Neighbors Name Paws and Claws Pet Sitting a “2024 Nextdoor Neighborhood Faves” in Nextdoor’s 8th Annual Local Business Awards

By PCPSLOTTE1229

February 11, 2025 Comments Off 2024,2024 Nextdoor Neighborhood Faves,Nextdoor,Nextdoor Neighborhood Fav,Uncategorized

PRESS RELEASE

Neighbors Name Paws and Claws Pet Sitting a “2024 Nextdoor Neighborhood Faves” in Nextdoor’s 8th Annual Local Business Awards

ST JOHNS, FL., FEBRUARY 11, 2025 — Paws and Claws Pet Sitting has been named a 2024 Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave business, the annual awards program that recognizes local businesses loved by neighbors. Neighborhood Fave winners like Paws and Claws Pet Sitting will receive greater visibility and ranking on the Nextdoor app, a Neighborhood Fave badge on their Nextdoor Business Page, and a “2024 Neighborhood Faves Winner” sticker to showcase their win in the real world.

“This year’s Neighborhood Fave businesses represent the outstanding service providers, local spots and eateries that are an essential part of our everyday lives,” said Nirav Tolia, Chief Executive Officer of Nextdoor. “We’re thrilled to celebrate these important members of the community, but more importantly, being a Neighborhood Fave is good for business. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.”

Selected by volume of neighbor ‘Faves’ and recommendations on the platform from the past year, the Neighborhood Faves awards recognizes the most beloved local businesses on Nextdoor. Used by one in three households in the US, Nextdoor is the essential neighborhood network where neighbors, public agencies, and businesses connect around local information that matters. In a May 2023 Nextdoor survey, 94% of Nextdoor neighbors report valuing recommendations for products, services, and businesses from their Nextdoor neighbors and Neighborhood Faves winners receive six times more recommendations on their respective Business Pages.

“We are truly honored to be named a Nextdoor Neighborhood 2024 Fave! Caring for animals and serving our clients is our passion; this recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment. We are grateful to our community for their trust and support!” Charlotte Scott, Owner

he complete list of winning businesses is available at nextdoor.com/favorites. Join the neighborhood network by downloading the Nextdoor app in your favorite app store or visiting nextdoor.com.

For more information contact:
Joseph D. Merkley
℅ Merkley Marketing Group
386-283-5277

Florida Predators

By PCPSLOTTE1229

April 15, 2020 Comments Off Uncategorized

BEWARE! As we begin to warm up more of our Florida predators come out. Over the past 3 weeks I have seen 3 snakes while walking clients pups. One of them being a large, poisonous water moccasin. Make sure you are aware of your surroundings, especially when walking near woods or swampy areas. Some other Florida predators to watch out for are alligators, bears, bobcats, and coyotes.

Alligators often move throughout the culvert system from pond to pond. Please do not approach or feed them and they will not bother you. The FWC or law enforcement will not remove alligators unless they are posing a threat. The way to ensure they do not become a threat is to not feed them.

Coyotes are being seen more in our area, especially with the increase in land clearing and construction. A lot of people like to leave their cats outside. I understand cats and their desire to hunt. Just like children though, we are responsible for making sure they are safe. Take the time to create an environment that allows them to hunt inside or even on a secure patio. If you do let them outside, make sure they are supervised and bring them back in before you leave the home. Many cats are going missing and the reason for this is the coyote and even bobcats and alligators are looking for food. Please, do not leave your animals outside unattended.

If you are new to Florida please take the time to learn about our common predators. The more you know and can identify the safer you and your pets can be. We have numerous species of snakes, and most are not venomous. Non venomous snakes are very important to our echo system and tend to keep venomous snakes away.

I hope this information was helpful for you. I am always available to answer questions or concerns. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/Paws-and-Claws-Pet-Sitting-113690201996203/

@pncpetsitting

Pet Sitting: Professional vs. Hobbyist

By PCPSLOTTE1229

March 23, 2020 Comments Off News

There are many people out there who LOVE pets but loving them isn’t always enough when making a chose to care for them as a profession. What happens if your pet is showing signs of illness or is having a seizure but the neighborhood kid, friend, neighbor or family member isn’t aware of the signs? This could prove to be fatal depending on the illness. What happens if something is stolen or broken in your home? What if a pet escapes and is injured or worse, killed? These are questions you should be asking yourself when trying to decide on who takes care of your pets. Your pets are not the only ones who benefit from a professional. In my years of pet sitting I have saved people’s homes from flooding due to leaks in bathrooms or busted pipes, pool pumps from blowing up from low water levels and sucking in air, kids having parties, etc. So many benefits for you and your pets when you are trusting someone with experience, training and educational background.

There are situations a professional pet sitter would not allow either, for example: leaving a shy dog unleashed in a yard. Shy dogs have the tendency to run or hide when frightened and for their safety its best to keep them leashed. Professionals would not leave an owner’s dog out unattended during or between visits. We would not discourage cameras in client’s homes as this can be a great benefit to us as sitters. We would not disrespect our client’s home or privacy especially in such a vile way (having sexual relations in their bed). We would not bring our kids into your home as this becomes a huge liability. We would never turn a blind eye to animal cruelty. It is really important to understand the difference and know who you are hiring to take care of your fur babies. Hiring someone because they are cheap or live in the neighborhood is not always the best idea for your pets. I know for me and my pets, I want someone who is going to know what to do and have the ability to handle an emergency situation with my pets/home.

Professional pet sitters are often seen or lumped in with nonprofessional’s aka “hobbyists.” There are important differences and we try to educate the general public on what those differences are. These standards and differences are well documented by professional industry standards and can be found on google and by national industry organizations such as PSI or NAPPS, which professional sitters belong to. Most people who work for apps such as WAGS and Rover are hobbyists. Those who pet sit for friends, family and neighbors are also considered hobbyists. Here is the distinction (referenced by PSI, Pet Sitters International):

A professional:

-Has a local business license

-Is fully bonded and insured

-Pays taxes and qualifies for federal funds during times of disaster (ex: Covid-19)

-Has service contracts

-Provides screening (background checks) & training certifications to employees

-Offers pet sitting/ dog walking as a primary business

-Is knowledgeable about pet care, exercises integrity and honesty, and offers verbal and written communication to clients.

-Reputable, has written and posted reviews, awards etc.

-Holds our client’s privacy & security in the highest regard.

A “Hobby” Pet Sitter:

-Is not an actual business, but an individual

-May not have any insurance coverage for clients

-May not be thorough (no contracts, written communication etc.).

-May have very limited behavioral knowledge about animals

-May like pets but has not pursued any ongoing education, certification etc.

-Offers pet care as a side gig for side cash not as their primary job.

Which Leash is Best

By PCPSLOTTE1229

March 4, 2018 Comments Off dog walking,leash,News

Which Leash is Best

Charlotte Scott Owner/Pet Sitter

Are you just as confused by all the choices of leashes out there today? From standard, retractable, harness, long lead, short lead, gentle lead, etc. How do you choose? What’s best for my dog. Well I think just like clothes are designed for all the different shapes and sizes of people, leashes are designed for different breeds and behaviors of dogs. Ideally you want to train your dog from a young age how to walk on a leash. They should always walk next to you at your pace. They should not be ahead of you. The reason for this is it allows them to think they are alpha. You should always try and maintain alpha with your dog. If you aren’t able to walk your dog on a leash without them pulling and walking next to you, you may want to consider hiring a trainer.

Let’s talk about the retractable leash. The WORST leash ever invented. This leash doesn’t allow for any control over your dog. It allows them to run way ahead of you, zig zagging around and having enough lead to pull it right out of your hand. This becomes very dangerous for your dog and you if your dog runs up to a person or another dog and attacks. Things we don’t really think of. Even if your dog is very friendly and loves other dogs doesn’t mean the dog it runs up to likes dogs. Not to mention most dogs are more aggressive on leash because they don’t feel they can protect themselves.

If you have a puller a harness or a gentle lead may be a good option for you. The gentle lead is not a good choice for your brachycephalic (shortened head) breeds. Because of their smooshed faces or short snouts, the gentle lead will not fit properly. Using a harness would be a better option for those breeds.

Some people use the choke or pinch collars. There is a debate on whether these are good options. Some people view them as cruel or inhuman. It’s a personal preference. As long as you are using them correctly and not causing a choking or shortness of breath sound out of your dog, then these are ok to use.

Dogs who have regular collars, chokers or pinch and pull can easily damage their tracheas by pulling so this is really important to get under control. Whatever kind of walker you have, make sure they are on a leash and fitted properly so you don’t have an escapee.

Happy Walking!!

Let’s Talk About Poop

By PCPSLOTTE1229

February 28, 2018 Comments Off News

Let’s Talk About Poop

Charlotte Scott Owner/Pet Sitter One of the biggest pet peeves people have is dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs.

Not only is it being irresponsible but it’s against the law. Did you know that? Most counties have an ordinance in place against leaving your pet’s feces. Not only is this a nuisance it can cause health issues. Sometimes we don’t really think about the impact of leaving our pets deposits behind. Think about the animals who have infections or diseases. These come out in their feces which eventually gets washed into the ground and spreads. You take your dog for a walk and he steps on the ground where this diseased poop once was. You then come home from your walk and your dog gives himself a bath and he licks his paws and then his mouth licks you or your kids/grandkids. So you see where I am going with this. It’s not about not wanting to pick it up because no one else does. We should be picking it up because we do not want to be part of the problem of spreading diseases but not doing something so simple.

So the next time you are walking your dog, whether it’s in a neighbors yard, public common areas, or on the trail, please pick up after your dog. Not only will this cut down on disease but it’s just the most proper and respectful thing to do.

The Truth About Vaccines – Canines

By PCPSLOTTE1229

February 11, 2018 Comments Off News

The Truth About Vaccines – Canines

Charlotte Scott Owner/Pet Sitter So much debate going on regarding vaccinations today, especially regarding children. But what about our pets? Do you wonder if vaccines can cause the same damage to your beloved pets? Vaccines are very beneficial to the health and well being of our pets but what is necessary and what isn’t? I am not a fan of over vaccinating children or pets but I do believe in basic immunizations to help prevent the spreading of disease, especially the ones we have worked so hard to eradicate through the years.

Please remember some of this blog is based on my own experience and opinions. I always recommend you do your own research and most importantly find a vet you feel comfortable with and believes in the same things as you.

As I stated earlier I don’t believe in mass amounts of vaccines but there are a group of core vaccines for dogs you should consider. The only one required by law in most states are rabies. Rabies are either a 1 year or 3-year vaccine. Check your area and with your local vet regarding the laws of this.

The most trusted information regarding your pet’s care can be found through the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association). They are the top association which represents veterinarians the way PSI (Pet Sitters International) supports pet sitters. Anything I share with you that are fact-based requiring supporting documentation will come from the AVMA, ASPCA, or the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).

So according to the AAHA, published in September 2017, the following are the new Core and Non-Core vaccines for our dogs. I will do another blog about cat vaccines and illnesses.
Core (Canine) – MLV or Recombinant Canine Distemper Virus, MLV Parvovirus, MLV Adenovirus-2, MLV Parainfluenza Virus, Rabies

Non-Core (Canine) – Bordetella bronchiseptica (infectious bronchitis) and canine parainfluenza virus (flu), Bordetella bronchiseptica only, Leptospira (canine lyme disease), Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)

Depending on where you live and the lifestyle your dog lives, generally by the senior age of 10 some vets will only want to give the rabies vaccine. Of course, each vet is different and you are not required by law to vaccinate other than rabies but some things to consider when not vaccinating is understanding the risk and what is prevalent in your area. I can tell you that my American Eskimo Sierra is now 13 years old and she has only been vaccinated for rabies since the age of 10. She does not go to dog parks, kennels or is around other dogs who could pose a threat to her. This is my choice and course of treatment for her. You decide what is best for your pets.