I have always
loved animals and always had a pet when I was growing up in Southern
Ohio. My family had a fox terrier mix dog named Quits. We got
him when I was ten and he died right after I graduated from college.
My mother was a General Science teacher and sometimes brought
home different pets such as a baby alligator, chicks, turtles,
etc. When I was young we used to visit my grandparents' farm,
where my brothers and I sometimes went fishing in their pond.
I think these were some of the happiest times of my childhood
and sometimes think maybe that's why I married a guy who was raised
on an Iowa farm!
I am married
to a retired software engineer and have a teenage son and, of course, pets
of my own: Hans, a German shepherd/red heeler mix, Punkin, an
orange tabby, Callie, a calico cat, Chloey, a tortoise-colored
("tortie") cat, Moose, a Maine Coon cat and Buzz, a black cat. I would like to thank my husband Jim
for his love, support, and encouragement with my business. He
has been supportive, despite having to make personal sacrifices
such as spending holidays, weekends, and evenings alone, so that
I can do what I truly love.
I've had a
number of different jobs in my life such as caseworker, administrative
assistant, and paralegal. Of all the jobs I've had in my life,
pet sitting is the one that I like the best. I think pets bring
so much happiness to your life and ask for so little in return.
My Education
and Work Experience:
-
Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Sociology from Kent State University
-
Legal
Assistant (Paralegal) Certificate from Texas State University
- Caseworker
and Recruiter for three years in the United States Army
- Employed
by the City of Austin for eight years
- Employed
by the state of Texas, for seven and a half years
-
Trained
in pet cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid by Pet Tech
Memberships:
From 2001 through 2007 ,
I attended yearly conferences sponsored by Cyber
Sitters United. The conferences featured presentations
and seminars on education and marketing, and provided pet sitters
a chance to share experiences and "hang out" with each
other. Cyber Sitters United has a 400-member Internet discussion
list for professional pet sitters. On the list, pet sitters answer questions and give advice and support.
Volunteer Activities:
I have been
a volunteer with Animal Trustees of Austin (ATA) since January of
1999, where I work in the Spay/Neuter Clinic one afternoon per week
scrubbing surgical instruments, preparing spay and neuter instrument
packs, doing laundry, and walking dogs. ATA is a low-cost, non-profit
organization that has a spay-neuter clinic and wellness clinic. Since opening in 1997, ATA has
safely spayed and neutered over 70,000 cats and dogs.
I have also been a volunteer at the Pflugerville Animal Shelter since May of 2006. I walk dogs, pet cats, clean kennels and crates and provide companionship for a few hours weekly. I also help contact animal rescue groups to see if they can foster and find homes for animals in the shelter.
I believe that
spaying and neutering pets is the solution to the problem of cat
and dog overpopulation, and will reduce the number of homeless and
unwanted pets. I have noticed at the Animal Shelter that many of the dogs and cats there aren't spayed or neutered. I think that there should be more public spay and neuter education so that less
pets wind up in the Animal Shelter and ultimately euthanized. I feel sad that many of these unwanted cats and dogs
are euthanized. There are 30 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens being
put to death every day at the city shelter in Austin due to overpopulation.
I volunteer at ATA because I would like to do something to help
ease the pet overpopulation problem and help better the lives of
companion animals.
©
2005 Lynn's Pet Sitting. All rights reserved. Revised 2009
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