Biz of the Week: Critter Sitter

Pets provide their owners with ample affection, comfort, playfulness and unconditional love. Studies show that having a pet can reduce stress, encourage people to get more exercise, improve mood and even control blood pressure. However, with all this comes a huge responsibility to care—and be there—for these creatures that depend on their owners for their very survival.

Lisa Willett, professionally known as Lisa the Critter Sitter, is here to make sure that pet owners in the area can continue to receive the benefits of having a non-human best buddy, while not having to sacrifice other aspects of their life, for fear of their pets receiving inadequate care in their absence.

Willett has been providing loving assistance for pets, in the security and familiarity of their homes on Long Island since 1984. She has the advantage of being a trained veterinary technician qualified to give medicine and administer injections while being able to observe pets for any sign of illness or discomfort.

Home visits can be utilized for vacations, daily walks, long workdays, and daytrips; weekend and overnight stays are also available. Each visit includes a dog walk or playtime in the yard, playtime inside, feeding, giving fresh water, scooping litter, petting those dogs and cats that are more sedentary, bringing in the mail, packages and newspapers; turning lights on and off, opening and closing blinds and cleaning up after pets. Lisa the Critter Sitter is insured through Pet Sitters Associates, LLC.

The small business is independent, paying no franchise fees. Willett uses a fuel efficient car and a moped or scooter.  All these components contribute to very reasonable rates.  If you have a multi-pet household you save even more. Prices may vary due to the special needs individual pets have. Typical fees are $13 to $18 per 20 to 30 minute visit for up to three dogs and three cats. An extra charge may be incurred for longer day walks, late night visits, different feeding schedules and extra (harrumph) "waste management."  Overnight stays are $50 and includes a night and morning visit.

Willett, a member of the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, is an ardent animal lover, not only does she work with many animals—she also lives with them, giving new meaning to the phrase, taking your work home with you.  In addition to her four dogs and four cats, she has a little farm in the back of her Holtsville home.  In it she keeps turkeys, chickens, a pigmy goat—they're the size of "big dogs"—and a little pot-bellied pig named Piggy Smalls.  The name came with him from his previous owner.  It is presumed to be in homage to the late, rotund rapper, Biggie Smalls.

A special permit had to be obtained from the Town of Brookhaven to keep the goats and pig.  One needn't have any qualms as to having a farm animal as a neighbor.

"They are great pets," Willet said. "They're clean, quiet and very friendly."

Most of Willett's clients have typical household pets ( i.e., dogs and cats) but she has experience caring for exotic birds, iguanas, pheasants, turtles, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, geckos, fish, ducks, chickens, chinchillas, a tortoise and quite possibly the unlikeliest pet ever—snails.

Willett previously lived in Bayville, NY and worked in an animal hospital there.  That's where her foray into critter sitting began as moonlighting for some of the clients at the hospital. After getting married she moved out east around 1987. Currently, Willett has about 100 regular clients that call at least once a year.  More than half her clientele is in the Sachem area. The industrious pet sitter also serves Patchogue, Bayport and Blue Point.

"Beforehand, I meet the people and the pets," she said. "I let the pets meet me and most people tell me, 'Oh, my pets liked you, usually if someone comes into the house they run and hide' [such as with] shy cats."

What about cantankerous canines and catty kitties? Somewhat surprisingly she said, "In all the years I've been pet sitting, I've only had to turn down a job maybe two or three times because the dog was too vicious."

In order to convey her passion for pet care, Willett referenced the ubiquitous quote from 4th- century BC sage, Confucius, "If you love what you do, you'll never work another day in your life."

What she treasures most about her pet profession is that, "unlike the animal hospital where I used to work, when I go into the house to see the pets they're happy to see me.  It's so nice to have a nice greeting when I go into each house." 

Clearly, for Willett her job is a labor of love.

Lisa the Critter Sitter is more or less a one-man-band. She doesn't have any employees. On the rare occasion that she goes anywhere, her husband makes the rounds in lieu of her absence.

Networking with other pet sitters is also imperative.

"If I can't make it to a visit, I'll call a friend who also pet sits and as long as it's ok with the owner we can work something out where she'll do the visits instead of me," she said.

Willett is quite content with the current state of her "mom and pop shop" and has no plans for expansion. Her only goal is to continue doing what she enjoys.

Willett has two children ages 19 and 21. She said, "My kids are grown now so they don't need mom around anymore," adding wistfully, "My animals are my kids now."

The multifaceted, youthful blonde also stays active doing cardio kickboxing, "It keeps me strong to walk the dogs." and participating in an unusual hobby, Taiko drumming.

Lisa the Critter Sitter's motto encapsulates her mother wit philosophy, with an apt allusion to The Wizard of Oz, "Because there's no place like HOME."

For more information go to lisascrittersitter.com or call Lisa at 631-475-9796.