Pet Sitter Spotlight: Carrie Feinberg, Safe Haven Advocate Pet Care & Photography, LLC

Carrie Feinberg had been pet sitting for family members, neighbors and animal hospital clients for more than a decade when she decided to take a leap and turn it into her profession.

At the time, she was working at an animal emergency room, where they were treating more and more animals that had been neglected or had not received the proper care from boarding facilities and even pet sitters.

“I just had to find a way to help,” Carrie recalls. “I knew that with my years of veterinary experience that there had to be a market out there for my standard of care.”

So in August 2014, Carrie opened her own pet-sitting business—Safe Haven Advocate Pet Care & Photography, LLC, in Elgin, Illinois.

Hard work has paid off for Carrie, who has always had a passion for helping animals. She was able to quickly grow her business and was recently named Pet Sitters International’s 2016 Pet Sitter of the Year.

“I am very dedicated to my business and my clients and do my best to go above and beyond the call of duty whenever possible,” Carrie says. “These animals are my heartstrings; each and every one is treated as if they were my very own.”

Experience paves the way

Carrie explains that she has worked for veterinary practices and animal emergency rooms since 2006 with many job titles, including customer care relations, customer care trainer, vet assistant, vet tech, triage tech and grievance ambassador.

“My initial years in veterinary practice, I had the opportunity to work alongside a board certified behaviorist, which has given me the comfort, skills and knowledge in working with challenging dogs and cats, whether it be anxiety, aggression, or fearful pets,” Carrie says.

She gained experience and training in post-surgical and hospice care, medication administration, basic grooming, and puppy training and socialization. She was also required to take courses that have kept her up to speed in advancing medicine and animal care.

Her varied roles gave her experience with many types of animals. Now her pet-sitting business serves dogs and cats, but also caters to exotic, small mammal, equine and barnyard animals.

Thanks to Carrie’s background, her business is able to offer a variety of services, including pet sitting and dog walking; overnight care; ill, post-surgical and hospice care; assistance with orthopedic post-surgical rehabilitation; medication administration; care for special needs pets; basic grooming; puppy obedience training and socialization; and pet photography.

Focus on continuing education

Carrie says her business is insured and bonded through Pet Sitters Associates and that she provides proof of her clear criminal background to clients. She is certified in first aid and CPR, is Fear Free certified, and is a Certified Professional Pet Sitter™.

“I have always been one to seek out and continue my education in animal behavior, medical and emergency management,” Carrie adds. “You can never know enough and never be over prepared, as no pet or situation is ever alike.”

She requires her staff members to be experienced and knowledgeable in animal welfare, common medical ailments and the varied types of animal behavior. She also requires them to obtain a pet first aid, CPR and Fear Free certification—and she puts them through training in medical and emergency management.

“There is always more to know and learn,” she advises new pet sitters. “This profession is much more than the love and passion for dogs and cats. The more you know, the better you can care for your clients and their furry companions.”

Tools for the journey

Carrie did not have a background in business, so she needed somewhere to go for tools to help guide her through the process of starting and running her own business.

“PSI has provided educational resources that were there whenever I needed somewhere to turn to,” Carrie says. “PSI and their members have provided so much insight and wonderful advice when I needed it.”

Carrie is in the process of adding software to help with organization, scheduling, billing and time management.

Her top priority is communication—providing peace of mind to clients, who receive not only verbal/written updates at each visit, but photos as well.

The most difficult things about running her business are time management as “an owner with an abundance of hats”—and burnout.

Scheduling time off was something she struggled with when she was a solo sitter, but adding staff has provided her with a little more breathing room and some “me” time.

Carrie advises new pet sitters: “Do not overbook and overwhelm yourself. Give yourself a chance to breathe. Your mind cannot be sharp in the event of an emergency if you yourself are run down and exhausted.”

A solid client base

Carrie’s business currently serves about 300 families in its suburban service area.

Carrie’s work in the veterinary field—and her involvement with local rescues and shelters—helped her gain the trust of clinics in her area. As a solo sitter, she was able to build up a solid client base within five to six months, she says.

Carrie’s biggest form of advertising has been providing materials to veterinary practices, specialty pet stores and grooming facilities, with referrals as her primary source of new clients. She has a business website, and Facebook is her primary social media platform. Carrie says she is also an A+ business with the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List and Yelp.

Carrie says she volunteers at, attends or sponsors pet fundraisers, adoption events, Pets-A-Paloozas, pet-themed festivals and rescue galas. She has a full-color promotional booth with hanging table and backdrop banners, and hands out marketing materials such as flyers, brochures and business cards.

“We have potential clients fill out free photo shoot, dog walk and nail trim giveaway raffle cards to collect client information for future advertising opportunities and to engage clients to visit our booth,” Carrie explains.

She also has T-shirts, zip-up fleece wear, jackets and hoodies with her business logo.

Where her heart lies

Carrie has had many proud moments in her time as a professional pet sitter, including winning PSI’s 2016 Pet Sitter of the Year award.

“However, beyond any award, helping animals in need is what I take the most pride and devotion in,” Carrie says.

She is a pet partner with three rescue groups and is a member of an animal advocate artists group called HeartSpeak, donating her pet photography services pro bono to local rescues and shelters to promote pet adoptions. She also holds photography fundraisers to support local rescues and animals that need special care.

“Special needs animals are my specialty and are where my heart lies,” she explains.

Carrie says her proudest moment is being a mom to her three rescues: Ruby Lynn, a Schnorkie who was rescued after being attacked by two large dogs; Shelby Lee, a Schnoodle who had been dumped on the street and likely abused; and Rainey Mae, an Italian Greyhound and Chihuahua mix who had been dumped in the forest in the freezing cold after having puppies.

“They are everything to me, and truly one of my greatest blessings in life,” Carrie says. “I may have saved them, but they have certainly saved me in more ways than I can even express.”