Marley B.
Pet Care Provider
I am from Hershey, PA and grew up there. I have also lived in Ithaca, NY, and San Antonio, TX! I recently moved to St. Louis and have really been enjoying it, though every weather condition is way more intense here. I have always been an animal lover and as a child wanted to be a veterinarian. The career choice changed over time, but the love of animals never did.
My favorite type of animals to care for are dogs. Specifically, I love working with the slow to trust, needs extra time to warm up to you, has special needs kind of dogs. I love working with the dogs that need extra attention. I find it very rewarding, and know from personal experience how hard it can be to find thoughtful pet care for animals like this.
Get to know Marley:
Do you have any pets of your own?
I have an orange tabby named Felix! I have had him for 10 years. I adopted him as a college student in Ithaca, NY. He has been my best friend and constant companion, and hopefully will be for many more years!
I also have a tripod lab mix named Zojja. I adopted her on Valentine's Day this year! Her name is after one of my favorite video game characters, Zojja from Guild Wars 2. She is a little under 2 years and has chaotic energy. Having three legs does not slow her down in the slightest!
Why did you start working in pet care?
Before I adopted Zojja, I had a dog that had my whole heart called Scruffy. I adopted him from a rescue in PA in 2020. He had been in foster care for over 3 years. They could not find an adopter willing to take him in. I have a soft spot for the dogs people don't want, and ended up becoming his pet parent.
He had a neurological condition that we were never quite able to diagnose. As a result, he had a lot of behaviors that were not ideal for a pet parent, and he was reactive and slow to trust. I quickly became his person and his personal advocate. Our bond was incredible and it was super rewarding to love him. I had to make the decision nobody wants to make at the end of 2023. What helped at the time was knowing I did everything I could for him, and that he had lived happy for a few years with me.
I also took in a very shy senior cat I named Georgie in 2022. I knew it would be a "keep her comfortable" situation, but I am happy I got to be that safe place for her to land. She became the "Queen of the Kitchen" in my apartment!
Since this experience, I have become much more passionate about helping other animals in similar situations. A lot of disabled and elderly animals are in need of quality, loving care, and I believe I can provide that.
Fav part about working with House of Paws?
The best part of working with House of Paws so far has been the second I step in the door to each animal's home. Whether the pet already knows me or it is our first meeting, it is a chance to help them meet their needs. It is incredibly rewarding to see a pet who was really shy when you met him warm up to you over time. It is a great feeling when the animals look forward to seeing you.