Meet Hank! While I grew up with many dogs, Hank was the first dog that was truly, only mine. I had him for 9 years before I lost him to osteosarcoma in 2021. As much as I still miss him today, losing him was the last tether to my “old” life, and it freed me to begin writing a new story. One that would bring me to Santa Fe...

Seven months after Hank died, I sold my home in Chicago and took off on a months-long road trip around the country. Santa Fe was the second stop on my trip. I’d never been to Santa Fe before, and I was quickly mesmerized by the quaint adobes and the stunning sunsets. It was like no place I had ever visited. The wild magic of the New Mexican high desert felt like a salve to my broken heart.

During my time in Santa Fe, I volunteered at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter (and still do to this day). That tie to the community—along with the beautiful friends I met on my first trip—continued to call me back several times in the year after my travel concluded. I even came back to Santa Fe to adopt my next dog, Oscar (pictured with me on the home page). When it came time to put down roots, I decided to bring Oscar home to New Mexico. He was thrilled to be home. And so was I.

Shortly after Oscar and I returned to Santa Fe, I encountered the challenge of finding reliable pet care, especially for animals with extra needs. Oscar had been a long-timer at the shelter and was adopted and returned twice because he had a strong prey drive and was unskilled around other dogs. He was very selective with doggy friends and got easily overwhelmed by noisy environments so traditional daycare and in-home pet sitting weren’t viable options if other dogs were around. Shortly after I adopted Oscar, I learned that he had cancer, so he also required an extensive list of medications to manage his condition.

I began to hear similar complaints from my friends—even those who had “easy” dogs. Their complaints ranged from non-responsive sitters, to those who would cancel at the last minute, or whose attention to detail was not up to my friends’ standards. It became a running joke that I would eventually start a pet sitting business because I was confident no one could do it better.

Sadly, Oscar died in August 2025. While I still miss Oscar (and Hank) dearly, his passing is the start of my next adventure: loving on and spoiling your pets.

I can’t wait to meet you!