About Us

Karey

She/Her

Senior Pet Sitter

Karey has always loved animals. As a girl, she often found injured birds or stray animals to help. She grew up with dogs most of her life, plus a guinea pig, gerbil, bunny, and fish. Her family currently shares their home with two cats, Teal and Taffy. Taffy was adopted from Animal Friends where Karey worked for 5 years as an Adoption Counselor/ Offsite Adoption Event Coordinator!

Karey has two kids who have special needs at home, and while family keeps her busy, Karey’s love for animals has never changed. As her children have grown, Karey has stressed the importance of care and kindness to animals as a family value. Spending time with neighborhood furriends and educating her kids on how to help an animal in need has been an awesome experience to pass along. Karey truly loves her work at Merry Puppins, and as a highly skilled and experienced member of our team since August 2020, she is also beloved by everyone she works with!

Ann

She/Her

Pet Sitter

Pet Sitter Ann grew up in Northern California and Massachusetts in a family that was full of pets, including cats, dogs, rabbits, fish and chickens – not necessarily all at the same time! She loves showering love on all the adorable and clever furriends she gets to meet as part of the Merry Puppins Team.

Ann is a parent of two adult daughters. She believes what makes Pittsburgh special are its lovely neighborhoods, parks and people.

Isabella

She/Her

Pet Sitter

Isabella grew up in Pittsburgh with dogs, cats, hermit crabs, fish and hamsters! She moved to Philadelphia to attend Tyler School of Art at Temple University and graduated with a BFA in Sculpture. When not working with pets, Isabella is making art. She worked at a doggie daycare in Philadelphia during college, and also has a lot of volunteer experience with dogs, cats, and alpacas! Isabella has a miniature dachshund named Olive, and she also enjoys horseback riding. When asked what she likes about working at Merry Puppins, she said, “I love how much Merry Puppins cares for its clients and employees. It’s very personalized and authentic which isn’t something you come across often!” Isabella has been a valued team member since August 2022.

Christa

She/Her

Pet Sitter

Christa grew up in central Louisiana, around farms and greenhouses, in an area with a lot of stray animals. Every stray or wild animal that wandered into the yard, Christa tried to keep. She even had a stray horse that she tried to hide in a tent! Somehow the 4 ft legs sticking out gave away the secret. As she got older, she worked as a farmhand. She has experience caring for all types of pets, and is especially excited when she sees exotic pets on her schedule! She moved to Pittsburgh in 2021, with her cats Dorian and Houdini. Christa is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh.

Nancy

She/Her

Cat Care Specialist

Nancy is originally from Ohio, where she grew up with dogs and a parakeet. She is now a Certified Cat Lady who lives with 4 cats- 3 rescued from a parking lot, and 1 foster failure. She has worked with TNR (trap/ neuter/ release for feral cats) and helped set up the permanent veterinary clinic for the Homeless Cat Management Team. Nancy teaches microbiology and loves taking care of kitties for Merry Puppins in her free time. She’s thrilled to be part of the team since November 2022.

John

He/Him

Dog Walker

Dog Walker John is from Penn Hills, and is married with two sons – and they all have cats! He grew up with dogs and loves working for Merry Puppins because he gets to meet awesome pets.

John’s hobbies include drawing, painting, playing tennis and cycling, and he also likes to travel and explore new places. For John, one of the best things about Pittsburgh is that it’s a great place to walk around and explore nice parks… a perfect fit for a Dog Walker!

Lisa

She/Her

Senior Pet Sitter, Team Leader

Lisa loves to keep things exciting by continually learning new things – she even rode a motorcycle across the country once! We’re lucky to have her as a Pet Sitter here at Merry Puppins, where she enjoys meeting lots of new pets with distinctive personalities.

When Lisa isn’t spending time with her two cats Zeva and Binx, she loves biking, hiking, reading, and working on DIY projects.

Nick

He/Him

Senior Pet Sitter, Team Leader

Our resident bird expert and avid naturalist, Nick knows how important it is for pet parents to have peace of mind, especially when traveling; and he appreciates the opportunity to provide exceptional care for their animals. He grew up with Labrador and Golden Retrievers, and later became interested in reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. Nick’s household now includes a non-releasable American Crow that they care for and use in wildlife education programs.

Nick appreciates Pittsburgh’s blend of urban and natural beauty, with its iconic bridges that provide shelter for rare ducks, and city parks large and deep enough to get lost in. A fun fact about Nick is that he started keeping track of the bird species he’s seen in his travels and hopes to hit 500 in 2025!

Connor

Hey/They

Pet Sitter

Pet Sitter Connor comes from a family of animal lovers – his family dog Ripper, a German Shepherd mix, lived to be 17 years old! Connor now has two cats, Junie and Chappell, and his favorite thing about working with Merry Puppins is creating positive and fun memories with all the pets he gets to meet.

When he’s not caring for animals, Connor teaches Color Guard for several local scholastic programs. He loves how friendly the people are here in Pittsburgh and believes the skyline is truly unmatched!

Alaina

She/Her

Senior Pet Sitter, Team Leader

Alaina is a Certified Veterinary Technician with a background in emergency and critical care. She was born in California and has lived in Kansas and St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Pittsburgh in 2007. Alaina’s boxer-pit bull mix Benny is her world, and they’ve been through a lot together since he came home with her in 2018.

Alaina is excited to meet all the pets through Merry Puppins – and she knows she’ll make friends with all of them! Music is a big part of Alaina’s life, and she loves attending live shows in her free time.

Emily

She/Her

Pet Sitter

Emily grew up with dogs and has been pet sitting for family and friends for as long as she can remember. She lives with her fur baby Cannoli, a cattle dog mix who loves tummy rubs and napping. Emily says that being Cannoli’s caretaker is the biggest privilege!

Emily is a Licensed Speech Pathologist, working on her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh. Her many hobbies include playing volleyball, doing CrossFit, baking, crocheting, reading and traveling. Emily also loves checking out the many delicious Thai restaurants across Pittsburgh and is fluent in American Sign Language.

Ash

She/Her

Pet Sitter, Administrative Assistant

Ash brings a heart full of calm and creativity to Merry Puppins! Originally from Cabot, PA, she shares her home with two fabulous cats, Maionese and Olio. Before joining our team, Ash lived in Los Angeles, where she worked as a Cat Sitter, among many other jobs- she is full of skill and experience! Ash regularly hosts sound baths with cats for Kitty Queen Cat Rescue- yes, it’s as magical as it sounds!

In addition to helping us with administrative projects around the office, Ash is a yoga instructor, sound therapist, and conscious dance DJ who loves blending mindfulness and movement in everything they do. Her gentle presence makes both pets and people feel instantly at ease.

Barbara

She/Her

Pet Sitter / School for Dogs Program Manager

Barbara grew up in Pittsburgh and brings more than 30 years of hands-on pet care experience to the Merry Puppins team. Her career has included managing the dog floor at the Humane Society of New York for six years, where she gained deep expertise working with dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. She also owned and operated Bow Wow Doggie Daycare, where she built a thriving community of happy pups and pet parents.

Now based in Edgewood/Regent Square, Barbara loves the neighborhood’s greenery and the spontaneous, interesting conversations that bloom around every corner. Outside of work, she enjoys long bike rides with friends (and plenty of snacks), and is a creative spirit who loves making things — from woodworking and felting to found-object sculpture.

We’re thrilled to have Barbara’s experience, empathy, and love of dogs on the Merry Puppins team.

Christie

She/Her

Pet Sitter

Christie grew up in Harwick, PA, surrounded by animals — dogs, cats, chickens, horses, and all kinds of small pets. These days, she shares her home with two senior dogs (a German Shepherd and a Chihuahua), five cats, and one adorable bunny.

With over 30 years of pet care experience, Christie’s love for animals shines through in everything she does. When she’s not caring for pets, she’s probably hiking, kayaking, backpacking, foraging, or tending her garden.

She also works at a barn caring for horses and loves spending time with her family — especially her two adult kids, her five-year-old granddaughter, and her parents who live just up the street. Christie says her favorite thing about Pittsburgh is “all the trails, lakes, and rivers!”