|
About Us See News article below on Karla Green
____________________________________________________________
Hi,
My name is Karla Cano. I have always loved animals! This love led me to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and I have enjoyed working at local vet hospitals. In 2003 I launched my in-home professional pet sitting business and it has been growing ever since. It is so rewarding to help owners enjoy their time away without worry and stress about their pets welfare.
Karla's Pet Care offers vacation pet sitting in your home for any length of time. I can even check in and walk your friend while you are at work to reduce separation anxiety.
See my list of services that will make you and your pet comfortable while you're away.
Thanks for visiting. I look forward to meeting you and your pets!
_______________________________________________________________________________
|
|
Elk Grove Citizen Newspaper
article on Karla Cano, Pet Sitter
|
 |
| Photo by Ken Wood, of the Elk Grove Citizen, |
|
|
Pet sitter cares for dogs, cat while “parents” are away
By Katie Freeman - Lifestyle & Arts Reporter
The “dog days of summer” takes on another meaning for pet sitter and Registered Veterinary Technician Karla Cano, whose business picks -up in the summertime due to families going on vacation.
Driving from house to house, sometimes visiting the same home twice in one day to feed, water, pet, walk and play with peoples’ beloved pooches and kittens, Mrs. Cano’s days are jam-packed.
It’s not even summer yet and Mrs .Cano’s thriving six-year-old business has her working a full time schedule. Some days she’ll work 10 hours, other days she may not have any appointments, but Mrs.Cano’s trying to boost her business.
Mrs. Cano began her pet sitting business in 2003, a year before she graduated from Veterinary Tech school. She was forced to pursue this business full time a few months ago when she was laid off from a local vet clinic due to the economy.
Now, Mrs. Cano’s thriving pet sitting business not only pays her bills, but also keeps her days filled with the joy of taking care of peoples’ pets.
Even as a kid, people who knew her well thought a career with pets would be in her future.
“My mom thought I’d work for the zoo or be an ambassador for the zoo,” she said.
At first when she was laid -off, Mrs. Cano considered going back to medical billing, a field she formerly worked in. However, as the chips fell, Mrs. Cano was pointed in the direction of pet sitting, she said.
At first, she found clients through church friends. Recently, she took her marketing up a notch from simple word-of-mouth, to posting fliers on local bulletin boards.
She’s made business cards, a brochure and a Web site that detail her background and services.
Mrs. Cano has about 60 clients with one or more pets each.
She cares for lots of cats, which are usually easier than dogs, so she doesn’t charge more for extra cats. For one animal she charges $20 per visit. If someone has more than one dog, the price goes up several dollars.
|
 |
| Photo by Ken Wood, of the Elk Grove Citizen, |
|
|
“Cats are fairly easy,” Mrs. Cano noted. “I have some cats that just love on me when I get there. They’ll sit on my lap and I’ll pet them or play.”
Other cats run from her and hide under a bed. She’ll let them be because it would cause them stress if she “tried to be friends.”
Mrs. Cano’s not only easy-going with the pets she cares for but also with the services she offers.
Giving animals medicine and cleaning up after them is part of her job, she said, even though some clients insist she not do the dirty job of cleaning their yard. Mrs. Cano goes with the flow and caters to her clients.
Sometimes people ask her to pet sit while they’re on vacation; others have her pet sit on a regular basis.
“When the owners are gone on vacation, I think it’s really important the dogs get played with,” she said.
As part of her vacation service, she waters plants and picks up mail too.
“People would be surprised to learn someone can make a living from this,” she said, standing in a client’s back yard as she feeds their black lab named Mariposa.
The young lab eats up the food Mrs. Cano pours from a measuring cup into the bowl. She knows the portions to feed animals. Being a former R.V.T., Mrs Cano is wise to animal health.
Something that some dog owners do which is a no-no in Mrs. Cano’s mind is running their dog on a hot day.
She recalled a story a professor told her class in vet tech school: A police officer stopped someone running their dog on a hot day and told the person to take off one of their shoes. The police office instructed the person to place their feet on the pavement to feel how hot it was for their dog’s paws.
The hot pavement can burn dogs’ footpads, she said. So, on hot days, Mrs. Cano opts to play in a yard with the dogs she sits.
But in this profession her biggest concern is following instructions from her clients and making their pets happy.
One client’s rather plump cat gets fed two cans of food each day, she said with a chuckle.
Mrs. Cano said the vet field has slowed down, along with the economy. She cannot find work as a R.V.T. at a clinic anymore. Fortunately for Mrs. Cano, her pet-sitting business is up this year from last.
“This year it’s actually growing,” she said.
Before a potential client wants to hire her, Mrs. Cano requires a pre-sit appointment. That way she can meet the owner, see what they want her to do and meet the animal.
Mrs. Cano said she appreciates that people allow her to enter their homes and take responsibility for their pets because she realizes that can be a stressful experience for pet owners.
Recently, she went on a camping trip and was slightly nervous about leaving her dog with someone. She laughed when she admitted the trip was only for three days.
That’s why Mrs. Cano said she tries to leave everything cleaner than it was when she arrived, everything pet involved at least.
Although it’s a fun job for the most part, Mrs. Cano stops by the vet office she used to work in every other week to chat with her former co-workers and employer. Her former employer hands out her fliers and Mrs. Cano still takes her pets there.
Working with pets all day, she sometimes misses out on human contact, so Mrs. Cano makes sure to stay involved in her church’s activities too.
“That keeps me in touch with people, otherwise I’d probably be pretty lonely,” she said.
In fact, Mrs. Cano is out and about more often now that she stepped up the marketing for her business. Driving from one pet sitting appointment to the next and in between stopping to post brochures, Mrs. Cano stays active.
She also has a full house of her own.
Mrs. Cano has three dogs, four cats and two teenagers living in 1,000 square feet, she said.
“There’s so much hair,” she said with a laugh.
Although crowded, her pets are worth it.
“I’ve always liked pets,” she said.
Mrs. Cano is licensed, insured and bonded. For more information, please email Karla Cano at karla@karlaspetcare.com or call 812-6380.
|
|