Job: Pet sitter, Alpharetta
What I do: When Kimberly Boyd pulls into the driveway in her bright blue car with the DOGSITR license tag, she's greeted from the house's front window by a toothy grin and a wagging tail. Boyd owns Canine Cuddle Care Pet Sitting, and her eager clients are about to get lunch, a walk and plenty of play time.
Boyd, 48, or one of her five part-time pet sitters will visit homes where the families are at work or school to take the dogs for a midday walk. They will visit more frequently -- or even stay overnight -- to look after all the pets while the family is on vacation.
"Dogs do best when they are in their own home environment, where they feel most happy, comfortable and safe," Boyd said.
Her clients -- "everything with whiskers and a tail" -- live from Sandy Springs to Cumming, which keeps her hopping an average of 15 hours a day, seven days a week, typically seeing 10 clients a day.
"It's a needed service," Boyd said. "And once [clients] find you, they start traveling a lot more."
She also sends out a newsletter with pet-care tips and training advice. "I'm not just their pet sitter," she said.
Boyd works with members of the Georgia Network of Professional Pet Sitters, who sometimes cover one another's clients. She contributes food and supplies to animal rescue groups and helps find homes for rescued animals.
And she's always on the lookout for strays. She carries extra leashes, collars and treats with her; if she catches an animal that has wandered off, she'll take it to the nearest veterinarian or to animal control if it doesn't have an identifying microchip or tag.
What got me interested in this: "I almost lost my dog once," Boyd said. She had left her Yorkshire terrier, now 16, at home on a hot day, and her air conditioning went out. "I opened the door, and she came flying out and collapsed." She needed a pet sitter.
Boyd said she had always wanted to do something with animals. After being laid off from her advertising job in Michigan, Boyd began pet-sitting, while working a retail job at night to keep her days free. That was eight years ago.
She moved her pet-sitting business to Alpharetta a year ago.
Best part of my job: "Being able to change a pet owner's opinion about how they treat their pets," Boyd said.
Most challenging part: "People not treating pets right." She said it saddens her to see a dog limp or act bored.
But by educating people, she said, she can score breakthroughs that make for happier pets and pet owners.
What people don't know about my job: "It's a major sacrifice of my personal life," she said. "I work so much. I don't tell a client 'no.' I take care of them, no matter what."
And she takes her relationships with the animals and people personally. "A lot of clients have become friends," she said. And when a pet dies, "I grieve."
What keeps me going: "Seeing them in the window -- happy, tails wagging," Boyd said. "They're always glad to see me, whether I have a treat in my hand or not."
Preparation needed for this job: "So much of this comes from the heart," Boyd said. Beyond that, a pet sitter needs to know the behavior characteristics of different animals and breeds.
"Veterinary experience can be a help," she said, citing her own training as a veterinary assistant. "I know when a dog is sick. I know when I'm going to get bit," she said.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.