A lifelong love of cats has led Jessica Dwyer to her dream business: Whiskers At Home, a cat-only pet-sitting service dedicated to providing loving care to the felines in your family. Whiskers At Home is currently celebrating 10 years of cat care from Jessica and her team of professional cat sitters.

Jessica, a longtime Homeward Pet and Purrfect Pals volunteer and supporter, originally started Whiskers At Home as a dog and cat pet-sitting business, but eventually found the market for cat-only sitters was higher than she originally believed. Though she loves all animals, cats have always been the most special for her, so she was happy to transition to a cats-exclusive company.

“Often, family cats were treated as ‘forgotten pets’ and the focus was on other pets in the home,” she shares. But with Whiskers At Home, the cats are the star of the show.

The Whiskers At Home model is based on communication, professionalism, and a true love of cats. Clients receive updates each day on their cats’ wellbeing, along with photos if their cats feel like modeling. All members of Jessica’s team go through rigorous training and learn the same foundational knowledge, ensuring that all cats receive the best possible care. Services vary from once-a-day visits to overnight stays, customizable for each client’s individual situation.

“It’s important for me to be an advocate for each cat,” Jessica says. Her experience as a certified cat trainer (CFTBS) and member of the Homeward Pet Cat Behavior Team allows her to offer advice for her clients’ unique needs.

Jessica’s involvement with Homeward Pet goes beyond volunteer – she’s also an adopter, too. One-year-old Penny joined Jessica’s family in 2018 and has made herself part of the family business as “Vice President of Toy Quality Assurance.” Her three other kitties – Ruthie Ann, Eddy, and Libby Mary – enjoy the positions of VP of Training, VP of Laziness, and Company Princess, respectively.

Whiskers At Home offers pet sitting in Kirkland, Bellevue, Redmond, and Mercer Island, and has recently expanded to Bothell and Mill Creek.

Learn more about Whiskers At Home.

Charlotte’s fur may be a little silver, but her heart is pure gold. Homeward Pet has been Charlotte’s home for several months, but we’re hoping to find her new, loving family soon. 

Since she’s been with us for a while, we’ve gotten to know all her best qualities. According to Animal Marketing Coordinator Kacy, Charlotte’s people-loving personality really shines, both here at the shelter where she’s a staff and volunteer favorite and at home with her amazing foster family, who are learning and sharing more about her every day: “Charlotte is a true companion. She wants to be with her person and will make wonderful company for someone. She’s mellow when it’s quiet time, but enjoys going for strolls and hanging outside. She is smart, polite and giving with her time and energy. Charlotte wants nothing more than her person to feel loved and appreciated!”

Volunteers and staff have spent countless hours working with Charlotte to make sure she stays mentally stimulated and happy in the shelter environment. With daily training sessions from our Dog Behavior Team, Charlotte has learned sit, shake (with both paws!), down, touch, find it, watch me, and is currently working on “go to your mat.” Not only is she smart, but Charlotte makes training go smoothly since she loves her treats!

What’s Charlotte’s ideal home like? She can be nervous when separated from her people, so she’s ideally looking for someone who is home frequently or who can take her along on most adventures. She already loves going for car rides – just open the door and she’ll hop right in! She also has a medical condition called Cushing’s disease, which requires daily medication and regular vet check-ups. The good news is that she takes her pills like a champ and doesn’t mind going to the vet!

We’re hoping this great dog can find her home soon. As Jenny, Homeward Pet’s Animal Behavior Manager, puts it, Charlotte is the “definition of loyal and loving.” It’s hard to think of something more you could want in a canine companion.

Learn more about adopting her today.

Just look at this cute nose shot!

Whether your furry friends like to relax in the sun or race with the pack, Homeward Pet’s September e-newsletter sponsor and partner, Bone-A-Fide Dog Ranch, offers a wide range of activities and services that will get your furry friends out and about.

After five years of being a professional dog walker in NYC, owner Lauren decided to open Bone-A-Fide, where dogs of all breeds and sizes can roam, play, and sleep easy after a long and active day.

Here are a few words from Bone-A-Fide’s very own founder, Lauren!

“Bone-A-Fide Dog Ranch is a longtime supporter and fan of Homeward Pet! Bone-A-Fide is a home away from home for the happiest dogs in the Northwest—providing dog boarding and dog daycare to those from Seattle, Everett, Snohomish, Bellevue, and areas beyond for over 15 years. Here at the ranch, dogs can run and play freely, exploring acres of open, rustic (yet fully fenced) land. It’s fun for all kinds of dogs—from supervised outdoor trails, to heated/AC indoor play spaces, to homey bedrooms for dogs who are spending the night. There’s plenty of TLC and supervision. It’s a fun, safe place that both you and your dog will love.

Bone-A-Fide Dog Ranch is a great alternative to traditional kennels and indoor facilities for well-socialized dogs. It’s also a breath of fresh air for dog owners, who can relax knowing our team is 110% focused on keeping their pets safe, happy and healthy.

We charge a flat fee for dog boarding that covers anything your dog might need. (We won’t nickel and dime you for things like giving medicine.) They’ll enjoy up to eight hours of supervised play daily on our 5 acres!

To make dog daycare easy for you, you can drop off your dog or use our convenient van service (either door-to-door or at Marymoor Park).

Drop-off dog daycare is available seven days a week. You can bring us your pooch anytime after 7:30 am, and pick them back up anytime before 6:00 pm. Door-to-door dog daycare van service is available Monday through Friday, for pick-up and drop-off at your home. Van service is currently available in much of Seattle and Snohomish County. Be warned: after playing all day at the ranch, your dog will come back from dog daycare a little dirty, mighty pooped and very happy!

Come sniff around and drop by for a Meet & Greet visit during our weekly open house every Saturday (except major holiday weekends) between 12- 2:30pm.”

Learn more about Bone-A-Fide Dog Ranch.

Do you have questions about:

• Giving through donor-advised funds, minimum IRA distributions, or donations of stock?
• Have you thought about creating a will and wondered how to include charitable giving?
• Are you worried about where your pets will go if something happens to you?

Homeward is hosting our first ever Smart Charitable Giving event to answer these questions and more! Join us for a free info session to learn more.

When: Tuesday, October 22

Time: 7:00-8:30

Where: Northwest Cellars, 11909 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA

Space is limited. Please RSVP to . Snacks and wine will be provided.