'Best Friends' keeps pets comfy at home

Valerie Thompson, owner of Best Friends Pet & House Sitting Service, says, “There’s no place like home.” For pet owners who know their “best friends” rest more comfortably in their own surroundings, Valerie’s service is perfect.

“Your pet hates to see you go, but if their surroundings and daily routine remain constant, they are much happier,” Thompson says. Keeping your pet in its own home is safer, too. Pets transported to kennels for stays often suffer anxiety and exposure to other animals in an unfamiliar setting may endanger your pet’s health. Dogs often won’t eat and grow listless; some contract kennel cough.

Best Friends Pet & House Sitting Service provides one-on-one interaction with your pet on a daily basis. Included are feeding and providing fresh water, administering medications, cleaning litter boxes, exercise and play and lots of loving attention. In addition, their daily services include plant care, pool and spa monitoring, retrieving mail and newspapers, taking out the trash and altering lights, drapes or blinds for security. Overnight stays to give your pet additional companionship and security are available on a limited basis.

Daily dog walking is also available from Best Friends Pet & House Sitting Service. “This service is popular with people who commute to San Diego, Orange County or Los Angeles to their jobs,” Thompson says. Knowing that a dog is getting its daily walk reduces stress for the owner, who might be working long hours or tied up in traffic. An outside break in the day to exercise helps reduce boredom for dogs and alleviates behavioral problems caused by being home alone too long.

In addition to dogs and cats, Best Friends Pet & House Sitting Service takes care of horses, farm animals, reptiles, exotic birds, aquariums and koi ponds. Valerie Thompson is a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and Pet Sitters International, earned three certifications through the Western World Pet Supply Association and is a certified Companion Animal Hygienist. She has lived in Fallbrook since 1966 and attended Fallbrook High School, where she was a member of 4H, the Fallbrook Riders Club and Future Farmers of America. Prior to opening Best Friends Pet & House Sitting, Thompson owned and operated Grooming by Valerie, a pet grooming service. Thompson is bonded and insured and will provide references. For more information about Best Friends Pet & House Sitting Service, or to make an appointment for pet sitting in Fallbrook, Bonsall or Rainbow, call (760) 723-9794.