Cat sitter?

i know a year ago amy of amy's kitty sitting use to work for an established cat sitting service and stole her clients to start her own business. i believe she even copied a set of keys at one point unbeknownst to either the client or her boss. there are various other assorted stories that i would consider untrustworthy. i don't believe that would be an acceptable qualification for someone who i would welcome into my home while i'm away and care for my cats.

i know this because her former boss is and has been my kitty sitter for 3 years. it's just not cool.

http://www.sandeeskittysitting.com/
(sound familiar. she even structered her business similarly)

its about the freemarket baby!!! you cant expect people to work for other people all their lives. being someones own boss is the best way to go!!! go amy!!!screw the man/woman.

WhyFi wrote: Yup, in a commission environment, it's common to hold on to your customers ~ Ultimately, they're there for you and the service you provide. Also, many people that start their own company do it because they're severely unhappy with their current employer... maybe we should be asking why it was so bad that Amy felt she had to go it on her own... :twisted:

i got nothin on that, but i will say that we have used sandee and been VERY happy. i have no idea what it might be like to work for her, but i highly recommend having her work for you.

our cats were so happy with her service, they weren't even all that glad to see us come home.... and our sitter (claire, i think) wrote a little diary of what each cat did every day, which was adorable. it's nice to think that the person watching your pets is even more obsessed than you are.

Subject: kittysitting and kittysitters..meow

A client asked if I'd like to put in my 2 cents in here and I actually feel very good about doing so...I am Sandee of Sandee's Kitty Sitting Service. My service has been around for 5 years with over 300 clients in various neighborhoods of Brooklyn. I hire and love all of my kitty-sitters. They are true animal lovers and get to spoil kitties in their own neighborhood. That said, Amy of Amy's Kitty Sitting Service used to work for me and I trusted her wholeheartedly...she had keys to 'my' home too. We ended our relationship not because she wanted to start her own business...which I would respect...but because while working for me she setup a kitty-sitting visit with an exisiting client without my knowledge...stole keys from me, and made copies...with the intention of never telling me. I have since had to put many controls in place and rethink my hiring practices. She was also promoting her own business while still working for me(her promotion materials were and still are very similar to mine).

I know imitation should be flattering...but in this case I don't feel flattered. I have had to change locks to my home and notify all of my clients of the events which took place.

I also feel it is unethical to use a busines name as your email address in a forum such as this. She is using her business email on many forums, although she has others that would be just as suitable. I wouldn't be fooled by small talk.

Amy of Amy's Kitty Sitting looks after my 12-year old cat when I'm gone. She's wonderful! She is more detail oriented than I am, and I totally trust her in my home & to look after my beloved cat. She works with her boyfriend, and between them they spend plenty of time & give lots of love to my cat. My cat actually loves her boyfriend, and my cat does not normally like new people. She even calls me when I'm away with regular updates, and she's just a very sweet and conscientious person. She is also a true animal lover. I highly recommend her (and I have to other people). I gather that some things happened that crankgirl felt were unfair, but maybe clients just preferred Amy's service.

Subject: Other prospects

For next time, you might consider getting a 2nd “usual person” whom you can trust. Cats love a live-in stroker/feeder/scooper. We’re not volunteering (nor have you reason to trust us) but may I suggest that you look from among your upstate or CT/NJ friends who may be pining away for a chance to live where it’s at, rent-and-utilities free, for a short period. We cat/fish-sit regularly for our daughter and son-in-law Slopers, and love having everything short of the Gobi Desert or Yosemite within a walk’s or subway ride’s reach. Brooklyn is a wonderful contrast for us rural upstate 60-somethings who are bound to cars in such a sad, L.A. way.

I just had a friend stay at my house for 2 weeks with my cats when I went to Spain.

He has a crappy living situation, and coming to my apt. (cable, internet, lots o'space) works well for both of us - plus the kitties get more affection that way.

Subject: kitty sitting second recommendatin for amy's

hi - here's theinfo for amy - she sat for our two cats for week this past spring and was great. very committed and enthusiastic.

Amy's Kitty Sitting
917-517-8912

Subject: Re: kittysitting and kittysitters..meow

[email protected] wrote: A client asked if I'd like to put in my 2 cents in here and I actually feel very good about doing so...I am Sandee of Sandee's Kitty Sitting Service. My service has been around for 5 years with over 300 clients in various neighborhoods of Brooklyn. I hire and love all of my kitty-sitters. They are true animal lovers and get to spoil kitties in their own neighborhood. That said, Amy of Amy's Kitty Sitting Service used to work for me and I trusted her wholeheartedly...she had keys to 'my' home too. We ended our relationship not because she wanted to start her own business...which I would respect...but because while working for me she setup a kitty-sitting visit with an exisiting client without my knowledge...stole keys from me, and made copies...with the intention of never telling me. I have since had to put many controls in place and rethink my hiring practices. She was also promoting her own business while still working for me(her promotion materials were and still are very similar to mine).

I know imitation should be flattering...but in this case I don't feel flattered. I have had to change locks to my home and notify all of my clients of the events which took place.

I also feel it is unethical to use a busines name as your email address in a forum such as this. She is using her business email on many forums, although she has others that would be just as suitable. I wouldn't be fooled by small talk.

this is confusing.

Are people here saying that Amy is a bad cattsitter? A dishonest and untrustworthy person? What is the basis of this, because she started her own business with the knowledge of her boss or for making a copy of a client's key?

Do we know for what purpose she made a copy? For the client's convenience to to enter the client's home without their knowledge?

I can't tell if people here have hard feelings or if there's a real reason to be wary of Amy.

I can ask him, but he has military responsibilities that will keep him out of town (and largely out of touch) during January.

Subject: Brooklyn dog walking co owner has a word to say

Hello everyone,
Just want to put in my 2 cents. My name is Jordan, I am the owner of petaholics and brooklyndogwalker. Some of our staff also have their own pet sitting clients and as long as they don't try to steal our clients or do anything to affect our service we are ok with that. They do sign non-competes and non-disclosures but we cannot stop anyone from pursuing their own entrepreneurial endeavors on their own time, its more the manner in which they do it.

-Jordan