We recently connected with Michelle Mtchona, RVT and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I grew up with all sorts of birds, reptiles, and small animals. My fascination with them led me to later become a Registered Veterinary Technician. I’ve been a vet tech for about 30 years and have been informally pet sitting for hospital clients throughout that time. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I was working as a vet tech at the Oakland Zoo. Of course, since we were providing medical care to animals, we never stopped working, even while everyone else was sheltering in place. My son was doing distance learning at home, but I still had all my responsibilities at the Zoo. It was hard, and I felt like I wasn’t being a good parent or a good employee. It was clear that I needed to have more flexibility in my schedule. In 2021, I left Oakland Zoo to become my own boss and formalize my business, Fur and Feather Pet Care, which focuses exclusively on pet sitting for exotic pets. The majority of pet sitters in my area are geared to caring more common pets like dogs and cats, so there wasn’t really anyone for exotic pet owners to call upon for vacation care. It’s a win-win situation – I get to work with the types of animals that I love and know really well, and exotic pet owners get a veterinary technician with extensive exotic animal background to care for their uncommon pets.

Michelle , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Michelle Mtchona, and I’m a Registered Veterinary Technician based in Oakland, California. I grew up with all sorts of ‘exotic’ pets like birds, reptiles and other small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs. I was one of those kids that dreamed of working with animals when I grew up. My obsession with animals led me to go to school to study veterinary technology, and I became a licensed veterinary technician in 1993. I started out working in a small animal and exotic pet hospital, and I did a lot of pet sitting on the side for the clients of our hospital as well.

I also had a big interest in wildlife and spent much of my free time volunteering with local wildlife rehabilitation organizations. With the experience I’d gained with wildlife as well as exotic pets in private practice, I was able to land a dream job as a veterinary technician at the Oakland Zoo. I had the opportunity to work with so many amazing species, from tiny frogs all the way up to giraffes and elephants, I learned so much every single day. Later, I was lucky enough to utilize my experience from the Zoo and wildlife rehabilitation to spend a year in Africa, working with wildlife in Botswana and Malawi.

I was working at the Oakland Zoo when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Since we were providing medical care for animals, we never stopped working even while everyone else was sheltering in place. Our son was also in distance learning at school, so trying to juggle my responsibilities between work and home was really challenging. Like many parents during that time, I was stressed and exhausted, and I really started doubting myself. I didn’t feel like a good employee or a good parent. This is the time that I started wondering what else I could do for work and also have the flexibility I needed for my son.

We have a lot of exotic pet owners in our area, and I recognized that there was a need for pet sitters that were experienced with uncommon pets. I took a giant leap of faith and left the Zoo to start Fur and Feather Pet Care, a vacation pet care service dedicated specifically to exotic pets. I offer both drop-in visits at clients homes, as well as boarding services in my own home. Many pet sitters are squeamish about pets like snakes, lizards and tarantulas (and their food!). My clients love that I have extensive experience with whatever unusual pet that they might have and that I have no fear of them. Exotic animals can have subtle signs of illness, so my clients also appreciate that I’m a veterinary technician that can quickly recognize if their pet is becoming sick or that I know what to do in case of an emergency. From working in hospital environments, I have a lot of attention to detail and I love being able to give my clients peace of mind with detailed daily communications while they are away.

I’m proud to fill a much-needed niche in pet care services and provide care for the types of animals that I love while also enjoying the flexibility of making my own schedule – it’s a win-win situation!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Networking and community are important to me. I prioritize networking with other pet sitters in my area, and I frequently refer potential clients to them when I get care requests that I’m not able to do, and they do the same in return. I include a ‘Community’ page on my website which features local veterinarians that see exotic pets, as well as exotic pet rescues in case someone is interested in adopting an exotic pet. I also volunteer at our local animal shelter with the rabbits, small animals and pigeons, and have made a lot of connections there as well.

I welcome feedback from my clients, and many of them have left me great reviews which has helped build my reputation and increase visibility in my local area.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Historically I didn’t do much on social media. As my business grew, I realized the importance of branding and how that helps build recognition and confidence in your product. I enlisted outside help with my branding which gave me the confidence to start posting more on social media. I started posting photos and video of client pets on my social media (with clients permission). Clients *love* seeing posts of their pets, and followers love seeing all the fascinating pets that I work with!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.furandfeatherpetcare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/furandfeatherpetcare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/furandfeatherpetcareoakland

Image Credits
– Tonya Perme – Sharyce Rains (last two photos only)