“Our sitters went above and beyond to care for our Goldies”
Meet Liza and Tom — pet parents to Sophie and Stanley, two beloved Golden Retrievers in Ottawa, Ontario. Like many pet owners, they’d always relied on friends to look after their pups when traveling. But after moving into a new home, that support network faded — leaving them at a crossroads: choose between stressful kennels or canceling vacations altogether.
Luckily, they discovered FurPetVo — and it changed everything.
Welcoming sitters can mean friends for life
With Stanley living with vision loss, Liza and Tom needed compassionate, experienced care — complete with daily walks, medication reminders, gentle handling, and plenty of sofa snuggles and fetch sessions. Tom was initially hesitant about welcoming strangers into his home, but with encouragement from Liza, he joined the furpetvo.com community.
Their first sit was with CJ and his wife — and it was transformative. “They were fantastic,” the couple shared. “If we could give them 6 stars, we would!”
Say goodbye to pet care favors — hello to trusted companions
Once they experienced how seamlessly FurPetVo connected them with caring, like-minded animal lovers, there was no turning back. Their next sit was with Patrick and Dee — fellow Golden Retriever enthusiasts who had recently lost their own beloved Goldie.
Daily photo updates, thoughtful notes, and attentive care made every trip feel worry-free. At the end of each sit, Liza and Tom said they “felt like old friends were leaving.” Even Sophie and Stanley had glowing reviews: “Aunt Dee and Uncle Patrick made our week away from mom and dad so much FUN. They took care of my brother Stanley who is blind and made sure he was always safe.”
More than pet sitting — it’s lifelong friendship
So positive was their experience that Liza and Tom nominated Patrick and Dee for FurPetVo’s 2019 Sitter of the Year award. And the bond only deepened: Patrick and Dee have since cared for Sophie and Stanley multiple times — even staying in the family’s home while Liza and Tom enjoyed a nearby resort getaway.
“We all admit that this has been the most enriching experience — for our beloved dogs and for ourselves,” they reflected. “We love the fact that FurPetVo has opened so many doors, and we have made friends for life.”
Hear from the sitters: Patrick and Dee
For Patrick and Dee, house sitting with FurPetVo brought heartfelt purpose after losing their own Golden Retriever. Caring for Sophie and Stanley rekindled the joy of shared adventures and quiet moments with a gentle, loving dog.
“We’ve made friends for life,” they said, “and we have the promise of more wonderful travel and pet stays.”
