Hello, my name isDebbie Laughlin "Top Dog" of House Calls Pet Sitting & Home Services!
Home town:San Ramon, California
Pet Sitting by: House Calls
What you should know about me:
I grew up in a home where animals were always present. One of my earlier memories is that of holding a cracker in one hand and the tail of George, my family’s tomcat, in the other. (George was a very patient and trusting fellow.) When I outgrew my teddy bear at age 12, I found my best friend; a Cocker Spaniel and Pekingese mix, named Sniffles. When I moved to my first apartment, which did not allow pets, I was so lonely without my friend. Doug, then my fiancé and now my husband, helped relieve my loneliness with some gifts: first there was “Temba”, the gerbil; then “Tweety”, the yellow parakeet; and then “Bruno”, the Pekingese. All too often, airlines would not allow us to take our crew of creatures. Even if they were allowed to come along, the travel was disturbing for them. In 1972, I took a trip with some friends and put Bruno in a kennel. He got so depressed that he did not eat for the entire week that I was gone. I vowed I would never again put a pet of mine in a kennel again. Married to Doug, who was in the military, meant a lot of traveling. All too often, airlines would not allow us to take our crew of creatures. Even if they were allowed to come along, the travel was disturbing for them. By 1979, Doug and I had two children, that we took with us on our trips to the Midwest to visit our families and relatives. To care for our pets, we hired the boy next door who had always shown an interest in them. He did a great job giving each animal the attention and food needed. However, I could tell by the muddy paw prints across my floors and carpeting that he was not used to caring for a home. Shortly after, a few pieces of the pet/home care puzzle started to fall into place. First, because I wanted to work at home while raising my small children, and I had taken several classes at the local college on starting and running a small business. Second, while waiting in a veterinarian's office, I read an article about a woman in San Francisco who walked people’s dogs in the middle of the day. If people would pay her to walk their dogs while they were at work, why wouldn't people pay me to care for their pets and homes while on vacation or business trips? I was sure of the answer to that question, and I began to ask more questions. If people would pay her to walk their dogs while they were at work, why wouldn't people pay me to care for their pets and homes while on vacation or business trips? *Were there other such services in the area? *What did the future of the pet-service industry hold? *In what location would this service best be sold to the public? Then I applied for, and received a scholarship to attend a six-month entrepreneur program offered by Advocates for Women. What I learned in that program kept me headed in the right direction, and Advocates for Women provided much of the “pat-on-the-back” support I needed. By the end of the program, we relocated our family to an area we thought would be good for my fledgling business. In June of 1981, I began my advertising campaign and the history of my pet-sitting career.
House Calls Locally Owned & Operated Offices
*Solano County, ''Wendy Simmons (707)452-9962'' *Santa Clara 7 San Mateo Counties, ''Melinda Harkink (650)364-4017'' *Central Contra Costa County, ''Kurtis Pierce (925)937-7387'' *Tri Valley, Contra Costa County, ''Debbie (925)328-0500'' *Contra Costa County, Byron, Discovery Bay', ''Tracy Laughlin (925)872-0400''
