Monday, November 18, 2019

HOME ALONE: Overnight Pet Sitter - Holiday Edition






You know this face. 

Not because it’s Macauley Culkin in an iconic holiday classic, but because it’s the face of your animal when they realize they are HOME ALONE.

Fortunately, Kevin McCallister had opposable thumbs and had enough wherewithal to comprehend that his parents had gone to Paris, albeit without him, and would return.

Animals don’t have either of those things.

How do you explain to your animal that you are, in fact, going to return to them? Your dog doesn’t know what plane tickets are. While cats are smarter than some humans, certain words of the English language, like ‘see you in a week’ are beyond their comprehension. And it’s almost certain that any of your fish friends have no idea what an all-inclusive cruise is (or a seafood buffet).

You will, of course, return to them, but what can you do in the meantime?

Kennels are an option. But there are a lot of animals, and it’s uncertain how much attention your pet will receive. If there’s a communal play area, what happens if another animal bites your baby? And new environments can be stressful. Stress can manifest in incessant whining, licking, chewing, or even ignoring their food.

And then, the dreaded kennel cough. If one cat or dog gets it, it’s likely all the animals in the facility will.

You could ask the nice neighbor lady to come by and feed them; let them out a couple of times a day. It’s no big deal. She doesn’t mind!

But here’s the thing about neighbors; your pets are not their priority. They have lives, and sometimes animals of their own, that they would prefer to tend to. If your neighbors have an emergency and have to leave your animals, who is going to look after them? Are they expecting payment? Do you now owe them the favor of looking after their animals if they go out of town? If your cat vomits on the carpet, are they going to clean it up?

More importantly, if your cat turns on a faucet and floods your basement (true story), knocks over that antique vase acquired from that estate sale (just pick your favorite breakable), who is going to clean up the shards before the dog steps in the mess?

Who is going to feed, walk, care for, clean up after and love your animals?

We are! Overnight pet sitters are the perfect solution to your holiday conundrum. Puget Paws LLC is now taking reservations for overnight sitting this holiday season.

Why book an overnight pet sitter with Puget Paws LLC, you ask?

  • Many animals have anxiety that manifests in physical symptoms if left alone for more than a few hours at a time. Many pets, including many rescues, have abandonment issues, and can act out in unfortunate ways (say goodbye to your Armani loafers, Dad). Our sitters stay for a full twelve hours!
  • We come to you! Your animals don’t have to be boarded, travel, or be kenneled. They’ll stay home, where they feel safe and secure.
  • We will make your home secure; we’ll check locks, windows, lights, set alarm systems and any cameras inside or outside your home. So you don’t have to resort to this:


  •           Puget Paws LLC overnight pet sitters will have a plan in place in case of emergency. We’ll know where to take your animal, who your veterinarian is, and will ensure the best care for your animal.
  •          You’ll get a report from us every day, including notes on behavior, walks, outings, and a picture so you don’t miss your best buds as much.
  •          …you don’t have to ask the neighbors.

It’s not a perfect holiday without all our furry friends surrounding us, but booking an overnight pet sitter from Puget Paws LLC is the next best thing. We will play with them, cuddle them, and best of all, give you peace of mind while you negotiate who’s making the green bean casserole and who’s responsible for the cranberries (or calling the Chinese place down the street that delivers on holidays).

Give us a howl! We won’t let your animals be ‘Home Alone’ this holiday season.




Lizzie Kittel
Social Media Manager, Pet Care Provider
Puget Paws LLC
Private Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
“Walking Around the Sound”


Tuesday, November 12, 2019

November: National Adopt a Senior Pet Month



Regard the graceful countenance, the wisdom, the dignity in that graying brow; this dog knows things. Most of all, this dog knows how to love you.

It’s November; the month of Turkey, family and the beginning of the Holiday season (what day of November you start celebrating is up to you. We can’t tell you whether or not it’s appropriate to start blasting ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ on the day after Thanksgiving or if you should have started on November 1st. It’s a very personal choice).

But November is a special month for an entirely different reason.

It is National Adopt a Senior Pet Month, and shelters across the country have begun their campaigns to give their senior citizens a new home, a new chance and a new family. Unfortunately, younger pets are often preferred at shelters and other institutions that work to re-home animals, which puts our older friends in a tough spot.

Older animals have just as much love to give as a youngster, and sometimes, they need it more. Older animals have proven to be perfect companions to our own human senior citizens, emotionally and physically. And, unfortunately, both demographics are overlooked, resulting in trauma and neglect.
In 2015, the New York Times released an article in their ‘Well’ section titled ‘The Look of Love in the Dog’s Eyes’, explaining that staring into your dog’s eyes can increase your levels of oxytocin, chemicals that induce feelings of devotion, attachment and love. And it’s not just ‘puppy love’; our older dogs provide just as much love, nurturing and oxytocin in a lingering gaze.

The ASPCA even has a search engine that will let you find shelters near you that have senior pets who would love to make a new home with you. You can find dogs here, and cats here. Local institutions such as Old Dog Haven, PAWS, and Homeward Pet are fantastic resources for finding an older new addition to the family. And if you aren’t quite ready to permanently home an animal, the Everett Animal Shelter has a wonderful fostering program for senior animals that you can check out here.

The good news is that most organizations don’t wait for November to encourage people to adopt a senior citizen of their own. Old Dog Haven, Young at Heart Pet Rescue, and The Grey Muzzle, who provides grants to shelters for the care of senior pets, all specialize in the care of older animals in need of a home, and it is noble work. Shelters cannot afford to provide a lifetime of medical procedures, food, and care to an animal in their care; which is where you, the prospective adopter, comes in.

For any family considering adopting an animal, here are some fantastic reasons to bring home a senior citizen:
  •         Older dogs have already been potty trained (I will never forget training our black lab puppy during Christmas break of my junior year in college…our linoleum floors were never the same)
  •          In most cases, older cats and dogs will have already been spayed and neutered
  •         Older pets who have been at a shelter for an extended period of time have been given routine medical care, including dental hygiene, treatable medical conditions or necessary procedures, and their overall mental health
  •          And Puget Paws LLC is here to help with all your senior citizen’s needs! Our Pack Leaders are trained on administering medications and, best of all, we have the time and resources to help give your beloved elderly companion an incredible quality of life

The Puget Paws LLC pack is currently taking reservations for all winter pet care services, for senior citizens and youngsters alike, such as overnight sitting, mid-day, morning and evening visits, holding your pet’s paw at the vet, or taking them to a grooming appointment. We even offer a Pet Taxi to get your pet where they need to go (the ride-sharing industry will never be the same).
Visit our website to book our services today!

Puget Paws LLC is proud to work with the following faithful senior citizens, who have dutifully watched over their owners for collective decades:


Hooker’s got her eye on you…she needs to know where you are at all times so that you can offer pets whenever she needs them. 


Reese, a charming face that warms even the coldest of November hearts. 

Zoey, wearing her best ‘feed me’ face. 11/10 would feed treats. 


Millicent and Marxie, local lawn loungers. 


 Roger, cat with a plan. 

Billie Holiday, jazz howler extraordinaire. 



And lastly, our fearless Founder, Heather May Izatt with loyal friend Logan

Now that we’ve enticed you with pictures of some of our favorite seniors, we hope you’re thinking about adopting one of your own.

Happy Adopt a Senior Pet Month! May your halls always be blessed with Mariah Carey and grey muzzles.


Lizzie Kittel
Social Media Manager, Pet Care Provider
Puget Paws LLC
Private Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
“Walking Around the Sound”


Wednesday, October 30, 2019

That Black Cat Magic


Perception:                                                               Reality:
            







It’s Halloween again, and all black cats are either Salem, a familiar, that kid from Hocus Pocus whose sister was taken by the Sanderson sisters, or a harbinger of unfortunate mishaps and even sudden death.

Why did this myth take flight and why does it persist with all the strength of a Nimbus 2000 on the Quidditch field?

The answer is several-fold.

The American answer is that in ye olden days of Puritan New England, a couple of Goodmen (the women were addressed as Goody; if that doesn’t tickle you, I don’t know what will) spotted a cat close to the dwelling of a purported witch and thought it was odd that when they struck the cat with rocks, the woman also developed a limp. Naturally, it was assumed that they must be the very same creature.

The international answer is that Black cats have often been identified as familiars, or even a witch in animal form. This obnoxious stereotype is attributed to the pesky European fear of black magic in the Dark Ages. Europe in general very much frowned upon nighttime and the forest, because the likelihood of the devil’s influence surged under both circumstances. Due to the dark color of their coats, black cats were also unfortunately lumped into this category. This misconception has resulted in uncountable gruesome and needless deaths of black cats in North America and in Europe.

Wikipedia suggests that black cats are historically unfavorable because the color of their coat is not as engaging to humans. That, and apparently, black cats don’t photograph well. But the joke is on Wikipedia, because after the release of Black Panther, shelters nationwide reported a spike in black cat adoptions. Most of them have been named T’Challa, though personally, I would have gone for Shuri the Science Queen.

Not all the world seems to have it in for the black cat; the ancient Egyptians worshiped all cats, regardless of color, as one of their revered goddesses, Bastet, was a cat. In the UK, superstition persists about black cats, but only directionally; walking towards the human for pets means a blessing on your head, walking away with no pets means that you have decidedly bad luck.

That’s true of any missed opportunities for pets.

While most citizens have come to realize that black cats are in fact cats without any influence on the universe and its machinations whatsoever, there are a few words of caution around the worldwide web cautioning people to keep a close eye on their black feline friends around Halloween. We would all like to believe that no one would be so cruel as to harm a defenseless animal due to uneducated assumptions about the occult and general superstition, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Some shelters have historically limited black cat adoptions during the Halloween season as a precaution, and it's been encouraged to keep all cats, regardless of their color, inside on Halloween night. 

And should any harm befall a black cat this Halloween, the ghost of Thackery Binks will absolutely resurrect the Sanders sisters to wreck vengeance upon them. 


To make up for all the bad press, black cats have made an imprint on our hearts in the media in classics such as Hocus Pocus, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Looney Toons, Black Panther (WAKANDA FOREVER), and, of course, Henri the cat (if you don’t know him, YouTube him, you will be forever changed). So, we here at Puget Paws will be doing our part to show all our black cats some extra love and attention this Halloween season, as we’re sure you will too.

Meanwhile, there are some white rabbits lurking in the bushes in the wee hours of the morning, and I’m unconvinced they are not the spawn of Bunnicula…


Lizzie Kittel
Social Media Manager, Pet Care Provider
Puget Paws LLC
Private Dog Walking and Pet Sitting
“Walking Around the Sound”