How it all started…
Hi! My name is Jamie and I’m the owner and founder of Paws & Play, LLC.
Growing up in Connecticut, I always loved it here but after graduating from college, I had the urge to travel and experience what it was like to live somewhere else. Over the span of 7 years, I had the incredible opportunity of living in High Point, NC, Boston, MA, and Baltimore, MD. After a while though, what I really needed was to be closer to my family and friends. So in 2018, I moved back to my home state and I couldn’t be happier to be here!
You’re probably wondering “so why is she telling us this?” — I promise, I’m getting there.
I absolutely love dogs—nothing against cats, of course, but there’s just a special place in my heart for dogs. Growing up, my family had a dachshund named Frankie (I know, perfect name for a Dachshund, right?!) He was the dog my brother and I begged for, for several years. I attribute much of my love for dogs to him and I always knew I would have my own dog at some point. However, because I had moved so frequently at the start of my adulthood, I was never in a position to have a dog of my own. I also was a struggling 20-something working in higher education, so I was also in need of flexible green energy to help pay the bills. Cue pet-sitting!
In Baltimore, I started watching pets and walking dogs through one of those mobile apps that connected owners to providers. This allowed me to get my dog “fix” (since I couldn’t have one of my own) and earn some extra money on the side - 2 birds with 1 scone. I loved it so much that I established a client base of over 10 regulars. I loved it, however many of my regulars started asking me if they could take away the “middle man” and work with me outside of the app. That started to make me think “hmm, is there a way that I could make this into something more?”
Jamie and her dachshund, Frankie
When I decided to move back to CT, I had to say a tearful goodbye to all my regulars in Baltimore, MD (which was as tough as you’re imagining) and start to promote my services in CT. Except, I wanted to do it the right way. Using the knowledge I gained from obtaining both my BS in Business Administration from Western New England and MS in Advertising from Boston University, I decided to start my own business. In the Fall of 2018, Paws and Play, LLC was born.
As soon as word started to get out, I became BUSY. I found through this invaluable experience that: 1. managing a business is a lot of work and one of the most rewarding processes to go through, and 2. that I am really, really good at this. Caring for animals is in my blood; I have an innate ability to connect with dogs especially that surprises even myself. I also hold myself to exceptionally high standards, which makes a business great and allows for the best possible care for your fur babies when you’re unable to care for them yourself.
Fast forward to present: I now have a client base of over 30 dogs (and some cats) that I work with across the state of CT. Whether you’re going on a family or solo trip, getting married, celebrating your best friends’ wedding, traveling for work, or attending a graduation for a special person in your life: you’re going to need someone to hold down the fort while you’re gone. And I would love to be that person. My favorite parts about this job are the people and pets I meet that become like family. I understand that I may not be everything to everyone, and that’s perfectly okay. I want you to find the best fit for you. If you think I would be a good fit, then let’s chat. I’m looking forward to continuing to expand the Paws & Play family, and I appreciate you taking the time to learn my story.
That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked! I’m a huge family girl, so I am all in favor of you turning to family and friends in a pinch. But one thing to keep in mind is that they are doing you a favor, and therefore this may not necessarily be their top priority. I treat my overnight stays as way more than just a favor; as a professional pet-sitter, this is a job to me, so I take this seriously and hold myself to the highest expectations while providing exceptional customer service. I strive to exceed expectations, so you will always receive detailed updates with photos every day (or multiple times a day, if you’d like!) and you will always come home to an extremely clean house, a hand-written “thank you” note, watered plants, a neat stack of mail, a well-lit, locked house, and most importantly, a happy pup(s) and/or kitty(ies). You may even find a special surprise waiting for you like a small gift or yummy homemade treat to make it an even warmer welcome.
I know you have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing someone to watch your fur babies, and I thank you for considering choosing a professional. Your support of my small business means the world to me!