“Having respect for animals makes us better humans”, Jane Goodall. Guided by this principle my husband and I established Whittington Pet Sitting in 2016. Alongside nurturing our two wonderful children we pour our passion for animals into our company. As a professional dog walking and pet care service we’re committed to enriching the lives of our animal clients. With each stroll, we aim to promote physical fitness and mental stimulation to the dogs under our care.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have a wonderful husband, Bryan, who is my partner in business and in life. We recently celebrated 20 years of marriage, an accomplishment we’re incredibly proud of! We’re also proud of our 2 kids, Ruby, 12 and William, 10. They are both avid horseback riders. We enjoy any time we get to spend time together as a family; board games, movies and traveling are our favorite activities. Sequence and Exploding Kittens are the current game favorites in our house.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
Being a dog walker and animal caretaker led me to realize my true passion lies in dog safety and animal enrichment. I’ve found joy in discovering simple yet effective ways to connect with our pets and improve their quality of life. Whether it’s engaging in scent work or playful games for dogs who love to sniff, or providing boredom busters like treat puzzles for dogs, cats, or bunnies, enriching our pets’ lives is both fun and fulfilling for all involved.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
As a family we always enjoy breakfast at Sunny Day Cafe. Liberatore’s is an enjoyable evening out, my daughter loves their alfredo. For date nights One Eleven Main and Pairing Bistro are our usual go to’s!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
We are transplants from the Washington DC area, we moved to Bel Air over 18 years ago and are so happy we did! Our business has been serving Bel Air and the surrounding areas for almost 8 years.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My all time favorite movie is the Blues Brothers! I greatly admire all of the talented musical figures and it was a favorite of my late father’s.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Be kind to each other and give more than you receive. You can’t go wrong when you practice this daily.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
So many options, so little time! I would say the following dog trainers would be a dream lunch for me: Kathy Forthman, MS, CPDT-KA, Maria Montgomery, CPDT – KSA, Natalie Keegan, CPDT – KA and Shay Kelly, MSC, BSC, FDSC. I like to learn and these ladies bring not only decades of experience BUT also lots of passion and education to the “table”.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love that the community is so passionate about it’s small businesses! That we still have that small town feel even as we’ve grown. As a family we love attending the 4th of July parade, Christmas parade and Christmas Tree Lighting. And I can’t forget to mention Winter Wonderland in downtown Bel Air. It’s such a treat to have these great family events in our area!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I find a lot of fulfillment in my life at the moment so I can only envision more of the same in my future. I deeply cherish both my work and time with my family. Looking ahead I anticipate further growth of our company and I aim to add to our certifications and experience to continue providing the very best care for our clients.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
As an extroverted person who loves to strike up a conversation I can’t think of one thing that people wouldn’t know about me, ha!
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
ANIMALS! Always animals! Dogs, cats, rabbits, exotics, they are all a 10 in my book!
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My greatest inspiration stems from my family. I am committed to setting a positive example for my children on how to be a good person but also an active and positive contributor to our community. They make me a better person and I am grateful for that.
Q: What community service or volunteer work do you participate in for your local community?
As a family and a business we support the Humane Society of Harford County, we volunteer as a local Horse Farm, Magnolia Acres, and we support SARC and their local efforts to create space to hold the family pets of the people who seek their services.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Family, love, comfort.
