by Roger Zotti
FETCH! Pet Care is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking service,” said Paul Mann, founder and CEO. Founded in June 2002, Paul began franchising in January 2004.
Paul started FETCH because he needed care for his animals. “I called people and was not happy with the results,” he said. “A lot of people… just didn’t seem professional enough to be given the keys to my home and take care of my pets.” Paul, who has an extensive and successful background in business, got down to business. “If I could provide a professional and reliable service across the nation,” he said, “it would meet the growing needs of pet owners everywhere. I [brought my business background] into FETCH.”
FETCH’s philosophy is, Paul said, “that no pet should go uncared for and pet owners should have freedom and peace of mind, when they go away. And that when you come home, you should return to a happy pet. With that, we provide the highest level of service – which starts with our pet sitters. We’re all bonded, insured, and there’s a criminal history background check.”
Sitters undergo extensive training as well. “We offer a free in-home consultation for sitters, pets and pet owners,” Paul said. “So we make sure there’s a really great bond. All our pet sitters are pet owners and pet lovers themselves. They do it more for their love of pets than for the money. Because we want pet owners to have a consistently high level of service each time they use us, when our customers return home, we provide an online evaluation survey for feedback. If the customer isn’t happy, we’ll make it right.”
Dogs and cats are FETCH’s biggest customer base. Small pets – like reptiles, hamsters, and birds – are also cared for. “In some areas we care for livestock,” Paul said. “Our tag line is ‘We’ve Got Your Tail Covered,’ and that means, for one thing, we have a large staff of pet sitters available whenever and wherever you need us.” If a pet owner has a cat that needs a shot, or a horse that needs to be cared for, there’s a good chance, “we have someone on staff, a specialist, who can do that.”
I asked Paul what he finds most rewarding about his work. His response: “As you know, the more you give to pets, the more you get back. We’re helping pets! Not only do we do things on a pay basis, but we work with a lot of the shelters and rescue organizations, and we help out with adoptions. We also help with fundraisers. We’re all about trying to help the pets get the best possible care.”
At present, FETCH! Pet Care covers thirty-two states. In this vicinity there’s one in southern Fairfield County and another in the Providence, RI area. Visit www.fetchpetcare.com to learn where there’s a franchise near you.
