Quad-City Creatures
By Heidi Dahms Foster, Prescott Valley, Arizona
hdfoster@westernnews.com
A local blog all about pets and pet activities in the quad-city area.PV, Prescott and beyond.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Fido Express: Premiere pet services right to your door
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Candace and Alvin Stump and their two 'furkids,' Sergeant and Joe.
Courtesy Photo |
Much as we love our pets, we sometimes can’t take them with us when we are going to be away from home. Many pet lovers don’t consider a boarding kennel an option, preferring to leave their pets at home where they are comfortable and familiar with their surroundings. On the other hand, many pet lovers sometimes have to work long or unexpected hours, and worry about keeping their pets on a healthy schedule.
That’s where Candice and Alvin Stump’s fledgling service, Fido Express Premiere Personal Pet Concierge Service, comes to the rescue.
Candice, a former educator and middle school assistant principal, is passionate about pets, particularly her two miniature Schnauzers, Sergeant and Joe. While looking for something to do that would incorporate her love of animals, she found that most pet sitters in the area had more clients than they could handle. She set out to offer a service that was a cut above, and her growing list of clients is confirmation that she has found a niche among those who consider their pets family members.
“People like their pets, and they want them to be treated with serious TLC,” she said. “We pride ourselves on quality, not quantity.”
Fido Express now has 10 employees, or concierges, who fulfill a list of pet services for owners who travel or work long hours. Among the offerings are 30-minute minimum visits for pets, potty breaks, play time or feeding; overnight pet stays in the client’s home that include pet sitting, cage or yard cleanup, play time, feeding and even massage; overnight boarding at the concierge’s home; exercise breaks; grooming; pet transport to grooming or training; and pet “parties.”
“We’re game for just about anything,” Candice said, adding that the two services that have been most popular since Fido Express opened in October 2007 are the 30-minute visits and the overnight stays in concierge homes.
The Stumps take great care in hiring their concierges and matching them to their clients, Candice said. They look for long-term relationships. Concierges undergo training to Pet Sitter’s International standards. Each concierge is bonded, insured, fingerprinted, and signs a confidentiality agreement. If a concierge and client are not comfortable together, Candice said, Fido Express will work to find a suitable match with another concierge.
Fido Express now has 20 regular clients, and the growth is steady but sure. “Every month I pick up a couple more clients,” Candice said. “The ones I have, stay. It’s all about providing quality service.”
Fido Express has an online reservation service for established clients. Prices range from $20 for a 30-minute daily pet play/feed/cleanup/medication visit to $55 for an overnight stay in your home, regardless of the number of pets (the exception is boarding in a concierge’s home, which has a limit of three animals). Candace stresses that Fido Express services are not limited to dogs. Concierges will feed, clean and care for a variety of pets – cats, birds, ferrets, horses, even goats.
Fido Express is a welcome addition to a growing number of options for Quad-City pet lovers. Find out more by calling 928-227-0757 or visit the website at www.fidoexpress.com.
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