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About Ocala Pet Sitting
Ocala Pet Sitting is the only cat-only pet sitting business in Ocala, Florida. Shannon and her team have served thousands of pets and families over the last 20 years, providing reliable, certified, and insured care that pet owners can trust.
👉 Learn more about Ocala Pet Sitting: https://www.ocalapetsitting.com
👉 Learn more about the Florida Pet Services Association: https://www.floridapetservices.org
From Vet School Dreams to 20 Years in Pet Sitting | Built Local Podcast
What happens when life redirects your path? In this episode of the Built Local Podcast, I sit down with Shannon, owner of Ocala Pet Sitting in Ocala, Florida.
Shannon shares her inspiring journey from studying animal biology with hopes of becoming a veterinarian, to unexpectedly launching a professional pet sitting business nearly two decades ago. She opens up about the challenges of running a solo business, why she eventually specialized in cats only, and how building a reliable team allowed her to keep serving families through health crises and life changes.
We dive into why professionalism in pet sitting matters, what separates certified sitters from casual ones, and the wild stories that come with caring for thousands of animals. Shannon also explains how Google reviews transformed her business, helping her stay the #1 pet sitter in Ocala.
If you’re curious about pet sitting, entrepreneurship, or just love animals, this is a story you won’t want to miss.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro – Shannon’s journey from vet school dreams
1:30 Starting Ocala Pet Sitting with a one-page website
4:15 Running solo for 15 years with no days off
6:50 Why she niched down to cats only
9:20 Building a team after health challenges
12:10 What separates professionals from hobby sitters
14:00 The Thanksgiving bathtub flood horror story
16:45 Google as her #1 source of new clients
18:50 Going from 35 reviews to 78+ in 3 months
21:00 Lessons from 20 years and thousands of pets cared for
23:00 Collaboration, not competition, in the pet sitting industry
25:00 How to connect with Shannon & Ocala Pet Sitting
26:13 Closing thoughts