There's No Place Like Home For Pets

MISSION STATEMENT


TO PROVIDE THE BEST CARE FOR THE WELFARE AND SAFETY OF THE ANIMALS ENTRUSTED TO ME, GIVING PET OWNERS PEACE OF MIND THAT THEIR ANIMALS ARE LOVED AND HAPPY



WHILE YOU'RE AWAY, YOUR PETS WILL PLAY


"EVERY PET I CARE FOR HOLDS A LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART.  WHETHER IT IS A TAIL WAG, A NOSE BOOP, OR THE QUIET PURR OF A HAPPY CAT, THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT REMIND ME WHY I LOVE WHAT I DO"




About The OWNER

 Have you ever wished you had a personal assistant just for your pets? 

I'm Barbara, the heart and hands behind "There's No Place Like Home" pet sitting / dog walking. Animals have been part of my world for as long as I can remember. I'm the kind of person who stops to greet every dog on the sidewalk and talks to cats like they are old friends. Over the years, I have cared for pets of all kinds - playful puppies, wise old dogs, shy cats, talkative birds, and everything in between.  I learned that every animal has its own personality and routine and that small, familiar details (the way their bowl sits, how they like their leash clipped, the sound of your voice when you say "good boy") make all the difference.  They feel safest surrounded by the smells, sounds, and comforts of home. When you trust me with your pets, you are not just getting a sitter, you are getting someone who truly cares. I treat each animal as if they are part of my family, and I take pride in being reliable, communicative, and calm under pressure.  My goal is simple - to make sure you can travel, work, or rest without worry, knowing everything at home is just as it should be. Pet parents receive photos and videos of the fun times we have during my visits.  I know every pet and home is unique, so I tailor my visits to fit your furry (or feathered) family perfectly. I have always believed pets bring out the best in us, and I feel honored to return the favor by keeping them happy and safe while you are away. Every pet has their quirks, their favorite spots, and their little ways of saying "I Love You". My goal is to keep that love and comfort flowing while you're away, because there is truly no place like home. When I am not visiting furry friends, you will find me by the coast collecting shells, swimming, listening to music, making crafts, or walking my own four-legged companions. 


Licensed, Insured, and Bonded


PROVIDED SERVICES & RATES


  • Pet Sitting
  • Dog Walking
  • Exercise & Playtime
  • Replenish Food & Water bowls
  • Pick Up Waste and Dispose of it
  • Clean out Litter Boxes
  • Brush Pets
  • Water Plants
  • Take in Plants
  • LOTS OF ATTENTION AND PLAYTIME


  

- Visits are $25.00 per 30-minute visits within a 10-mile radius.

  Additional pets are $10/each per visit

- Additional $10.00 per visit if visit is after 9:00 PM

- $50/hour for unlimited number of pets

- Additional $10.00 over 10 miles per visit

- Overnight Services $80 per 12-hour period. Additional fees for daily   

  drop-ins

- An additional $10 charge for the pick-up of keys and an additional 

  $10 charge

  for the drop off of keys

- Holidays are an additional $10.00 per visit & overnights

- “Paw-Fectly Picked Up” rates are $25/hour, $10 for additional pet

- Home Watch Services are $75/visit

- Cash or check only

- Please make checks payable to Barbara Brand

- Payment is due on or before start date of service

- Rates are subject to change based on clients’ individual circumstances





Meet the Family, Rikki, Ringo, Penny, Felix, & Spooky

Kicks 'n Giggles

MEET MY EXTENDED FAMILY - SOME OF MY CLIENTS

    PENNY'S STORY

    In March of 2025, I saw a post on Facebook about a dog who was found roaming the streets with nowhere to go. This person took the dog to the vet to check for a microchip number. After being successful, she called the owner who lived over a half hour away only to find out that the owner wanted no part of her and drove to North Port from Venice and just dumped her on the side of the road. There is no telling how long that poor little girl wandered aimlessly. The person who found her could not keep her, so she advertised on-line with the hopes of finding her a home. I, being the animal lover I am, immediately answered the ad and asked her to bring the dog to my house to see if she would get along with my cats and dogs. She walked in my house and what I saw was a poor, pathetic dog, skin and bones, and torn, bloody and scabbed ears. The meet and greet went well, so I said, yes, leave her with me. I immediately fed her dinner, which was gone in one minute, and gave her a bath.  First thing the next morning, I took her to my vet and got her up to date on all her vaccines and heartworm testing.  The vet estimated her age to be around 14 years old.  She has a heart murmur, collapsed trachea, cataracts, rotten teeth, and is deaf as a doorknob. I took her home with the goal of giving her quality of life for whatever time she has left. She would be in a loving home with brothers & sisters, and of course, my husband and myself, making her as comfortable as possible, and named her "Penny."


    When I first met Penny, her future was uncertain. She'd been through more than any dog should have to endure - scared, thin, and unsure if she could ever trust again.  But with time, love, and a safe place to heal, she has blossomed into the happy, tail-wagging girl she was always meant to be. Watching her learn to play, to trust, and to simply be a dog again has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. 








    Let's See What Clients Have To Say

      

    Barbara took great care of my pups, Coco & Luna, while I was away. I was very happy with her services. She came over twice a day and fed and visited with them. Barbara sent me videos and pictures every day which I loved. I highly recommend Barbara for pet sitting as she did a wonderful job. I know I will be using her again. Thank you for all you did, Barbara!

    Kim M.


    In the past we had boarded our 2 dogs. After boarding, it took them several days to re-acclimate to their routine and being back home. This is the first time we used a drop-in sitter and we are very pleased with Barbara Brand, "There's No Place Like Home". She treated our dogs as her best friends. Took great care of them, played with them, met their needs above and beyond because of the love in her heart for animals. She sent us daily pictures and videos. Let us know when she arrived, watered my plant, and brought in the mail. She kept in contact with me at every visit and also cleaned up one mess they had on the rug better than I could have. Her transparency and communication were appreciated and put our minds at rest to enjoy our vacation. I would absolutely have Barbara come into my home again and trust her with our dogs. They are our family and my home is my place of peace. Barbara is always welcome here.

    Rose S.


    The owner, Barbara Brand, is excellent. She has been pet sitting for many years and treats all client pets as her own. She goes above and beyond and our animals adore her. She sends pictures and videos to you and takes time to play and pet, snuggle, even brushes your fur babies. Barbara has a heart of gold; hire her. You won't be disappointed!

    Karen JR


    Barbara provided excellent care for my cats and turtle on several trips we had out of town. We really appreciated the great communication from Barbara. She is very responsive to our inquiries and great at coming early to do the visits. We felt really fortunate that we could depend on her. It really made our trip so much more enjoyable, knowing that our pets had good care. She would even send regular updates with photos and videos and that was such a treat to receive. I really felt like our pets had excellent care. I would definitely recommend her to any of my neighbors, friends or family.

    Edwin H.


    Barbara is a fantastic pet sitter who is always willing to go out of her way to care for my little Remus. He loves her and looks forward to seeing her. I always know he is in good hands when we're away.

    Noreen D.


    We had Barbara take care of our pet on different occasions and are beyond pleased with her services. The care Barbara gives our pet is great and our lab, Willy, loves her. She sends videos of their walks and Willy eating so we know he is well taken care of. And it is a plus because Willy doesn't have to stay in a dog boarding place and enjoys the comfort of his own home. We highly recommend Barbara to take care of your pet, and she will treat them with all the love and care they deserve.

    Donna K.


    Barbara is literally a Godsend. Before we found her, we were worried who could we trust with our four fur babies? She has eased our fears by taking excellent care of them all while sending us pics and videos every day while we were away. We can't recommend her highly enough.

    Traci F.


    Barbara was amazing! A family member of mine was supposed to take care of my pup, Luna, but they ended up cancelling a day before our trip. We were panicking because we did not want to leave Luna with just anyone. I found Barbara's website and decided to reach out. Best decision ever. Barbara sent me daily pictures of Luna and would send me messages about how she was doing. I would 100% recommend "There's No Place Like Home" pet sitting to anyone that needs a great, loving person that will truly love your dog as their own during their stay.

    Adriana


    I am absolutely happy with your services. My mind was at ease while out of town. It's clear that you cared for Lilly as if she was your own. Yes, I'm sure Lilly got the absolute best care while we were gone. I know she was loved and taken care of. That's evident from the photos and videos. There's nothing I wish was done differently or better. I will definitely be referring you to friends and neighbors. You will be our go-to when we go out of town. I'm glad we found you.

    Julie B.

     

    We hired Barbara Brand several months ago to feed and walk our Chocolate Lab 2 x's a day for 7 days while we took a vacation. I can't begin to explain how well she took care of our dog. Barbara took care of him like he was her own dog. She went above and beyond all our expectations. She texted us messages, pictures and videos daily, fed him well and gave him treats and tons of love and attention. She let him swim in our pool (with our permission), dried him off, took in our mail. Above all, she was trustworthy & highly professional. We can't wait to hire her again next time we go on vacation.

    Mark K.


    Barbara Brand is amazing. She walks and attends to my dogs 3 times a week while I work as a RN, 12-hour shifts, at SMH in Sarasota. She also takes care of my 2 boy shitzus when I go visit my family in Upstate NY. I am blessed and lucky to have found her and she lives a few streets from me making it convenient. If you are thinking of getting your dog the best care in Charlotte/Sarasota County and Westport neighborhoods, give Barb a call. She takes care of your fur-babies just as if they were her own. Thanks Barb. Me and the boys Love you very much!!!

    Autumn


    Barbara is an amazing dog sitter. We were away for a week, and she took care of our chocolate lab, Willy. Each day Barbara sent videos of Willy walking and swimming in our pool. And Barbara was kind enough to take in our mail. Willy's tail never stopped wagging and Barbara greeted him with a smiling face and happy voice. We liked that she kept us informed through videos of how Willy was doing and also liked that she treated Willy like he was her own pet. We truly and highly recommend Barbara as a pet sitter and will definitely be using her services in the future. Many thanks to Barbara for all you have done to make Willy a happy boy. And Willy thanks you as well and misses you. Love Mark and Donna and Willy (woof).

    Mark, Donna, & Willy


    Barbara exceeded all of our expectations when my wife and I were looking for someone to take care of our three high-maintenance fur babies. Our dogs don't do the best in social situations with other dogs, so when we were looking for a pet sitter, we were hoping to find someone that would come to our home and keep the pups as comfortable as possible. Barbara was the one! Our experience with her was amazing from the very moment she walked through the door. She met with the dogs twice before taking over for 5 days, which was super important to us since our dogs can sometimes be a little wary of strangers. As pet parents, we really appreciated her attention to detail and willingness to come by as often as we (and the dogs) needed. We loved getting updates, videos, and photos of them while we were away on our trip. Knowing Barbara was treating our pets like her own really gave us peace of mind and made it easy to relax on our vacation. We knew from the very first video update that our whole family would be more than comfortable using her from now on. Gone are the days where we have to put our babies in small kennels with strange dogs and worry about their safety/happiness. Barbara is someone we would immediately recommend to all of our pet friends and family. She's now part of OUR family.

    Matt & Ky


    We were very happy that Daisy was comfortable in your home. I loved that you sent me pictures and videos of her resting and at play. I was worried about leaving her since this was the first time. You sent me pictures and updates about her eating habits and that made me feel so much better. I think she still misses your two babies and maybe even the cats. I have already bragged about your services to two of my friends.

    Diane R.


    Hi. I just wanted to recommend "There's No Place Like Home" to anyone looking for a pet sitter. She just watched our dog and cat for us for 4 days. She did an amazing job. We have a 95 lb. dog that is very stubborn and strong willed. Barbara did a great job with her. We really enjoyed the daily photos and videos of our pets. I highly recommend her.

    Melanie G.


    Hello! I just wanted to write a review. If there is a better way to send or a certain site I can post to, please let me know! I cannot thank Barbara enough for taking such great care of my boys! My puppy, Tonka, took to her right-away and absolutely loves his walks with her! My cat, Jax, loves when she visits as she always takes great care of him and gives him lots of treats! She is patient, kind and sends me video updates which is a huge bonus! She is always reliable and responsive for scheduling. She has made my pet care needs a breeze! Thank you, Barbara. You are a trusted and reputable pet care-taker that I would recommend to anyone!

    Erika

     

    Barbara, you were amazing with Gigi. She took right to you like she had known you forever. You went beyond what we expected. The pictures, videos, even the extra toys you bought her. Let's not forget trying to get her to try a new food. I have and will continue to recommend you to anyone that needs your service. You truly are the best. Thank you so much.

    Karen G. 


    Wanting the best for my pets I was so fortunate to find Barbara at THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Barbara showed me so much compassion for animals when I first met her and provided that same compassion and caring attitude when I entrusted her with looking after my pets when I was away from home. Barbara gave me the peace of mind I needed and provided the superb care and attention I was looking for when I decided to use her as my pet sitter and will definitely be using her in the future whether I need her for a day or for a long-term occasion and highly recommend her to anyone who needs that same peace of mind when looking for a competent and caring pet sitter.

    William S.

     

    I am writing this letter of recommendation for Barbara Brand.

    Barbara is an amazing individual who’s love and devotion to the care and well-being of our furry loved ones. When I first met her, she was friendly and extremely positive, it felt like I had known her for years. Barbara’s love for animals is next level. As a mother two dogs and cats, her husband and her would and HAVE done whatever is necessary to ensure the quality of life for her “children”. She has donated hundreds of hours of her time to a local rescue to assist finding homes for so many animals in need of their forever homes.

    After our first meeting with us and our dog, our fur baby took to her as if she grew up with her. She does exactly what she says she will do and then so much more. She will take photos as you request and sends you a text of your pet with a nice note. This attention makes you feel great when you are away. She is more than fair on her prices and gives you more than promised. She treats your pet like they were hers and that is obvious in how they respond to her. You can tell that this is not a job or chore for Barbara but a passion. I couldn’t be more confident in referring her to anyone that needs help with their pets. I know you will feel the same way. In short, I highly recommend Barbara and I am open to chat with any one that is considering working with her. Please feel free to call 941-661-1590 with any questions or email me at scarrabotta@hotmail.com Thank you and have a great day !!!

    Sal Carrabotta Port Charlotte, FL



    What Sets Me Apart from Other Pet Sitters

    I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. My services are crafted to meet your pet's specific needs and preferences, ensuring a tailored and enjoyable experience. Every pet is unique, and my services are tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of your furry friend. I prioritize open communication. You'll receive regular updates and photos/videos so you can stay connected with your pet's well-being. My services are flexible to accommodate your schedule and your pet's routine. The safety of your pet is a priority. I am licensed, insured, and bonded, providing you with peace of mind and assurance. Your pet is not just another appointment for me. I provide personalized care, taking the time to understand their unique personalities, preferences, and any specific requirements. You don't have to worry about different faces at each visit either. Your pet will build a rapport with me.

    Paw-Fectly Picked Up

    An additional luxury concierge service designed for convenience and safety. From vet visits to grooming appointments to doggy day care drop-offs and pickups, I will transport your fur family safely and on time to wherever they need to be.  Or how about that special visit to the park?

    Home Watch Services

    The difference between damage and disaster is only a visit away. Early detection like a water leak, mold growth, pest invasion, or AC failure can become costly if unnoticed. A trained home watch reporter as myself knows what to look for and can spot early warning signs before they escalate.  I provide documented, verifiable reports of every visit, complete with photos and checklists. With a trusted professional watching over your home, you can relax knowing everything is being handled with care, consistency, and accountability.

    10 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK A POTENTIAL PET SITTER

    1. What experience do you have?
    2. Can you provide references?
    3. What do you enjoy about being a pet sitter?
    4. Will you meet my pets first?
    5. What is included in your services?
    6. What will you do if there is an emergency?
    7. Will you send me updates?
    8. Will my pet be around other pets?
    9. How much do you charge?
    10. What do you need from me?

    QUESTIONS TO ASK A SHELTER OR RESCUE BEFORE ADOPTING/FOSTERING

       

    • How long has the dog/cat been with your rescue or shelter?
    • Do you know the age of the dog/cat?
    • Has he/she been adopted out and returned, or would this be the first adoption?
    • If they have been returned what was the reason?
    • Do you know the previous owner or breeder?
    • What kind of condition was the dog/cat in when you received them?
    • How long has your rescue been helping dogs/cats?
    • What is your policy if the dog/cat is not a good match for our family after we bring them home?
    • If I take my dog/cat to the vet after adopting him/her and find there is a severe illness, does your rescue assist us in any way?
    • Are there signs of physical or mental abuse I should know about?
    • Will the dog/cat be good with children? If so, what ages are recommended?
    • Has there been any reactivity issues with men, women or children?
    • Have you noticed issues with barking or jumping?
    • Is the dog/cat friendly?
    • Has the dog/cat been in social gatherings with other dogs/cats? Can I take the dog safely to dog parks or on walks with other dogs?
    • Are there any signs of fear or aggression? If so, what are the triggers?
    • Are there any issues with chewing or destructive behavior?
    • Has the dog been left alone for long periods of time? If so, has there been any sign of separation anxiety? Is barking an issue, for example?
    • Is there any history of biting?
    • Has he/she been tested in a car to see how he/she does? Does he/she get car sick or anxious or is the ride an enjoyable experience?
    • Where has the dog been sleeping at night? Crate?
    • Has the dog had any accidents during their foster experience if there was one?

     
     

    Meet and greets are highly recommended with children and current pets prior to adopting or fostering.

    Rescues should be spayed/neutered prior to adopting, vetted, and current on vaccines.

     
     

    Please note that rescues are only funded by donations.

    Above questions were taken from Charitypaws.com

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    Give your pet a vacation!

    It can be stressful to board your pet. Let's set up a complimentary meet and greet so we can discuss yours and your pets' needs. CALL TODAY!

    There's No Place Like Home, Pet Sitting/Dog Walks

    +410-382-9443

    Hours

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    07:00 am – 09:00 pm

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