Info 101: Fetch! Pet Care opens its *doors* just in time for the holidays

October 24, 6:52 PMPortland Dogs ExaminerChristy Caplan

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Joe Bloniarz who recently launched Fetch! Pet Care of Inner Portland
courtesy of Fetch!

You may still be searching for the perfect costume for your four legged friend BUT the holidays are around the corner. As soon as October 31 turns into November 1, you should start making plans for pet sitters if you travel during the long Turkey Day weekend.

Fetch! Pet Care is a new pet sitting and dog walking company offering a wide variety of services to Portlanders. They’re offering a November special of 10% off your first service – while times are tight take advantage of this!

I asked local entrepreneur Joe Bloniarz who recently launched Fetch! Pet Care of Inner Portland a few questions about Fetch! Some background before diving into the Q & A:

Fetch! Pet Care of Inner Portland will provide the widest range of services to meet pets’ and their owner’s varied needs, including daily small pet visits, private dog walks, in-home overnight sitting, day and evening care, private boarding, pet taxi services, home care, yard pet waste cleanup and medication for pets. For the more active pets, Fetch! Pet Care also offers pet fitness services and group off-leash dog outings.
Q. As a franchise model, how does Fetch! work –are Fetch! services limited to Portland only or do the services expand into areas like Beaverton/Hillsboro or the east side? What are the parameters since it’s a service based business and there isn’t a brick and mortar retail location?
Joe: I service territories based upon zip code, I service most of Portland to including the following neighborhoods, Buckman, Hollywood, Laurelhurst, Mt. Tabor, Northwest, Pearl, Sellwood, and Woodstock.
Q. There are a lot of great pet sitters in Portland – what makes Fetch! different?
Joe: There are quite a few good pet sitters and I’ve met some of them. What’s different is that it’s not me that is a pet sitter, I have a team, so if something comes up or someone gets sick I’ve got it covered. Or as we like to say “We’ve got Your Tail Covered”. My staff is screened, including a background check, they are licensed and bonded, and most importantly they are true pet lovers. You don’t want to leave your best friend with just anyone; you want to leave them with someone who loves pets just as much as you!
Q. How many people are currently providing dog walking and pet sitting services for Fetch!?
Joe: I just opened my doors officially on 10/12/09 and already have a handful of customers; we have the staff and systems in place to care for so many more pets! The services I offer are not just limited to dogs, or puppies we also take care of cats and other small pets too.
Q. How far in advance should someone contact you for services over the holidays?
Joe: The holidays are a busy time of the year and I would like people to pre-schedule for that about four days in advance if possible for a new client. With existing clients, that could be as little as 24hr notice it just depends.
Q. Is it risky to launch this business during a slow economy?
Joe: Absolutely! But in my opinion it’s just as risky working for any company that could lay you off, with a moment’s notice. For example I use to work in Information Technology, with long hours and being on call 24/7. The pay was great but after working there six years what did I really have to show for that time? I had the work experience and I had those nice paychecks. I helped build a business for others! With Fetch! Pet Care, it’s possible that in just two years, I will have a thriving business servicing the pets of Portland, OR, and so many new furry friends!
Q. Why pet sitting? We know that pet sitting, dog walking, etc. is a tough business – why are you excited about this career path?
Joe: Have you ever been sitting down and a dog just put his head in your lap, and looks at you with those big brown eyes and he’s probably saying to himself how about scratching my belly? Or have you ever had a cat in your arm, while they are purring and they look at you with their eyes? I got into this business because I’m a true pet lover myself, and I can see how sometimes people need to go on vacation and can’t always take their pet with them, I want to make sure their pet to be loved and cared for.