OUR PEOPLE
Heather MacKenzie - Founder / Primary Pet Care Provider
- Heather grew up in Northern Ontario surrounded by forest and wildlife. She has worked extensively in nature for over 15 years, monitoring environmental compliance and protecting ecosystems using her background in environmental science. She relocated to Southern Ontario and continued this work at Conservation Authorities in the region, preserving habitat for species at risk and hosting mentoring programs for secondary school students.
- As well as her encounters in the wild and childhood barnyard adventures, she has had furry friends at home all her life. She developed an empathy with animals of all kinds and sizes. Heather has been active in community work at Sari Therapeutic Riding and at Kids N Bits with horse programs for children. The company has jumped on board with the local community at the Paws-itively Elgin Show and by volunteering at Dog-toberfest.
Both shows support pet outreach.
- Heather's family animals have included rescues - one through ARF and one DIY. Or as the saying goes..I was rescued by by my shelter pup! Heather loves animals and "walks the talk" in her daily life. Her two dogs "recently" crossed the rainbow bridge after long healthy lives and we are on a break with so many creatures to care for every day. Heather lives happily in St.Thomas with the family alpha, Walter Hohman (more on him later).
- Working in pet care since 2016, clients find their pets are quick to establish a loving bond with Heather and she puts them readily at ease. Over time, she is steadily growing a quality pet care team with reliable primary and backup care providers. The team's passion for their work is reflected in our galleries below and can be seen online in reviews on Google and Facebook. Heather has committed to pet care with a loving intensity to ensure animal safety and happiness wherever she goes!
Walter Hohman - Partner/Primary Pet Care Provider
Since 2018, Walter has been certified as a Pet Care Provider
for dogs and has a growing love and talent for kitty care. He is fully versed in large dog leash safety and various walk techniques.
Litter pails no longer confound him and he has mastered cat wands and other feline engagement techniques.
Recent upgrades mean he can administer pen-injected insulin and oral pet meds too. Walter continues to aspire to further care certifications at ALPC.
Behind the scenes, Walter is our tech-driven customer service expert responsible for new client intake - people love him on the phone - talk or text!
He is quite the character!
And - he lovingly handles print/web designs, social media & wordsmithing.
Also from Northern Ontario, he has a lifetime of pet experiences drawn from his hours filled with family pups, hamsters and guinea pigs. Walter's wildlife experiences involved squirrels, chipmunks, a colourful parade of wild birds and the occasional rescued robin.
(See Walter's Gallery below.)
Katie Morgan
We are pleased to add a new pet care provider for summer 2022 to our team. Katie is a human care specialist by daytime trade as an RMT
soothing people's aches and pains.
Finbar the labradoodle is her personal love!
Katie is terrific at digesting and delivering complex care instructions and has a practical loving approach to care. As an RMT, Katie is police-checked in depth making her a certified trusted citizen. Treating people's
most private physical bodily issues makes her an attuned caregiver who notices important details or changes for any pet.
Company standards come easily due to her education background. Katie has shown much love for meet and greets for new clients recently. We happily announce she is an ALPC care provider.
Sherrie Goodwin
Sherrie is our most seasoned pet care specialist, getting her start in cat rescue at St.Thomas' own Animal Aide just over 16 years ago!
She has been been a valuable backup care person for us since 2020, taking over on short notice for a number of urgent situations. Our pet clients love her! Sherrie is well-adapted to company standards and has a particular love for larger animals. She is a valuable ALPC primary care provider.
Sherrie currently spends most of her time caring for humans on a rotating 12 hour shift schedule. We still call on her for weekend work or rush emergency or extended overnight stays. She is awesome!
Kimberly Jantzi - Creature Team Leader
Kimberly is the driving force and supervisor
of our team that cares for your non-meowing and
non-barking pet family members.
Kim and her human family handle their own mixed herd of unique pets on a daily basis and are constantly learning. Non-traditional pets such as birds, bunnies and reptiles require expert knowledge for success.
Her home hosts two medium birds, a Conure and a Quaker - Pickles and Echo and two Giant Flemish Bunnies - Garry and Hector. Her zoo of devotion includes Jaxon the German Shepard (pictured at right), Myla the Labrador and Agatha the English Bulldog. The largest responsibility goes to Josie the Macaw in the "large bird" category - where animal personalities get big and bold and inspire a lifetime bond - with pets often passing between generations.
Kim is our expert creature resource!
CREATURE TEAM
Meet Kim & Ben
Since 2019, our Creature Team has specialized in animals who squak, hiss and squeak, fly, scuttle and bounce!
Together, Kim and Ben understand
the special needs of your "creature" pets which can behave in unexpected and wonderful ways. They deliver care that respects each individual
creature's nature: a bird or a bunny ain't a dog and a lizard ain't a cat!
Unique and exotic animals need
to be gently approached and thoughtfully handled. These are not your regular pets and have a language all their own. Our team has hands on expert knowledge for feeding/diet, mannerisms and other sensitivities. Most of all, our team will always treat your animal friend as if they were their own.
Ben Gaspar - Creature Team Assistant
Ben is a fully hands-on qualified zoo keeper!
He shares in the daily responsibility of caring for the herd of animals in his and Kimberly's home with the rest of the family. Ben's favourites are add-ons to the previous zoo list - Charlotte the Cat and last but not least - Allen the Bearded Dragon! Ben is gaining valuable job and social
experience with Animal Lovers PC while enjoying his love of creatures. Always paired with Kim right now, he is aspiring to further contributions
to the overall team.
Ben is an enthusiastic, responsible animal lover working towards being a
certified care provider for all types of beasts.
Walter's Photo Gallery
KIM& BEN's photo resume
