Pet Sitting a Passion for New Business Owner

Susan McFadden is one of those crazy people who genuinely, enthusiastically, loves her job—primarily because she loves her clients.

For the past four years, she’s been in the pet sitting business—first, with No Worries Pet Care in Gloucester County, and now with the purchase of Wags and Whiskers, which she recently bought from a Moorestown woman and which covers Moorestown and the surrounding area.

But McFadden has been in the pet loving business her whole life. She grew up with dogs, volunteers with dogs, and advocates for rescue animals. It’s an unshakable love.

“I even got bit in the back of the head when I was younger by one of my own dogs that had a brain tumor,” she said, “and I was never afraid. Just the love of a dog and a cat—they love you unconditionally. They depend on you. We’re their voice. We’re their advocate, because they can’t.”

McFadden believes her personal touch—fueled by her love of animals—separates her from competitors. Every potential new client gets a meet and greet—both the owner and the pet (dogs, cats, the occasional turtle or hamster)—so she can make sure the arrangement will be copacetic for everyone.

“My goal is to provide a stress-free environment for the pet while the owners are away,” she said. “If I see that a dog is anxious with me, or doesn’t seem like a good fit, I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, this is a great fit.’”

Fortunately, McFadden has been compatible with every pet (and owner) she’s taken on. She’s licensed, bonded, and insured, and has the expertise to take care of pets with particular needs, i.e. dogs with high anxiety, diabetic cats.

Wags and Whiskers (W&W), co-owned by McFadden and her husband, John, offers a number of services:

• Daily dog walks — $17 per visit
• Pet sitting (W&W stops by your home, feeds and exercises your pet/s) — $18 per visit
• Pet boarding (W&W takes care of your pet/s while you’re away) — $65-80 a night (in your home); $40+ a night (in the McFaddens’ home)

McFadden said she has about 60 clients through Wags and Whiskers, approximately 45 of whom live in Moorestown. While she has help from her husband, her parents (who are also part of the business), and a couple employees, she admitted the job can be time-consuming. But the work doesn’t bother her—because it’s not work.

“I feel if you love what you do, it’s not a job. So working 12 hours in a corporate world and 12 hours pet sitting, it’s such a different environment,” she said. “I’m not looking to make a million dollars. I have one life that I have to live … Every day when I wake up, I want to be happy and do something that makes me happy, and this makes me happy.”

For more information, visit wagsandwhiskers.net.

To contact McFadden, email wagsandwhiskersinfo@yahoo.com or call 856-693-2021.