Philadelphia Pet Services
- Ned Sonstein
Ned has worked professionally with domestic animals for over five years and is proficient in animal CPR and the injection of medications (both hypodermic and oral). The proud parent of two rescued feral cats (Ava Shmougie and Grayson H. Kizmit), Ned has a knack for working with animals of all shapes and sizes.
As a manager for The Pet Nanny, Ned’s specialty is coordinating and overseeing large dog playgroups. Legend has it that Ned was raised by wolves in Fairmount Park and knows the local terrain like the back of his paw.
Ned is a former owner of the heralded Griffin Café and now works professionally as a musician, playing drums/percussion, piano, guitar, bass, and vox, in styles ranging form theater to rock to jazz. Ned’s first pet was a beautiful Golden Retriever named Chipper.
- Jason Lipnicki
Jason moved to Philadelphia in 2002 after serving eight years in the U.S. Navy as a medic. Shortly after attending culinary school and while working as a cook, he adopted Shelby, an exceptional Labrador Retriever puppy. He soon became interested in the therapeutic nature of pets and this led to the training of Shelby as a volunteer Pet Therapy dog, serving in local hospitals and nursing homes.
Deciding to pursue a career involving animals, Jason began working full-time for The Pet Nanny in 2006 and was able to apply his knowledge of dog behavior and training as a key walker for the company. Jason enjoys interacting with each animal depending on its particular interests and personality traits. He has an excellent rapport with dogs and a unique ability to match energy levels, creating special playgroups that participants eagerly anticipate every day. Jason is especially good with large breed dogs and has experience with pets who have behavioral issues. He routinely attends Canine Emergency Medicine seminars and is comfortable and experienced administering medical treatments upon request.
Jason is a Fairmount resident who recently married and is now the proud father of a beautiful daughter. In his free time, Jason enjoys cooking, wine, playing guitar, writing and playing frisbee with his dogs Quincey and Shelby.
- Patrice Caron
Patrice has been working with The Pet Nanny since August of 2007 and specializes in dog walking, cat care, and house sitting for clients. Dogs and cats have been members of her family since she was born. Her dog Katie and her childhood cats Snuggles, Mugzie, and Patches lived long and happy lives. She currently has one cat named Freddie whom she adopted after Freddie was rescued by Gina.
Patrice has a BFA in Jazz Dance Performance from the University of the Arts, and has been dancing with the company Arche Dream for Humankind for the past two and a half years. In addition to dancing, Patrice is a choreographer and director in the company. She has a deep love for animals and aspires to attend school for veterinary medicine.
- Rhoda Crawford
Rhoda moved to Philly in 2005 from Atlanta to start her own real estate appraisal company. After being in the business since 1997, she decided to split her time between appraising and pet sitting to satisfy her thirst for working with animals. She's always had a special connection with animals and has spent her time volunteering for animal welfare through Greater Philadelphia Cares, Petfinder.com and the Philaldephia Animal Care and Control Association (PACCA). In her spare time she enjoys photography, traveling, and designing Halloween décor and jewelry.
Rhoda currently lives in Fishtown with her three rescue dogs Bailey, Mochi Belle, Otto Kane, and one rescue cat, Pen-Pen.
- Alyssa Baum
Alyssa lives in Northern Liberties with her roommates and the two house dogs, Pengui and Akira. Alyssa comes from a long family line of pet caregivers, veterinarians, and vet technicians. She has been an animal lover since childhood and grew up in a household with five dachshunds, two cats, a hamster, two turtles, a pair of parakeets, an aquarium, and a lizard! She is an avid member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and has fought for animal rights and protection in various efforts throughout her life.
Alyssa is a graduate of Richard Stockton College with a BA in Media Communications and Studio Art. Besides caring for her furry friends, she also sits on the board for the Darfur Alert Coalition working for peace in Sudan, volunteers in an array of community organizations, works as a marketing rep for a local sports and entertainment firm, and designs greeting cards with her mother in their self-run company, Gotta Lotta Heart. Alyssa loves being a part of the Pet Nanny team because it allows her to spend time outside everyday with the best kind of companion – your furry family member!