It was only 10 years ago that Lansdale resident Christina Ottaviano was in graduate school, working on securing her master’s degree in clinical psychology. A lover of all animals, Ottaviano began a small-scale pet sitting operation in her spare time, as a means to make some extra cash via a side hustle.
Little did she know that a decade later, she’d be the owner of one of the North Penn area’s premier pet service providers: Woofs and Whiskers Pet Care.
“I had always volunteered with rescues, so I started the business with dogs that I had previously fostered,” said Ottaviano, regarding the humble origins of her business. “I started getting referrals, and we kind of grew from there.”
Working out of a home office, Ottaviano grew her business over the years, with her home serving as a location where her clients would board their animals while they were away. The success of her business quickly outgrew her home, and due to the frequency of requests, her focus shifted to drop-in services and live-in care.
“Some dogs have higher levels of anxiety, and they don’t do well with being alone all day,” said Ottaviano. “For some, even having multiple drop-ins is not enough, so in those cases, we offer a service where I stay with the dog for as long as needed.”
Currently, Woofs and Whiskers Pet Care—2016 winner of Montco Happening’s Best Dog Walking and Pet Sitting business—provides dog walking services, live-in and drop-in pet care across the North Penn area. The one-woman operation is bonded and insured, and she is certified in both first aid and pet CPR.
“It gives them the normalcy that they would usually have,” said Ottaviano, of the drop-in and live-in services. “Instead of being boarded with 50 other barking dogs in a place they don’t recognize with a million smells that they don’t recognize, the dog gets to stay in its own house and environment without its regular routine being disrupted.”
Ottaviano said that she works with all species, which should come as no surprise considering she has multiple dogs and cats, two lizards and two guinea pigs living in her home. Though she said she shies away from canine training, Ottaviano added that she frequently clips nails for dogs and provides basic hygiene upkeep.
“Everything I do involves animals,” said Ottaviano. “I love it.”
The continuing success of Woofs and Whiskers Pet Care is especially impressive when considering the myriad mobile apps and dial-up dog walkers that have surfaced in recent years, though Ottaviano cautions against using such services without proper vetting.
“You’re giving someone the key to your house,” said Ottaviano. “You want them to be someone who is responsible, someone who you can trust with your dog. You need someone who has an understanding of animal behavior.”
Aside from the pet care aspects of live-in and drop-in services, Ottaviano said that she also picks up mail, waters plants, takes out trash and always leaves the home cleaner than she arrived. She was also featured in the “Woman’s Best Friend” coffee table book, which was recently released by locally acclaimed pet photographer Kristen Kidd.
To learn more about Woofs and Whiskers Pet Care, click here. You can also follow them on Facebook by clicking here.
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