Neighborhoods: Prospect Heights, Park Slope

About me: Since I was a young child, I have always been surrounded by animals. I had cats, dogs, and chickens throughout my life and now I take care of my own two dogs. Cyrus, a pitbull mix, is my first dog that I rescued from the pound. He is known for his goofy personality and his cuddling sessions when you wake up in the morning. He is the most lovable and affectionate creature that has ever come into my life. Six months later, I got a Siberian Husky named Thor, who is known for talking back and howling. I love it when he challenges people to a growling show down. His growling isn't aggressive and you can go back and forth until one of you wins. Most of the time he wins because he is a stubborn puppy. Before I moved to New York, I took care of four Chihuahuas for a family for two years. One of the Chihuahuas was disabled so she required medication, help with walking and lots of patience and love. When I have spare time, I take my dogs to the dog park and get to know other furry creatures and their owners. I am always stopping people on the street to shower their dogs with affection.

I look forward to meeting yours!

"Cookie, our handicap Chihuahua, has trouble trusting people and can be aggressive if she is not handled properly. She threw out her back a year ago and has slowly become blind. Cookie only allowed my husband and I to touch or hold her which made it very difficult to find a dog sitter who wasn't afraid. I could never find the right dog sitter because no one was sure how to approach her or handle her special needs. When cookie met Vanessa, I couldn't believe how calm and relaxed both of them were. Vanessa was patient and understanding of Cookie's medical history and did an excellent job of taking care of all our dogs. I finally had my mind at ease and felt that my dogs were in good hands."

-Ruth Hernandez