We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lauri Partanio a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lauri, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Professional Pets Florida was born from a problem I ran into myself as a dog owner that most of our clients have today: I couldn’t find anyone even remotely qualified to pet sit my dogs in my area. Being a New York transplant, I had no family or friends here either.
I was a vet tech at the time working at a local animal hospital. I worked about 7 miles from my house.
My problem was a revolving door: I came home from lunch every day, racing against the clock just so I could let Zoey and Tuna out to go to the bathroom (all with three minutes to spare on my break at work). Maybe I wanted to take a vacation for once. I could never. There had to be a better way.
I. was. exhausted.
Zoey, my first pup, has separation anxiety and doesn’t love other dogs. Tuna, angel pup, had torn her ACL, had major orthopedic surgery, and was on strict exercise restriction for 8 weeks.
Special needs for special dogs.
I couldn’t possibly board them in a facility or at someone’s house. Zoey dog aggressive and Tuna special needs, I needed someone to come to them, at my home, in the place where they felt the safest.
I sat down and thought “who would I want taking care of my dogs? who is even remotely qualified to take care of my dogs? who would I trust alone in my house?”
My answer was: “Me. I need to find another me.”
And so the search began. “Vet tech pet sitter”, “experienced professional pet sitter”, “pet sitter with background check near me”, “insured pet sitter”, into Google. My co-worker vet techs worked the same schedule I did, which didn’t help.
Zero results. Zero results? How was this possible???
Lightbulb. If I haven’t gone on vacation in forever because I was scared to leave my special needs dogs, what about people that have physically disabled animals? Diabetic cats? Anxious dogs? People that work 9-5? Exotics? Surely they haven’t been out of town in ages or are running like crazy on their lunch break like I am.
I knew this was a problem that I could solve for other pet parents.
If you’ve ever met me in person, chances are you’ve heard me say “senior, special needs, and medically needy animal are my jam” at least once when I talk about my “why”.
My grandmother, Gugh, has a heart filled with nothing but unconditional love and compassion for our elderly (humans). Often, senior citizens are tossed aside. She dedicates her entire life to making sure that our seniors are well taken care of, regardless of age, gender, race, past life, background, mental status, or medical condition.
My grandmother instilled in me from childhood that the elderly were to respected: they were not to be forgotten, abused, or a burden. No exceptions.
The same goes for our senior animals.
In 2019, Professional Pets Florida was a one woman operation, bringing my experience as a seasoned veterinary assistant to veterinary technician turned Animal Control & Welfare Officer to the pet sitting and dog walking world in Tampa Bay. I had the perfect Ying & yang of veterinary medicine and animal welfare experience.
In 2020, I was still an active Officer with a booming small business in an extremely niched space. I was turning down pet sitting clients to go work the 9-5 that I had fallen out of love with.
In 2021, I moved to Hillsborough County in the middle of a pandemic. Even in my new home of Riverview, FL, there were no options for pet care. I knew I needed to use this time during the pandemic to find help.
And we hit the ground running.
Professional Pets Florida offers house sitting overnights, pop in visits, and dog walking for every animal in their favorite place: their own home.
In 2021, I established Professional Pets Florida as an LLC. I got back to my roots of non profit animal work and rescue. I hired my first set of extra hands. Then the second. Then the third, all the way up to ten. I brought professional pet sitting software on board. We elevated the pet sitting space.
This group of people has two common threads: we all have some sort of former or current professional veterinary experience and have a passion for providing qualified care for special pets.
Senior, special needs, and medically needy pets are their jam, too.
At the conclusion of 2022, I resigned as an Animal Control Officer to be the full time Manager of Professional Pets Florida.
We have helped thousands of pets and their owners realize that there is a better option out there. Qualified care exists, vacation is possible, and we are happy to help.
Professional Pets Florida has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many amazing animals and their human counterparts. I am grateful every day to my team. I am grateful to my grandmother that continue to inspire me with her compassion and patience.
My cup is always full.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Based out of Hillsborough County, FL, at Professional Pets Florida, we pride ourselves in being the most qualified care takers for your beloved pets while you’re away or for daily/weekly dog walking services.
With a pack of veterinary professionals ranging from certified Animal Welfare Officer, Kennel Technician, Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Receptionist, Groomers, Dog Trainers, Students, Veterinary Assistant, and Professional Pet Care Business Owners, our clients have peace of mind knowing that their pets are in the most qualified and caring paws.
Each of our pack members have extensive animal care experience, We are Fear Free Certified, Pet First Aid Certified, Pet CPR Certified, and are background investigated annually.
Our pack members continue their education monthly through the National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVTA).
In 2014, I started my animal career as a veterinary receptionist. From there, I climbed the professional ladder & went onto become an exotics specialty veterinary assistant, companion animal veterinary assistant, companion animal veterinary technician, Animal Control & Welfare Officer, and finally, Manager of Professional Pets Florida.
My background of veterinary medicine and animal welfare have helped me mold Professional Pets Florida to reflect the core values that I believe every animal should be treated with: safety, dedication, patience, and compassion.
At Professional Pets Florida, we specialize in anxious, special needs, medically needy, and senior pets; but open our arms to all friends whether furry, feathered, scaly, or slimy!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
While it’s not much of a single story, it’s a battle that we go through constantly: Compassion fatigue.
Working with these senior, special needs, and/or medically needy animals is so absolutely rewarding, but with all of these wonderful rewards comes loss.
Annie & Molly’s humans were some of our first clients ever, still with us all these years later. They are nothing short of amazing pet owners and we have cared for their fur crew since Professional Pets Florida inception. Annie was a speckled ray of sunshine in dog form and I loved her as if she were my own.
In 2021, Annie crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I didn’t get to say goodbye. The last time I saw her was the last time I would ever see her. I would continue on to care for Molly and her kitty siblings, but there was a hole in my heart that Annie left behind. I cried, hugged Molly, cried some more, and tried to deal with the whirlwind of emotions.
When they lose them, we lose them too.
To this day, it was the first and hardest loss that I have went through with a clients’ pet. The bonds that we form with animals that are not our own is absolutely unreal. I remember them all and I feel every single one of them.
We will continue to happily provide care for these special pets, even though we know that we will go through this loss with them. We know that their time is limited, but also know that we can provide them with the safety, dedication, compassion, and patience that they deserve.
Sometimes it’s not about doing what’s best for you, but what’s best for your “why”, even when it’s hard.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Knowing their worth & celebrating their successes.
Many small businesses lose sight of the fact that they would not be where they are without their team.
Without my pack, I wouldn’t have been able to expand, leave my 9-5, or touch as many lives as we have. I value each of them, and what they bring to the table.
I acknowledge what they did right and when they did well, not just let them know when something is wrong. They are appreciated and respected as a critical cog in the business’ operating machine.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.professionalpets.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/professionalpetsnet
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/professionalpetsnet
Image Credits
Elena Burley Madonna Wysocki Alexandra Fitzgerald Jessica McIntosh