My name is Kathy and this is Cricket’s story.

Once upon a time, I was on my way to work in Boston. I would drive down from Atkinson, NH and take the MBTA from the Oak Grove T-Station. This particular day, I was walking through the station and there was a little white puppy running around. Having a cat-full household at the time, I put the blinders on and hoped that someone would take care of the pup. Well, that worked until the puppy followed me down the stairs to the train tracks. She must have realized that I could not allow her to put herself in peril. I took her home that day and the journey with Cricket began.

Cricket chose her name. At the time we had a Pooh theme going on. We already had Tigger and Pooh. Because she would jump six feet straight up when she was excited, my husband, Jack, and I wanted an appropriate name for our daughter that highlighted her jumping abilities and kept with the Pooh motif. Unfortunately, we could only come up with Kanga or Roo, neither seemed good enough. Cricket solved everything when we were walking one day and she ate, you guessed it, a cricket. With ears that wouldn’t quit she surely looked like someone who was not originally from this world. We lovingly called her our Bat Wing Rabbit Hound Dog, when asked what breed she was.

Cricket crossed the Rainbow Bridge on February 15, 2010, a few short weeks of her 17th birthday. Because she meant so much to us, I couldn’t think of using any other name for the company. With her name at the helm, I feel her guidance. She keeps me on the straight and narrow and will never let me forget – “Believe in DOG and do good.”

My background.

My life has been enriched with pets. We are blessed with a household of eight: Trixie, a basset hound; Shiloh and Belle, our howling beagle duo; and the heads of the household: Willow (money cat), Holly (money cat), Camille (long haired grey tiger), and Holmes (red head) and Watson (tuxedo) (brothers – we were told that mom played around. Go Mom!).

We have been blessed with numerous others who enriched our lives. Some that have crossed are:
Kitties: Patches, Buddy Bear, Rascal, Shadow, Tommy, Tuppence, Tigger, Pooh, Murdock.
Pups: Baby, our American Foxhound matriarch who crossed at 20 years old, Major, our first Beagle who crossed at 17, Dottie our Spaniel at 13.

Having a household of pets and often taking care of friends’ pets when they went away, it did not seem much of a stretch to open the pet sitting business.

Before this, I have worn multiple “hats” including secretary, technical editor, and government employee, to my final job with adults and children with special needs. I also received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMASS Lowell.

My company is bonded and insured. I am a member of Pet Sitters Associates, LLC. I am also certified in pet first aid. References from clients are also available.