Life Pet Sitting, http://www.countrylifepetsitting.com, countrylifepetsit@embarqmail.com, (434) 566-8483, see website or contact Laura for details on areas of coverage, but I believe she covers Crozet and 5 miles surrounding Crozet, Batesville, Greenwood. Laura has cared for my kitties before and Laura and I have been back-up for each other in certain circumstances. I know from these experiences that she is reliable, thorough, conscientious, and trustworthy and I highly recommend her!
(2) Sandy Getchell-White, Purrfect Place for Pets, http://www.purrfectplaceforpets.com/, contact Sandy for specific coverage area, but her focus is Ivy (I think this includes Owensville Road and any roads off of that, and also areas of 250 and Garth Road surrounding Owensville Road).
(3) Feather Stein, (434) 964-7880, focusing on Crozet, Batesville, Greenwood, Afton, and possibly areas of Nellysford and Waynesboro.

Charlottesville (and each of these sitters probably also services some radius around Charlottesville or another area, but you will need to contact them to find out):

(1) Belinda Akers, (540) 256-4477
(2) Elissa Lauer, (434) 906-6601
(3) Alice Knicely, Petwatch Services, (434) 977-7387 - Alice is a wonderful lady, but I have no idea if she's accepting new clients.
(4) Maria Sweeney, Petworks, midday dog walks and boarding only, (434) 973-5965, (434) 465-5965
(5) Ronnie Kahn, Rainbow Pet Sitting, http://rainbowpetsitting.com/ - Ronnie was very kind and helpful to me when I was first starting out. I have no idea if she is accepting new clients.
(6) Linda Porzio, Housecalls for Cats, (434) 589-4383 - Linda has been so kind and helpful to me throughout my entire pet-sitting experience. I think she might be the kindest person on Earth and therefore is probably the best kitty sitter on Earth, but I don't think she's taking new clients right now. She has been so helpful to me, though, that I couldn't leave her off of this list!
(7) Scott McNabb, mcnabbpetsitting@aim.com, (434) 825-3587
(8) Pet Nanny Services, http://www.petnannyservices.com/

Fluvanna:
(1) Ashleigh Morris, No Place Like Home Pet Services, http://fluvannadogs.com/index.html, serving primarily Fluvanna, but also some in Charlottesville - Ashleigh has also been an excellent mentor to me! She is also a dog trainer!
(2) Sheila Strick, (434) 466-5564

Note: If you don't have luck with any of these people, you might ask them if they know of others. You can also ask at your veterinarian's office if any of the vet techs there do any pet-sitting, ask around at shelters or other animal rescue groups, or try care.com.


I hope this helps a little bit and that you are all able to find great people to take over the care of your sweet critters when needed. Again, I will respond to each of your e-mails individually and will also begin the process of returning keys and any credits due as soon as possible. However, I am still providing pet-sitting services through early November, so I may not be able to focus on "closure" items until that time (however, if you need your key asap, please let me know). This is all very sad to me and I am grieving the loss of all of your wonderful pets right now! Please give them all kisses from Auntie Mel!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions about any of these people - or anything else!

Best regards,
Melissa

Announcement Regarding Close of Business

Buggledoo Pet Sitting will no longer be providing pet-sitting services, effective as of November 6, 2010. I have enjoyed caring for all of my clients' pets and I am grateful to all of my clients for your business. I am sad that I will not be seeing the pets anymore and I will miss them all. However, I am looking forward to some quality time with my husband, my kitties, my family and my home - and to sleeping in and going to bed early occasionally, and to enjoying some weekends and holidays! I'm not sure what I am going to do next, but I hope to keep in touch with many of my clients regardless of where my career takes me.

If you would like help finding a new pet-sitter, I would be happy to provide you with names of people that I know of that may service your area. With the exception of one or 2 of these people, I don't know them well enough to "recommend" them, but will gladly provide you their names and contact information and you can do your research from there (checking references, etc.)

I regret that I cannot contact each one of my clients individually to let you know of this decision. However, if I can do anything to help you or if you would like to discuss, please contact me by phone or e-mail.

Best regards,
Melissa

Notification of Slight Rates Change

Please note that, effective as of August 10, 2010, rates will be as now reflected on the Services and Rates page. (These rates are the same as those effective July 15, except that I slightly decreased the rate for the "short" visits because I think I increased it too much in July!)

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you again for your business!

Notification of Rates Increase

Please note that, effective as of July 15, 2010, rates will be as now reflected on the Services and Rates page.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you again for your business!

Please Pardon Our Dust

I was going to title this post "Where the Heck Have You Been???", but then I saw a sign at Barracks Road today that said "Please Pardon Our Dust" and I thought it fitting for what Buggledoo is going through as well.

Buggledoo has been blessed with so much business lately that it is having some growing pains. I've been so busy taking care of pets that I have barely had time for my own kitties, myself, my husband, sleep, friends, family, paperwork, accounting, hobbies (reading, writing, making jewelry, working on jigsaw puzzles, learning to sew, you get the idea) - and sadly no time for posting pictures. I have been busy sending pictures of pets from my camera phone, but the quality of those photos is not as good as the quality of photos from my camera (though I recognize that my point-and-click camera creates photos of a pretty pitiful quality if compared to "real" photography!) I have met and cared for so many doggies and kitties that I want to show off on here (Penny and Dexter come to mind immediately!), but have not been able to yet. It appears that I have gotten too busy with actual visits to sit at a computer and upload photos, which is probably why more pet sitters have not pursued this brilliant idea! :)

Thus, the company is making some changes (some temporary and some permanent) and has a bit of resulting "dust" that may, unfortunately, make things inconvenient for its wonderful clients for a little while. Here are some of those changes (the ones I can think of at the moment!):
1 - Some of my rates will be increasing as of July 15th (but not the rate for overnight visits, which was increased earlier in the year). More information on this to follow.

2 - I am looking for one or more employees to help me. If you are interested in becoming an employee of Buggledoo Pet Sitting or know anyone that might be, please e-mail me (the sooner the better!!) The only requirement for any such employee(s) is that he or she absolutely, whole-heartedly, unquestionably adore, love, worship and practically live for animals. Oh, and they also need their own car.

3 - I am taking a break from all midday dog walks (except those that are part of a series of vacation visits) until I have an employee (or at least until I catch up on all of those things that I mentioned I haven't had time for recently!)

4 - I am already booked for overnight visits for the next few months and therefore cannot take any overnight clients or reservations and also have limited availability for vacation dog visits (due to the usual need for early morning and late night visits) during this time. Since cat visits tend to be a little more flexible, I am still taking new kitty clients and reservations for kitty visits during this time.

5 - I probably will not be posting photos to the blog for a little while. I may, on occasion, find some time and energy to add some photos, but, for now, I will probably only be able to send you photos from my phone to your phone or e-mail account.

I apologize for any inconvenience this causes any of my current or future clients and, if I am not able to help you at this time, I hope that you will check back with me at a later time after I have found some wonderful people to join the company and help with pet visits. Thank you all so much for your business and especially for your patience as the company changes and grows. The company is working diligently to remove the "dust" as soon as possible so that it can again fulfill all of your requests.

If it is not clear from the foregoing whether I will be able to fulfill your request, please contact me! (E-mail is easiest for me!)

Buggledoo made the news!

Featured Blogger: Buggledoo /

Thank you, Jason!!!!

What the heck is Buggledoo?

This is my sweet Little Man and the reason for the word "Buggledoo" (pronounced "bug-uhl-doo"). I am frequently amused at the evolution of nicknames. This nickname for Little Man evolved as follows: "Little Man" became "Little Dude," which became "Dude," which became "Doodlebug," which later became "Buggledoo." Jon came up with "Buggledoo" and explained that it was "you know - Doodlebug mixed up."

Is Buggledoo Pet Sitting, LLC "licensed, bonded and insured"?

Many pet sitters advertise that they are "licensed, bonded and insured." Buggledoo Pet Sitting, LLC is "licensed" and insured. It is not bonded. Let me explain....

Buggledoo Pet Sitting has pet sitters' liability insurance from Pet Sitters Associates, LLC.

I am/we are not bonded because I am the only person providing services for the company at this time. Owners are generally not eligible for bonding and even when they are, it really does not make sense. Bonding is intended to compensate the owner of a company for damages resulting from theft or dishonesty of employees of the company. Even though some policies now permit an owner/sole service provider to purchase a dishonesty bond, I have not purchased this because I know that I am not going to steal from my clients. In lieu of bonding, I do have an additional rider on my insurance policy that covers loss of the client's property while in my care. Many people in the industry argue that this is actually better for the client than bonding because with bonding, the client generally must first prove guilt in a court of law (which I'm sure you understand can be difficult, onerous, time-consuming and expensive) before the bond will cover the losses. If you are interested in hearing more about this, I would be happy to discuss or you could read the relevant portions of the following pages (from the 2 major providers of pet sitter liability insurance): http://www.petsitllc.com/faq.php (See "What about bonds?" and "What does the special property of others endorsement for $95 include?") and http://www.petsitterinsurance.com/napps/faq.asp (See the question that begins with "I've read & understand coverage, etc. There is debate as to whether sole proprieter needs bonding.").

"Licensing" in the pet sitting industry just means that the pet sitter has a local business license. Buggledoo Pet Sitting, LLC does have a local business license from the Albemarle County Business License Office.

I also recently completed PetTech's PetSaver course on pet first aid and CPR and received PetTech's certification on those subjects.

Testimonials (References Available Upon Request)

References and their contact information are available upon request.

1. Mary Beth, owner of 4 cats

“You are an angel sent from above and my pets [love] you! Leaving them in your care is the only thing I’ll ever do. Your services are outstanding!”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “You loved on my sick cat while I was away!”

2. Dea, owner of 5 cats (3 of which are formerly feral)

“As former feral kittens, my cats are very shy with other people. Thank you for spending so much time making them feel comfortable! I arrived home to find them completely relaxed and happy. My two older cats were happy too! They look awesome!”

3. Kerri, owner of 2 dogs

“Thank you so much! They loved you!”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “The blog and seeing how happy they were! The notes on return were great too!”

4. Dana, owner of 2 cats

“Phenomenal service! Best sitter we have ever had!”

5. Lauren, owner of 1 dog

“Thanks for the detailed notes from each of your visits”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Length of time spent with pet and care updates via text and pictures”

6. Martha, owner of 3 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “your creativity; your love of pets; problem-solving abilities”

7. Margaret, owner of 2 dogs

“Thank you so much for taking such good care of my girls. They are always happy and relaxed when I get home from my trips.”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “I love the visit log notes and the updates on your blog.”

8. Michele and Andrew, owners of 2 (formerly 3 :()cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “blog pictures and e-mail updates”

9. Kurt, owner of 2 cats

“Thanks so much. It was so nice to be on vacation and see pictures of our happy pets on your web site.”

10. Kelly and Christian, owners of 2 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “The notes left after each visit, blog”

11. Jill and Carol, owner of a dog, a cat, a dove and guinea fowl

“We felt so at ease on vacation knowing that Melissa was in charge of our beloved pets!!”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Professionalism and genuine interest in pets”

12. Pat, owner of 6 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Your dedication”

13. Heather, owner of 2 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Your rapport with my kitties”

14. Laura and Rusty, owners of 2 cats

"Your service gave us one less thing to worry about when traveling (and we have a lot to worry about with 3 young kids!) This was by far the most comfortable I have been leaving pets (and our house too!) and that includes when my brother was our petsitter before moving to Cville. Thank you so much! And [the cats] were happy too!"

In response to “What did you like best?”: “amount of time spent on visits, blog, visit notes were so thorough”

15. Katie, owner of 1 cat

“I was so overwhelmingly happy with your service! From the constant email updates to the pics and stories online, it really put my mind at ease to know [my kitty] was well-loved! [My kitty] seemed well-loved when I got home, and not starved for attention at all! Your daily reports on her got her personality down perfectly – seems like she was her usual crazy self! Thank you again for taking such good care of her – I was really able to relax knowing she was in good hands. Thanks also for keeping the bathroom where her litter and food are so tidy! So nice to come home to a clean room. J”

16. Deane, owner of 5 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “ability to socialize with pets and photos on blog”

17. Brian, owner of 1 dog and 2 cats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “You cared for the happiness of our pet, not just basic needs”

18. Gail and Tim, owner of 1 dog

“[Our dog] never had it so good! House looked great – many thanks!”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Everything – very professional – spelled out exactly what you would do.”

19. Cathy, owner of 3 dogs and 1 cat

“I really appreciate the time you spend with my pets whether it's walking or cuddling. I feel comfortable that they are getting quality care. I appreciate you following through with the "extras" (e.g. [helping to unclog sink, per directions] … and plant watering) and any special written instructions so diligently. I'm absolutely confident that my pets are receiving their medications properly which is important since they are all seniors with medical problems. I enjoy seeing them online while I'm away and appreciate the detailed notes when I get home. … I admire your commitment to learning to provide even better care.”

20. Patty and Mark Henderson, owners of 3 dogs

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Your notes – care for our dogs – kisses! picky”

21. Melissa, owner of 2 dogs and 3 cats

“It was clear from the pictures that our dogs and cats had a blast with you! We know they were well cared-for and in capable hands. Thanks for giving our animals a vacation too!”

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Personal attention to animals … more than just feeding/watering”

22. Melissa, owner of 4 cats and a guinea pig

In response to “What did you like best?”: “animals love you, excellent communication, very dependable… We love reading the blog and laughing at pictures!”

23. Suzanne, owner of 2 dogs and 4 fancy rats

In response to “What did you like best?”: “Notes about animals; texts; willingness to also bring in mail, water plants”

24. Nessa, former :( owner of cockatiel

“Melissa was my roommate in law school for 2 years and I've known her for about 9 years now. She used to take care of my bird when I went out of town (she was a very tame, and often sick, bird that required a lot of attention and was like my child). I've also seen Melissa care for her own cats and her sister's dog. Her own cats have had health issues, so I know she is very familiar with giving cats medication. She is someone I trust 100% with any animal and I recommend her to you without hesitation. You absolutely will not find someone other than you who will care for your cats with more affection and attention. She is an animal lover to her core and I know she will take great care of your cats. Having lived with her, I also know her to be very trustworthy and I have no doubt that when you return your home will be exactly as you left it.”

I hope you will give me the opportunity to care for your pets and see for yourself how dedicated I am to their happiness! If I can answer any questions or if you would like additional information, please contact me!

Buggledoo Pet Sitting, LLC
Melissa Woodruff, 434-409-6548, buggledoopetsitting@gmail.com

Services and Rates (effective August 10, 2010)

Services and Rates*
(Effective August 10, 2010***)

Initial Visit/Key Pick-Up
· I visit your home so we can meet and I can learn about your pet’s normal routine.
· If you choose to hire me, you complete an information form, sign a service agreement and provide a key or other access to your home (such as a garage code, location of hidden key, etc.).
No charge

Cat Visit
· Food and fresh water
· Clean litter box, any accidents and food/water area
· Play/cuddle, pet, brush, talk to and LOVE the kitties
· Treats, if permitted
· Medication administration, as needed
· Any/all bonus services! (see below)
· At least 45 minutes, but may be longer
$20 per visit(for any number of cats, unless otherwise agreed);
Additional brief visit(s) (10-15 minutes) may be provided (subject to approval based on location and time of day desired) on same day as standard cat visit for an additional $12 each

Dog Visit
· Food and fresh water
· Clean any accidents and food/water area
· Walk or other active play for at least 25 minutes
· Play/cuddle, pet, brush, talk to and LOVE your doggies
· Treats, if permitted
· Medication administration, as needed
· Any/all bonus services! (see below)
· At least 45 minutes total, but may be longer
$22 for 1 dog;
$25 for 2 or more dogs;
Additional brief midday visit(s) (10-15 minutes) may be provided (subject to approval based on location and time of day desired) on same day as standard dog visit for an additional $12 each (intended as a quick “potty break” visit)

Midday Dog Walk (Or Other Midday Visit) [These visits are being provided only on a very limited basis at this time. Please ask.]
· 25-30 minute walk or other active play (or a “potty break” visit plus loving for the remainder of the time if doggie does not need a walk or if a “potty break” visit is requested on a day without a standard visit or overnight visit)
· Fresh water
· Clean accidents (not a full house check)
· About 35 minutes total, but may be longer
$18 per visit

Overnight Stay [These visits are being provided only on a very limited basis at this time. Please ask.]
· Companionship from at least 9PM until at least 7AM (but, depending on my schedule, I will try to arrive earlier and stay later than this)
· At least ONE 25-30 minute walk or other active play (in the evening or morning) and additional short potty breaks or outside time, as needed
· Dinner and breakfast, fresh water
· Clean litter boxes, accidents and food/water areas
· Play/cuddle, pet, brush, talk to and LOVE your pets
· Any/all bonus services! (see below)
$70 per night;
Brief midday visit(s) (10-15 minutes) may be provided (subject to approval based on location and time desired) on the day before or day after an overnight visit for an additional $12 each (intended as a quick “potty break” visit).

Additional Pets (of a different type)
· When more than one type of pet (e.g. dog and cat, cat and guinea pig, dog and iguana, etc.)
$5 each additional TYPE of pet
(per visit or overnight stay)
(No extra charge for simple fish feeding or filling outdoor bird feeders)

Other Small Animal Visit
· For other small animals (such as hamsters, guinea pigs, iguanas, birds, snakes)
· Cleaning, feeding, watering, playing and other care needed
Priced on an individual basis, but typically $20 per visit. May be more or less depending on the needs of the pet and the time and effort necessary to fulfill those needs.

Bonus Services!
· Bring in mail, packages and newspapers
· Water indoor or outdoor plants
· Fill outside bird feeders
· Move trash cans for pick-up
· Alter lights and blinds
· Other tasks, as discussed – please ask!
· Pictures or videos of your pet added to website, if you consent and time-permitting!** [Not being provided at this time :(]
· E-mail or text updates as requested
· Peace of mind!
No charge

Key Return
· I would like to retain your key on file in my office so that I will have it available for future (or emergency) visits.
· If you prefer that I return the key to you, I will gladly do so at no charge. However, if I have to pick up your key again in order to provide visits at a later date, there will be a charge of at least $10 (depending on location) for my time to do so.
No charge, but see above regarding subsequent key pick-up

Holiday Fee
Additional $15 for any visits on specified days
(Applies on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Easter, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve)

* Rates assume that client’s home is within typical service area of Crozet, Ivy, Batesville, White Hall, other areas of Western Albemarle, and parts of Charlottesville easily accessible from Western Albemarle. I will consider servicing other areas, but may charge an additional fee to do so (usually $3-$8 per visit, depending on additional distance).

** I will attempt to make updates each day, at the end of the day (or earlier, if possible). However, when I am particularly busy, I may not be able to provide this additional service at all. [Unfortunately, this service is not currently being provided.]

***Note that rates were increased effective July 15, 2010. However, effective August 10, 2010, the rate for the short visits is decreasing slightly because I feel that I increased it too much in July!

I hope you will give me the opportunity to provide love and care to your pets! If I can answer any questions or if you would like additional information, please contact me!

Buggledoo Pet Sitting, LLC
Melissa Woodruff, 434-409-6548, buggledoopetsitting@gmail.com

About Me, My Family and My Experience with Animals

I am married to my wonderful husband, Jon (picture of us to follow), who I met while playing softball during law school, and we have three spoiled rotten kitties, named Muffin, Lily and Little Man.

Muffin is a gorgeous long-haired ginger-colored girl who has hyper-trophic cardiomyopathy and has taught me how to give pills to cats by allowing me to give her between 3 and 6 pills every day for the past 3.5 years. Lily is my sweet little baby, who is now the largest of the crew. She is charcoal-colored with one little white spot on her chest. She has a problem with eating strings and anything else left lying around and she has the cutest little squeak I've ever heard. Little Man is our little grey tabby guy that showed up at our house in Falls Church in the snow. We put a collar on him that said "Am I Your Kitty?" and when no one claimed him, we let him join our family. (I, actually, had steel resolve not to bring in anyone new, but Jon said "but he's always staring at me pitifully through the door!" Our neighbors said that they tried to adopt him, but he was determined to join our family instead. You'll see pictures of our babies all over the blog and can click on the Label "My Kitties" (or just click here) to see all posts related to them.

I am an extreme animal lover and became vegetarian about 9 years ago because of my love for animals. I grew up with dogs and cats (my first soulmate was a sweet mutt named Wendy, who I renamed Booger Bear - eventually I'll post a picture!) Stinky, our first kitty and my second soulmate (sorry Jon!), sadly passed away in October of 2009 after a long battle with recurrent ear infections and a relatively short battle with fluid on her lungs, kidney disease and diabetes. Stinky (a.k.a. The Queen Bee) had instituted a No Dog Rule in our household, but the other 3 kitties seem to adapt a little better whenever our nephew, Jakie, comes over to stay. So I'm now entertaining the idea of getting a doggy. But my schedule is so crazy with pet-sitting that I probably will mull this over a little while longer and in the meantime, will just get my doggy fix from my clients' babies!

As a child, my family also had hamsters and hermit crabs, and I have previously cared for an iguana, a cockatiel, a guinea pig, guinea fowl and a dove. I'm fascinated by all animals (even reptiles!) and am willing and eager to learn how to care for any animal needing care.

I was born and grew up in the great metropolis of South Boston, VA and graduated from Halifax County High School in 1996. I'm a graduate of the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia (2000) with concentrations in Accounting and Finance, and the University of Virginia School of Law (2003). My husband and I both worked at large law firms in DC for about 3.5-4 years after law school before we moved back here to Charlottesville.

(Note: I backdated this post so that it wouldn't appear at the top above all of the pet pictures! That's why it is dated before Stinky's death.)