Kelly Mathieu
Owner, North End Pet Services, LLC
I knew from a young age that I wanted to work with animals, and have been in the animal field since 1998. I started my career as a kennel assistant and dog groomer during my high school and college years, and volunteered at a local veterinary hospital to gain experience.
I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2004 with a major in animal sciences. Thereafter I became involved in animal welfare working at a local Vermont humane society. There I cared for the animals and worked as an adoption counselor. I then continued to follow my love and admiration for animals and became a veterinary nurse for 15 years.
When I became a mother in 2012, I continued my veterinary nursing career working part-time, and began my own cat sitting business. I saw a great need for at-home cat care as cats can be very sensitive to traveling, and staying in an unfamiliar place. I was able to incorporate the specific needs of cats and their owners with my experience working at a veterinary hospital. Many of my cat sitting clients request specialized care for their fur babies, and medication administration ranging from supplements, to oral medication, to injections and sub-cutaneous fluids. All of which can be provided in the comfort of the cat’s home.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I had to leave my job as a veterinary nurse and stay home to care for my two children. After an adjustment period, I saw this sudden, challenging situation as a new opportunity to grow my business.
During the pandemic we sadly lost our family cat of 13 years to cancer. We then adopted a coonhound/lab mix named Piper. It was during this time that I realized there was a great need in our community for dog walking services. Many people had adopted pets during the pandemic, and had found it challenging to find care at boarding facilities, or daycares with the influx of pet adoptions. Beyond that, there are many dogs that prefer individualized time versus being in a group setting. I soon began offering dog walking services in the greater Burlington area; helping dogs get the attention and exercise they need.
While growing my business over the past 9 years, I have met some wonderful people in the greater Burlington area, and formed some great friendships with those people and their pets. I truly love the sense of community that my business brings to me and that I am able to continue to care for and spend time with animals.
In my spare time, I enjoy being outdoors with my husband, two children, and our dog. You can find us biking, walking, skiing/riding at Smuggs, and spending time near Lake Champlain. I enjoy volunteering as a coach for my girls’ various sports teams and being a troop volunteer for their Girl Scout adventures.
