Laura's Critter Care, LLC

Jennifer Williams, A.M./P.M. Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Having joined the Laura’s Critter Care, LLC  Team in October 2011, Jennifer knows the importance of building a relationship with both pets and pet owners.  As a pet owner of eight, Jen has a standard of excellence that can only be met if the pets in her charge are cared for as if they are her very own.

Jennifer admits, “I find it extremely difficult to trust my pets to anyone.  I personally haven’t used a pet sitter in the past, but I would definitely call on the professionals at  Laura’s Critter Care, LLC if I needed to.  The reason I can say this is that Laura values the complete confidence involved in entrusting the care of your pet to someone.  She take this responsibility very seriously, as do I.  The level of integrity here is something you don’t see every day, and it’s really refreshing.”

With over two decades of professional experience, Jennifer demonstrates the outstanding level of service and professionalism that the customers of  Laura’s Critter Care, LLC have come to know and expect.  With a house-full of rescues, she has experienced just about any situation that may arise with a pet.  Jen actually considers herself to be the epitome of a multi-tasker.  She lives in Lockport with her husband, two sons, and a stepson, and her 8 animals which are her source of relaxation!  Jennifer has two black pugs, Rufus and Bella, a Pit Bull/Shar Pei mix, Maggie, and an American Pit Bull Terrier, Argus.  Her four kitties range in age from a year and ½ to eight years; they are Rudy, Lexi, Barley and Teddy.

Jennifer has volunteered with many local rescues as an Application Moderator, and has fostered, transported, and performed home visits for the rescues.  Her favorite part, aside from placing the animals, is seeing the look on the adoptive parent’s faces when they finally bring their puppy home.   Knowing this feeling only too well, Jennifer adopted Maggie from a rescue and was fostering Argus when she and her husband decided they couldn’t live without him.  He came for a while and stayed forever!

In her spare time, Jennifer is committed to animal rescue and rehabilitation.  She has experience assisting with the transition of puppy-mill dogs into a home environment, and has worked with food and dog aggression issues, as well as prey drive.  She is extremely vigilant about safety, and very patient and even-keeled in all situations.  She feels patience is the key and that here’s nothing that can’t be accomplished through dedication and patience.

Cindy Caccese, P.M. and Weekend Sitter

Cindy  joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC  in November, 2011.  She has been a lifelong pet owner, with a passion for animals and their welfare.

After having volunteered with several local shelters and rescues, she joined with fellow passionate animal lovers to form Diamonds In The Ruff Animal Rescue. She helps care for their rescued animals.

Cindy states that animals are a great source of comfort  to her, and they make every day a good day!

Cindy is a resident and native of Lockport.  She currently has two dogs, plus one foster dog, and two cats.  All of her animals have been rescued from various situations, and are cherished members of her family.

In addition to her full time job with Niagara County and pet sitting for Laura,  she spends countless hours volunteering at Diamonds in the Ruff as a member of the Board of Directors.

Jennifer Gibson,  A.M./P.M. and Weekend Sitter

Jennifer  joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC  in May 2012.  A native of the South towns  Jennifer is a life-long pet owner and animal lover.

Throughout the years, Jennifer has been a pet sitter for family, neighbors and friends. She has cared for the big and the small, the finned, the flying, and the ones with fur. She finds great satisfaction in bonding with animals and caring for them. She currently has a cat of her own, a beautiful, sweet cat named Cinders.

Jennifer has experience working with horses, having taken English riding lessons as a girl and riding as a member of the Equestrian team in college.

Jennifer left her long retail career in management, having worked for companies such as JCrew, Gap, and Banana Republic.  She is also an artist known for her watercolor paintings and photography, having exhibited at shows throughout the WNY area, including the Allentown, Roycroft, and Quaker Arts festivals.

Jennifer is pleased to work with Laura, and the Critter Care team, and finds it a true privilege to care for your beloved pets.

Lauren Moeller, Virtual Office Assistant, A.M./P.M. and Overnight Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Lauren joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC  in May 2012.  She loves being a member of Laura’s Critter Care, LLC Team.

She and her husband make their home in Cheektowaga, along with what they call the “Duke Clan”.  The Duke Clan consists of their two cats, Bo & Luke and their 1 year old border collie/lab mix dog named Daisy. All three animals were adopted through Buffalo Paws and Claws.

Lauren has been a lifelong animal lover and pet sitter for friends, co-workers and family.  Originally grew up in the South towns and then spent a while being the nanny for former Buffalo Bills Quarterback Jim and his wife, Jill Kelly.  That opportunity lead her to volunteer and work with the Hunter’s Hope Foundation.

Lauren had a diabetic cat that with consistent care lived a happy and healthy life for 14 years. She is very comfortable with giving insulin injections and knows how important this is for the longevity of the animal.

After spending 14 years in customer service, she realized it was time to answer to her true calling of working with animals.

She volunteers for the Ten Lives Club and has successfully trained her own dog off leash.

Lauren is a natural with animals.  She truly believes that our pets give us more than we could ever possibly give them.

Her goal is to treat your pet and home like it is her own and to give you the peace of mind you need when you leave them is someone else’s care.

Becca Dennee, P.M. and Overnight Sitter

Becca  joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC  in December 2012.  She is excited to be a member of Laura’s Critter Care, LLC Team.

Becca is a graduate of Houghton College with a psychology degree and  is a resident of  Cheektowaga. She has been a dog owner her whole life and currently has a dog and a ferret.

Most recently she started working part time for Fetch n’ Catch overseeing day care and boarding of dogs.  Previously she worked 5 years for Purrfect Paws Animal Behavior Center as a trainer and oversaw dog day care and play groups. She has over the years been a  pet sitter for friends, co-workers and family. She has experience with dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and exotics.

Becca also volunteers for Purrfect Paws fostering ferrets, cats and rats. She is also natural with all animals and also has a lot of medical experience in regards to pets and her fosters. She loves to work with pets to give them the care they deserve, as well as giving the owner the satisfaction and reassurance that their pets are in good hands.

Brittany Muscarella, A.M./P.M. and Overnight Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Brittany joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC in December 2012.  Brittany has a Master’s in English from Indiana University Bloomington and currently teaches English as a Second Language at Erie Community College.

Dogs are Brittany’s passion.  She regularly volunteers with the Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, coordinating events and walking shelter pups; she also researches and writes grants for BrightStar German Shepherd Rescue.  In addition,  Brittany volunteers at Lothlorien Therapeutic Riding Center, which provides equine-assisted therapy services, and has done wildlife rehabilitation at the SPCA Serving Erie County.

When she is not teaching, volunteering, or playing with her own pups Fiona and Penny, Brittany enjoys distance running, reading, and backpacking.  She also maintains a blog dedicated to pet care and literary topics.

Nothing can bring greater joy to one’s life than the love of a pet.  Brittany understands that your pets are cherished members of your family, and she looks forward to providing them with the best possible care.

Matthew Walline, A.M./P.M. and Overnight Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Matthew joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC in January 2013  and is excited to be a part of the team.

Matthew is a Stay at Home Father who brings a life time of animal care experience to our company.  Prior to staying at home with 3 wonderful children, he worked at Wegmans as a Bakery Department Manager for 8 years, where customer service was always his number one priority.  He has a BA degree from UB in Legal Studies, and loves gardening and martial arts.  His goal is to listen to his customers, provide outstanding customer service, and love your animals like they were his own.  He is willing to work with any type of animal, large or small, furry or scaly, young or old.

Matthew is a life long animal lover, who loves working with all types of animals.  He believes that animals are family members, and treats his house like one big pack.  Animals understand and appreciate the loving care and safety they receive from their pack mates, and Matthew appreciates the love that animals show in return.  Matthew hopes to become part of his customers “pack” and show their animals the same quality of love and care that their owners show them.  He has owned all types of animals, his favorite being his SPCA adopted St. Bernard Odin and his rescued English Mastiff Allie.  Yes, that is 300 pounds of dog in one house…His current pack includes Buddy, a black lab/ terrier mix from the SPCS, Askher, a 3 legged cat from the SPCA, and Josie, our Daschund puppy that his wife fell in love with.

Janiene Palmeri, A.M./P.M. Sitter

Janiene relocated to Buffalo ten years ago for a job opportunity.  She wound up meeting her husband and falling in love with him and Buffalo, which she is now proud to call her home.  She resides in Amherst with her husband and five domestic cats:  Jewels, Zoey, Jelly, Joe and Butters.  She has spent her entire life around animals – both cats and dogs.  Janiene and her  husband support organizations such as Erie County SPCA and Ten Lives Club.  They are also supportive of organizations that educate animal owners about the responsibility of spaying and neutering their pets.

Three years ago Janiene and her husband found a small black cat eating trash out of their dumpster.  It broke their hearts, so they put out a plate of warm food which the cat took to immediately.  Every evening thereafter, she came to their back door and allowed them to feed her.  Apparently, she “adopted” them.  They had her spayed, but not before she had seven baby kittens!  They helped her care for the kittens and found loving homes for five of the seven.  They kept Mittens and two of the babies.  It was one of the most incredibly rewarding experiences that Janiene ever had.

Janienes goal is to care for your animals the way you would and to uphold the outstanding reputation built by Laura.  She joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC because she loves animals and  believes in this invaluable service!

Mary Penny, A.M./P.M. Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Mary is happy to have join the Laura’s Critter Care, LLC team. She has lived in Buffalo and been involved with animals her entire life. Mary is a professional animal trainer and behavior consultant here in Buffalo and is very involved in the animal care industry- from behavior and training, to volunteer work, to recreation.

Mary brings a passion for animal care along with endless patience, thorough knowledge of animal behavior, and a strong drive to continue learning more. She has experience caring for many species and has a genuine appreciation for all animals. Mary grew up with small rodents, rabbits, birds, dogs, cats, fish and more- as well as caring for, training and riding horses since a young age, with 13+ years of equine experience. Mary continuously attends seminars, webinars, workshops and reads to further her knowledge of all aspects of animal behavior and husbandry- if she encounters something she doesn’t know, she will make it a point to learn more about it.

Mary’s professional animal career started years ago when she worked at a local dog daycare- she has since worked at other dog daycare, grooming and training facilities and currently works part-time as an independent contractor at Buffalo’s own indoor dog swimming facility, Canine Splash, LLC. She graduated with distinction from Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior in 2010 and has been training with various species – mostly dogs, but also cats, rats, goats, horses, fish, and more – since then.

Marissa Downing, A.M./P.M. Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Marissa graduated with her degree in Graphic Design, but her background is in the Human Services field. She has assisted and cared for adults and children with developmental disabilities for the past 15 years. Several of those years as a Group Home Manager.

Marissa has a love and passion for care-giving and is lifelong animal lover. She has had a cat named Mittens, 2 Maltese named Spunky and Buddy and 3 parakeets. She has also been planning on adopting a rescue dog in the near future. Marissa is a frequent visitor at the Erie county SPCA.

Marissa currently resides in Amherst with her husband, Jason and 2 small children.

Debbie Maine, A.M./P.M. and Overnight Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Debbie comes to Laura’s Critter Care, LLC with over 13 years experience in the pet care industry. She has been involved in obedience training since 2000 and has been working in veterinary care since 2004. Her experience enables her to care for those pet family members on insulin, fluids and with other medical needs. Debbie has been pet sitting for family and friends for the past 14 years.

Debbie lives with a 13 year old female lab mix named “Randi”, a 14 year old feline named “Betcha Kitty” and a 3 year old hound mix named “Gracie”. All are rescues. She has also opened her heart and home to foster cats and dogs for the past 11 years.

Tiffany Vanille,  Mid Day Dog Walker

Tiffany definitely has a passion for animals. She has known ever since she was a little girl, bringing home all kinds of different animals, that she would have a career in animal care. Tiffany grew up on a farm in the small town of Middleport, NY and has lived there for most of her life until she recently moved to Cheektowaga, NY.

Growing up on a farm has given Tiffany so many great experiences such as caring for a number of different animals as well as riding horseback for nearly 20 years. She has owned and cared for a number of house pets as well as farm animals. Tiffany currently works part time at Canine and Company, a dog kennel/ daycare facility, in Depew, NY and she sometimes teaches an animal care class during the summer months at Forrestel Sports and Riding Camp in Medina, NY.

Tiffany earned an associates degree at Niagara County Community College for their Animal Management program. During those two years in college she experienced internships at The Buffalo Zoo, The Aquarium of Niagara, and the Amherst Boarding Kennel. Tiffany currently owns one dog, a Boston Terrier/ Cockapoo mix, by the name of Chloe. she takes pride in knowing how well behaved her dog is and the special bond that they share. Chloe is her everything.

Lynn Broderick,  Mid Day Dog Walker

Lynn joined the Laura’s Critter Care, LLC team to provide mid day dog walking services. She is a professional pet trainer and has had her own business since May 2005. Her business is called Pet Works. She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the Pet Professional Guild, and is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator. Lynn has extensive experience in dog behavior & training, safe animal handling, canine temperament evaluations, teaching dog obedience, canine behavior counseling, and training & competing in dog agility.

Lynn began her career in animal behavior in 1999 at the Erie County SPCA here in Buffalo NY, developing and directing the innovative Animal Behavior & Training Department. Her duties included canine and feline behavior advice, training & stress reduction programs for the shelter animals, Family Companion and Puppergarden dog obedience programs, canine temperament evaluations, pet adoption counseling, and the TLC Program, which taught inner-city teens to train shelter dogs using positive reinforcement (praise and reward) techniques. She welcomed many foster dogs into her North Buffalo home during that time.

Lynn enjoys working with pet owners as much as she enjoys the animals! She believes that training, taking care of and living with pets should be fun and rewarding. She always tries to make sure everyone, human and canine, is enjoying the experience.

Lynn discovered dog agility in 2000 and has put countless titles on her dogs and friend’s dogs. She started teaching agility in 2005, and loves sharing new techniques and handling strategies with her students. She also dabbles in Rally Obedience and Dock Dogs, and has earned AKC Canine Good Citizenship certificates on her dogs Riley and Amber. Amber has competed in four CPE National and two NADAC Championship competitions, as well as the 2011 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Large Dog Agility event.

Lynn is actively involved in the Four Seasons Agility Club and Up and Over Dog Sports.

Mary Van Volkenburg , A.M./P.M. Sitter and Mid Day Dog Walker

Mary joined Laura’s Critter Care, LLC in April 2013 and is excited to be a newer team member.

Mary received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Buffalo State College. She worked as a medical technologist in bacteriology. After thirty years in the field of science, Mary decided to follow her passion working with animals.

She is a regular volunteer at the Erie County SPCA where she walks dogs in the enrichment department and focuses on dog behavior, dog training and dog body language. She began to foster rescue dogs and had to stop after adopting them all. Before joining Laura’s Critter Care, Mary had a private dog-walking and pet-sitting service with a small client-base. Mary is a passionate animal lover and a life-long pet owner.

Mary resides in Kenmore with three rescued dogs: Diamond, her chihuahua princess, Homer, her agility and therapy dog, and Enzo, her 15 year-old special needs dog, as well as her two rescue cats Sylvia and Fraiday  She loves the challenge of special needs dogs – fragile, sick, or simply cantankerous. Mary’s natural ability to communicate with dogs and other animals is apparent the minute she meets any four-legged friend. She looks forward to working with your sweetheart soon.