Linda’s Critter Sitters

I was looking to get away for a long weekend without burdening a friend and asking someone to stop by and feed and walk my dog (Bailey) 3 times a day when my mom had an idea. My mother has had Linda take care of her cat at home for over eight years, whenever my mother is out of town for more than a day. Linda was recommended by a Glastonbury veterinarian and has had a key to mom’s house, watered plants, taken in mail and newspapers, lets the cat in and out, and of course feeds him and checks the litter box for a per visit fee. My mom noticed that Linda’s website said she now boards some dogs in her home for a daily (or half-​day, if that’s all you need) rate.
My mom got me in touch with Linda who requested I bring my little chihuahua over several days before my trip so that they could meet and I could see the arrangements and make sure I didn’t have any concerns or questions left unanswered.
Linda has a great big fenced in yard for the dogs to play and exercise in, and lots of crates, gates and blankets so that all you need to provide is food (and treats if you’d like). Everything went well, the three other dogs that were at the house when I arrived (only one lives there) were all let outside so that Bailey could walk in and get comfortable without the distraction of the other dogs wanting to play. I also completed a form while visiting about things such as what kind of food I use, how much food and exercise Bailey gets daily, and who the vet is and if certain vaccines were up to date. I warned that Bailey has refused to eat once or twice when I was gone and Linda said she’s dealt with similar situations before and has always found a way to get them to eat, even if it means cooking them eggs (right, she also asked about any food allergies in case it came to that)!
Well I went on my trip and got a picture of Bailey texted to me the next day, then another picture her second day there of Bailey stretched out on Linda’s lap outside enjoying the fire pit (the same way Bailey lays on my lap nightly on the couch). I texted at one point to make sure Bailey was eating and Linda said she did have to hand-​feed her sometimes but she did get her to eat (and she was fed away from the other dogs, in her own space).
It was a great experience and I will definitely be using this service again and recommend it for anyone that needs their dog boarded. Also, keep in mind that other places that board dogs (in kennels) are businesses with employees that leave early in the evening and don’t return until morning, so there could be 12 (YES TWELVE) consecutive hours that no one is there to let the animals out to relieve themselves, that is not the kind of attention, or lack thereof, the animals receive in Linda’s home where people are there throughout the night. Linda and Jack were great and you can tell they truly are animal lovers.