Healthy Paws Pet Specialists

There is only one person I would trust with my two fur babies -- Charlie. Not only is he an amazing human being but he is the ultimate dog whisperer. One of my dogs is a bit standoffish with strangers. I was a little bit worried how she would do with an overnight stay when I wasn't home. Have no fear though, Charlie was to the rescue. From the moment that he walked into my place, her tail was wagging as he played fetch with her. Charlie's personality and his attention to detail made it easy to say that there is no one else I would trust with the care of my priceless kids and my place! I was in Rome when he took care of my pups and he would FaceTime me so I could see how they were doing. By the time I got back, I think they were slightly disappointed Charlie was leaving and it would be back to the usual routine. He definitely kept them entertained and happy, which is more than I could have asked for. He didn't just do the job to get the job done, he went above and beyond usual protocol and made sure the pups and my place were well taken care of while I was away. I recommend Charlie to everyone I know!

Charlie at Healthy Paws Specialists is the very best. We are very particular with who we trust to care for our two dogs and we would recommend Healthy Paws to anyone and everyone! The services offered cater to a wide variety of pet owners and the prices are extremely reasonable. This is NOT just an ordinary pet sitting service! You won't have to worry about your pets being in an unfamiliar location or boarded up in some kennel for extended periods of time, because Healthy Paws Specialists will come to you and tend to your dog's needs in your own home. For us personally, Charlie covers everything we need - he can take our overly active puppy on long hikes to get all that energy out, but he can also attend to our older dog and her health needs. Healthy Paws exceeded our expectations and more! What sets them apart is the level of professionalism and tremendous experience and knowledge that they have to offer. Don't waste your time elsewhere, have Charlie come out for a consultation! We cannot thank you enough!!

We cannot even begin to express how WONDERFUL Charles was! First of all, we contacted him at the very last minute, the day before the wedding. We had planned for Beanie to be taken back to the Hilton by family and placed in his kennel for the evening to stay by himself, as he has done in the past. However, when we left him alone Thursday night, he barked non-stop for four hours! We then recognized we had a huge problem during the wedding and scurried to come up with a solution. Coming from Phoenix and not knowing any local service providers, we did an Internet search and luckily happened upon Charles and Healthy Paws Pet Specialists. Charles drove to L'Auberge and met us in the lobby after the wedding ceremony to pick up Beanie and his belongings. On top of that he took Beanie to a nearby park to exercise and play before driving to the Del Mar Hilton and checking in with him. Charles is extraordinary! Beanie loved him, and it was obvious Charles has a thorough understanding of dogs and a deep connection with them. He is professional and dependable and did exactly as he promised. Charles is warm and personable. At $55 for six hours of care plus driving and picking him up, his prices are extraordinarily low. Charles is also extremely knowledgeable. He recognized that Beanie was a little too thin and politely told us so and then followed-up with emailing us a chart showing the proper weight for a dog his size. If there was an "A+" category in the review options, I would without hesitation give Healthy Paws Pet Specialists an A+ in every category! He has earned our highest recommendation and our deep gratitude!!

Charlie came to our home so that I may interview him for potential hire to care of our two doxies for a future date. Our dogs are young, healthy and house trained and did not require special care, therefore we didn't hire Charlie, as his rates were more inline with animals who need special handling. Our interview was very pleasant and Charlie was impressive with his knowledge of dogs medical needs and behaviors. I would recommend him to anyone who may have pets who can not be kenneled outside their home.

Recently at my local vet I was asking about in home care for my dogs. I was planning a trip and wanted them to stay with their routine and be at home. Charlie was only name they offered. Being that I have known my vet for 13 years I trusted him.. And called. I found Charlie very receptive to both my needs as a pet owner and to my pets. He was kind enough to recommend vitamins and supplements that my vet had not addressed. And this was only because he cared. Unfortunately my travel plans cancelled so I was unable to spoil my pets with the attention that I though they would would received. I will for sure call the next time I go out of town.. PS.... Be has a good hand shake!! Lot to be said for that.

I contacted Healthy Paws by phone to inquire about their services based on a card I picked up from a local vet. A little while later Charlie called and we spoke. He's clearly one to talk and talk, and I couldn't really get a word in. However, at the end of that call, I had agreed to let him come out to my house to see my pets. This was part of their requirement to see the pets and to meet - there was allegedly no fee for this visit and it was required prior to entering into any agreement. He came out on Feb 9 and stayed a lot longer than I had wished, however, he asked for lots of details and seemed to be a really great guy and I thought his services sounded too good to be true. Now we come to this week where I finally am in need of a pet sitter. I actually reply to his Feb 9 email asking him how to proceed as I'd like to hire his services for July 10-15. He is a little wishy washy via the course of a few email exchanges and tells me initially that yes, he can sit but needs dates. So I give him dates, then he says that unless I give him details and dates he can't guarantee anything. So I email him asking him what services he usually provides for just a cat. I got no response so I sent him an email again asking what I should expect and told him that I've never had a sitter before, however, not wanting to risk his schedule filling up - as he has told me could happen - I wrote down details he asked for. Details of what I personally would do for my cat. I asked for him to be fed, change litter box, change his water, pet him, brush him and give him affection. Monitor him after he's eaten, etc. I was detailed because he told me he needed details. I treated it as if he was telling me that if I don't tell him he needs to "monitor" my cat, then he won't and he'd just dump food in a bowl and text the rest of the time. So I was detailed as requested He ignored my email and said that he can't guarantee anything if I don't sign a service agreement. Again, at this point, I still have no idea what his hourly rate is, what is his standard check-in service for a cat, etc. I'm going off of absolutely nothing. However, I am still worried I'll not be able to lock in the dates I need, so the next day when I am at a computer with a printer and scanner, I print out everything, put my exact same detailed writeup in the agreement, scan it, sign it and email it to him. He gets it and asked me to call him so we can go over the agreement. I call him that day, as he requested, and he asks me about my cat. He also tells me that because I didn't give him a key in Feb that he's going to charge me $20, unless I mail it to him now. I thought that was absurd because in Feb he never said anything about demanding a key or being charged later. On the agreement I signed, I had written down that my cat was about 18 years old. I also had written down that he's got poor vision and poor hearing and that he's been put on the K/D diet for kidneys. However, I didn't expect any special care because of these things, it was purely to inform him of the "details" he had asked for. Also, I had written down common sense type things because, again, Charlie wanted details, so I had explicitly written down to observe that he's peeing, if he throws up, etc. He asked about these things and I told him that I'd hoped these things were common sense for someone who is a professional pet sitter, but since he wanted details on what services to provide, naturally I'd tell him to observe if my cat is peeing and if he's throwing up too and that if he's not peeing or if he's throwing up, those are not good signs and he should be taken to the vet. Charlie said he understood and not to worry. In the course of that conversation Charlie monopolized the conversation, going off tangent telling me about how great he is with detecting ailments in animals and how he would recommend an appetite stimulant for my cat and how it has helped other cats. Later he asked if I have trouble getting my cat to eat and I said no and that he eats a ton and will follow me around meowing if I am late feeding him breakfst or dinner. My cat is currently seeing two veterinarians, one is for if a serious issue comes up, and the other for routine care where every 6 months he gets shots if needed, and gets routine blood work and routine dental cleaning. My cat is also on flea meds which I get through the routine vet care. My cat is very well cared for. He's on a preventative K/D (prescription Kidney diet) hard food because 2 years ago he had bladder stones removed and because he's now around 18 years old, the veterinarian thought it would be a good preventative thing to do for him. On the Healthy Paws service agreement, there's a section to list any other things to note, so that's where I wrote that he has poor vision, poor hearing and I wrote "kidney disease" on the form, however, my cat has never been diagnosed with kidney disease and he's not on any medication at all for anything, but he's on a prescription kidney disease cat food as a preventative just because he's old. The phone conversation was very lengthy, throughout the entire call I had trouble getting a word in and Charlie kept going off on a tangent telling me about various pet ailments and how to treat them. I was confused as to why he'd do this, but he called it "advise" and said that he's always happy to offer advise that you might not hear from your vet. I said, "ok, that's good to know. thanks." However, I was not asking for any advise because any "advise" I want will be from my licensed veterinarian who has given my cat a full exam and who has viewed my pets medical history. Charlie had none of that information and was clearly not qualified to give advise on drugs, diet and exercise for any of my pets. The fact that he asked me for "details" on how to look in on my pet, told me that he needs to be explicitely told everything - what to look for, how much to feed, etc. I've boarded pets before and I've never had anyone require details on how to care for a pet - however, I tried to dismiss it as not Charlie's ignorance on how to care for a cat, but more along the lines of wanting to mimic what I'd do for my pet if I could only drop in on him twice a day. Through out the call, I was a little confused if Charlie wanted to pet sit or not, He'd tell me about how he'd care for a diabetic cat that needed insulin, etc. he also told me that I need to get my pet's heartrate and breathing rate and send that to him because he's going to take a stethoscope to my pet and needs to know the norm for him. Again, my cat is not ill and needs no medication, just food, water, love and attention in my absence. When I first met with Charlie in Feb, bare in mind that he said he mostly sits for elderly pets and his staff has vet technicians so his company is perfectly suited for watching elderly, special needs pets. I don't consider my cat special needs, but he's telling me this about his company, so I assume my pet will be a walk in the park for him and no issue for him to pet sit. That afternoon he sends me the signed service agreement (both our signatures) and an invoice for 6 days of service 1.5 hours of "extensive care" twice a day for a total of $550. I noticed that I was billed $50 per 1.5 hours. When he came in Feb, he told me that overnight stays where $35 and hourly was a little cheaper than that per hour. So when I got the invoice, I was surprised it listed "extensive care" and that it was so expensive. I emailed him right away and asked how much his hourly rate is and asked if it would just be cheaper to have overnights instead of checking in on him morning and night. He refers to his "original estimate" as what I assume was him verbally telling me his rates back in February. -Charlie responds Sat, Jun 28, 2014 at 6:23 AM Hi Andrea, My original estimate was fora quick 30 minute visit to feed, change litter etc. I thought you wanted something a bit more extensive than. Overnight visits would probably be the cheaper option at 85/night. - Before I even have a chance to inquire further about what his hourly rate is, I get this 2nd surprise email: -Jun 28, 2014 at 10:12 AM Good morning Andrea,I received your reply to the invoice and was under the impression that you clearly stated you would pay extra for additional care.At this point, I have provided over two hours of complimentary services and have not seen your pets in months.I tried to reach out to you without success or any response on your behalf. At this time, I feel that is on the best interest of my company and Mr. Pibb to void the contract and for you to seek alternative veterinary boarding alternatives.Please understand that I only want the best for you and Mr. Pibb. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. - I actually called Charlie right away because I was so shocked at his sudden change and the fact that we've been in constant email communication and have a signed agreement, and he's got my credit card/billing information...but now he says he can't reach me and I'm not responding. What? really Charlie? I call him and ask him what's going on. He says that he called some vet friend of his and the vet recommended he deny pet sitting for me. Charlie is telling *me* that I haven't had my cat to the vet in 2 years. WHAT? Where is Charlie getting this information and lies? What's really going on here? Why does Charlie say I'm not responding? Additionally, he's now saying he provided me over 2 hours of service. When? What "service" did you provide? He said he provided me advise over the phone and that constitutes "service". Really? He then continues to call, leave voicemail, email, etc. and won't give it up. He looks great initially, talks the talk, I'm sure he'll respond to this review and sound convincing. Don't believe it. He's messed up and he lies to benefit himself. I wouldn't hire or recommend him

Healthy Paws came to my home the day that I called after my dog Rocky slipped discs in his back and I was completely misdiagnosed and treated by my previously used vet. Charlie got to my house within hours of calling him. After examining Rocky he referred me to a vet that day. Not only did he call ahead to the vet to make sure I received excellent service he also checked up with me all day as to Rocky's progress. And continued to check up on Rocky and myself for the several days following. Charlie's knowledge and compassion for me and my dog are rare and appreciated. I would highly recommend Charlie and Healthy Paws to anyone in need to guidance with their pet and general questions and concerns.

Charlie and Chris did an AMAZING job and I believe my pets miss them! They communicated daily, with photos, of both animals and followed instructions for their care. I would definitely recommend Charlie and Chris as they are caring and trustworthy young men that will deliver high quality care for your pets. Thanks Charlie and Chris!

So after years of having a live in cat sitter (my niece) I was in the market for someone we could count on to look after our 2 cats while we travel. I found Charlie and Healthy Paws through Angies list and were drawn to his company after reading other customer reviews. One of our cats is a diabetic and requires twice daily insulin shots. This is a new routine for both us and Finnigan. Our other cat is 20 years old and has a few idiosyncrasies as well. Charlie arrived on time to meet with us and review our cats care and many other special requests (from the cats). A half a can of this with a little hot water, sprinkle a few crunchy nuggets on top etc?.Charlie took good notes and we were on our way! Twice daily Charlie sent texts with pictures assuring us that the insulin shots were successful and all was well. I really appreciate the professional approach Healthy Paws takes - contract, insurance, medical experience. The cats did great and we?ll use Healthy Paws from here on in. The only thing I?m mad about is that Finnigan gave Charlie no trouble but hides under the bed when I try to give him a shot! I?d recommend Healthy Paws to anyone who is particular about providing professional care for their pets. Sincerely, Erin & Hal Scoop & Finnigan

Best out there! I would never board my babies and I instantly knew that Charlie knew what he was doing because he could speak to me about cat kidney issues, diabetes, etc. I typically need an extra set of hands to give my kiddos medications but he handled them with no problem! Not only did he take excellent care of my cats, If I ever have a question relating to my pets health, I always call healthy paws first! They will go above and beyond for you and your pets.

Excellent service! Very professional and Jasper was very happy, too! I will definitely use Charlie and Healthy Paws again.

His service is very professional. I believe they are all veterinary techs, and are happy to take care of sick cats as well as healthy ones.

Fantastic! We found HPPS through Angie's list. We interviewed several services/people and landed the best. We were looking for a "pet sitter" and got far more. Charlie is professional, knowledgeable, caring with animals and a great handler (good w/people and animals). Our pups took to him right away. He has sent txt with photos while here. He follows up to let us know how it went and lets us know if he sees anything of concern. We will use Charlie for overnights as well. We totally trust him!

Healthy Paws provided outstanding service! We have a 16 year old cat with kidney problems. Our cat requires daily medication and subcutaneous fluids. We had to go out of town and Healthy Paws took care of our cat while we were gone. They came twice a day to administer medication, give her fluids and feed our cat. They were excellent!. Charles Whitney, the company owner, texted us after each visit to give us an update. When we came home our cat looked great. Charles was able to get our cat to tolerate more fluids than we had ever been able to do. He also provided us with excellent education that has really helped us to provide better care for our cat. I highly recommend Health Paws. They are professional, knowledgeable and really care about the pets they treat. We will definitely use them again!

A few months ago, I was recommended Healthy Paws Pet Specialists by a friend and it is, hands down, arguably the best referral I've ever gotten. Charlie has taken care of my two dogs, Fritz and Duncan, for the past four weekends while I've been out of town. He has not only attended to each of their personal/medical needs, but has recommended alternative products/solutions that my vet was not recommending. For example, Duncan (my English bulldog) has acne and every time I get back it seems to be clearing up more and more! And I'm not overpaying for the cream my vet was trying to sell me!! Charlie has also been kind and reliable enough to help me out the couple times I was stuck on the east coast for an extra day because of the weather and flight delays/cancellations. If you want to KNOW your pets are well taken care of, Healthy Paws Pet Specialists is definitely the way to go (literally, Charlie even sent photos of my dogs on their walks and getting their exercise)!!

I originally found out about Healthy Paws Pet Specialists when I noted the logo emblazoned on a parked car in Old Town. It seemed like a useful service, so I wrote the info down. So I called Healthy Paws Pet Specialists when I was going on vacation because I needed someone to care for my cat, Oscar. Charlie answered the phone, was friendly and professional, and arranged to meet up. After meeting with Oscar and I, when I explained Oscar's needs and Charlie quoted me a price. Charlie also explained his years of experience working with animals, which further comforted me. So I wrote up my instructions, dropped off a key, and left town. When I got back from vacation, Oscar was in good spirits, the food and drink bowls were nearly full, litter box was empty, and everything was in place as it should be. I would definitely recommend Healthy Paws for those looking for a reliable pet sitter! It's also a relief to know that he is well-versed in animal care just in case anything goes wrong.

Super-great pet-sitting service! I could not be more pleased. I contacted Healthy Paws by leaving a phone message, which was returned promptly. I described the services I needed, the dates, and the description of my dog. We set up a meeting, and we went over all the details of pet-care as well as care for the house. Charlie developed an immediate connection with my dog, who ordinarily is more aloof, but who warmed up to Charlie quickly. While I was away, Charlie sent me several text messages with pictures of my dog -- it gave me a good deal of assurance that my dog was in good hands. When I returned home, not only was it obvious that my dog (and my house) had been well taken care of, but Charlie had washed the linens before he left! It also gave me great comfort to know that Charlie had veterinary back-up support. I will use this service again -- in fact, I have already booked another sitting! This is a very professional organization and a very caring one too. I give Healthy Paws my highest recommendation. I'm so glad I used Angie's List to find them.

It went great, the dog looked healthy, well-feed, well taken care of... and most importantly, happy. I would be happy to utilize Charlie's services again. He e-mailed me regularly while I was overseas to let me know just how my beloved canine was doing, he even went as far to get some ear drops for the dog when he noticed he was shaking his head regularly(very common with German Shepherds).

Charlie was attendant to my time constraints, and the needs of my malti-poo. He really loves what he does, and it shows. My dog rarely trusts strangers, yet she took an instant liking to Charlie. Which is telling of the value of Charlie's services, and the personal touch he brings to his work. Leaving my dog with Charlie for an afternoon or overnight is like a play date for my dog! And Charlie is trustworthy, and knowledgeable. You can really feel comfortable leaving your pet with him. And you can bet that when you get home, your animal will be happy not only to see you, but also because he or she had a fun playmate and caretaker while you were out.

Healthy Paws took extraordinary care of my two pups over Thanksgiving. Both dogs were older and having health issues, so I was relieved to have people who truly cared look after them. Since the dogs weren't doing as well, it was especially important that they were able to stay at home. My beagle Lucy was also on multiple medications and Healthy Paws made sure she took them daily. She was also having trouble getting up on her own to go outside, and Healthy Paws went the extra mile by carrying her around. I received daily updates on how the dogs were doing, and when I got back in town the owner Charlie helped me get in touch with a great veterinarian for them. I would definitely recommend Healthy Paws to others and plan on using them again in the future.

Charlie is an excellent pet sitter. He's very good with animals and has lots of great tips for pet care. Healthy Paws takes care of my cat when I'm away. My shy cat thinks he's great. I know my pets are well cared for when I'm away. I never have to worry.

I have been using Healthy Paws Pet Specialists for almost a year now. The owner, Charlie Whitney, personally watches my little dog Daisy. Daisy is truly my baby and I am very hesitant to leave her with anyone. She is a bit of a nervous dog and needs a lot of attention and love. Charlie takes fantastic care of Daisy in a safe, clean pet friendly venue. Charlie has assisted me with Daisy's allergy problems and reccomended an excellent Vertenarian for her. I left Daisy with Charlie for 12 days in October of 2013 while I left the country. Charlie sends daily updates via text or e-mail to tell me how Daisy is doing. I also use Charlie for weekday walks when I am gone at work for more than 6 hours at a time. He has a key to my home and I always know that he will show up during the time that I request and Daisy will be walked, have had a potty break and fresh water when I come home. I would highly reccomend Healthy Paws Pet Specialists for your pet care needs.

Oh where to start.... Charlie has completely raised the bar on what I expect from a Pet Specialist and Sitter. We recently got a dearly beloved Maltese puppy, Gizmo, who requires full-time attention due to his constant curiosity and abundance of energy that usually results in him making innocently poor decisions (i.e jumping into a pool while no one is around or licking an electrical outlet). With this being said, we needed to find a trusted Pet Sitter that could care for him while we were out of town for a week. Before leaving we passed the little guy onto Healthy Paws and I must say they did a fantastic job in caring for and training our pup. To put this into perspective, we would receive a text message on most evenings with a picture and quick recap on how Gizmo was doing. Furthermore, upon picking him up, Charlie had put together a small list of recommendations to help care for him. These guys genuinely care about what they do and clearly exceeded our expectations.

Charlie and his staff have done a terrific job. We rely upon them for everything relating to our cats and bunny. They are great with our pets and reassuring for the pet parents. Always responsive and caring, gentle and responsible.

Very well, all quiet on the home front. Charlie knows how to handle all of the different personalities, fuzziness and quirks of my little band of trouble makers. He has my very over weight Corgi on a great plan to lose the weight he needs to lose to keep him healthy for a very long time. And the good news, it is working!!! It is comforting to know that if needed, Charlie is a certified Vet Tech and would know how to handle any emergency. Even my birds seem to be singing more when Charlie comes to visit... He must be giving them something special, but he isn't giving away his secrets.... When my pups are happy, I am happy and they are very happy, healthy pups! And, I cannot forget my little Love Birds and my Conure. I can travel on business trips always knowing my gang our in great care, if it is for just an adventure for a couple of hours or several days. I leave with a peace of mind and that means a great deal to me, because they mean a tremendous amount to me.