My Journey with FurPetVo and My Virtual Vet | Brittany's Story
By Brittany Fearnside – Guest Author
September 15, 2020 • 3 min read
How I Discovered FurPetVo
I first learned about FurPetVo from a couple I was sharing a co-living space with while visiting Bali. They were a successful duo who had left behind their Silicon Valley tech jobs to travel the world for a year. As devoted pet lovers, they credited FurPetVo as the only way they’d been able to enjoy extended vacations across Asia—sharing stories of luxurious house sits with sweet, easygoing pets. Needless to say, I was immediately intrigued.
Life with Unusual Pets—and the Search for Trusted Care
At the time, I was in a long-distance relationship, with a military career that frequently kept me away from my home in Washington. I was also an avid traveler who cherished exploring new places during my hard-earned time off. Most importantly, I was a proud pet parent to two mischievous potbelly pigs and a bossy—but deeply affectionate—senior cat (yes, you read that right: two potbelly pigs!).
Before FurPetVo, I relied on family help and expensive local pet sitters to care for my home and pets while I was away. Finding reliable, compassionate caregivers for less common pets like potbelly pigs proved especially challenging. Shortly after returning from Bali, I signed up for FurPetVo—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Every housesitter I hosted did a tremendous job caring for my animals and returned my home in better shape than when I left. Interestingly, many of them expressed genuine curiosity and enthusiasm about life with potbelly pigs! What I treasured most was the chance to meet kind, thoughtful people from all over the world—each bringing their own unique perspective and warmth into my home.
Traveling with Peace of Mind—Even When Things Go Wrong
Back then, my partner was attending business school across the country in Philadelphia—and she was also the loving parent of Nola, a senior chocolate Labrador who behaved more like a cat than a dog. We traveled together often, and she, along with her mother and many of our friends, quickly became FurPetVo converts.
Most of our trips went smoothly—but once, while we were traveling, we learned that Nola had blood in her urine and needed urgent veterinary attention. Though we were scheduled to return home in just a couple of days, we decided to cut our trip short. Our FurPetVo housesitter handled the situation with remarkable calm and competence: she scheduled vet care for Nola, kept us updated in real time, and provided loving support until we arrived home. Still, having a sick pet while being unable to physically comfort or assist is incredibly stressful—for everyone involved.
Turning Experience Into Purpose
My partner has since graduated business school, and I’ve transitioned out of the Army. Today, we both work for My Virtual Vet—a veterinary telemedicine platform dedicated to making expert care more convenient, accessible, and stress-free for pets and their people.
We recognized firsthand how vital it is to have timely access to quality veterinary guidance—especially when you’re far from home. That’s why we joined a mission focused on connecting pet parents and veterinarians through secure video or chat appointments. These virtual visits offer real peace of mind when something feels off with your pet—and they eliminate the added anxiety (and expense) of rushing your animal to an urgent care clinic or unfamiliar vet office. It’s like having a trusted veterinarian on speed dial.
Now, when we travel, we do so with confidence: knowing our pets have immediate access to expert care, and that our FurPetVo housesitters are empowered to act quickly—with just a few clicks—to get medical advice and support whenever needed.
