MORRISTOWN, NJ — A new business offers customizable pet care services for busy owners in the Morristown area, with a team of animal-lovers ready to walk, feed, visit, groom, or play with your four-legged best friend.
Woofie’s of Morristown began accepting clients in October for dog-walking, pet-sitting, and grooming needs in the Morris County area, by phone and online.
“We feel we’re a one-stop shop for pet needs,” said owner-operator Jill D’Esposito, adding that pet-sitting services are customizable, based on what each client and each pet requires.
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And, the Woofie’s team will be in Morristown after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, so current and potential clients can meet the animal lovers who will take care of their cherished pets. The mobile grooming spa will also be set up for pooches to get pampered, and they’ll be offering free mini brush-outs – to dogs, of course! (See more on that event at the bottom of this article.)
This is the first area in New Jersey where Woofie’s, which has been around since 2004 as a company, will operate. Woofie’s of Morristown serves towns including Florham Park, Madison, Mendham, Morris Plains, Parsippany, and Randolph.
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The local franchise is owned and operated by D’Esposito, a Hackettstown resident who brings organizational experience from a decade in the manufacturing sector.
She and her husband Guy have been married for 27 years, and are longtime cat owners who were interested in owning a business.
“We love animals,” she said. “We thought (Woofie’s) was a perfect fit.”
A busy schedule has prevented D’Esposito and her husband from getting a dog in the past, she said, because she felt she would not be able to give the dog enough love and attention.
“We haven’t had dogs because we both worked full time, and we couldn’t find a service like Woofie’s,” she said. “So we’ve had cats since they’re more independent.”
Through Woofie’s, owners can request a groomer to come by in the mobile pet spa and give their dog a springtime trim, come by for an afternoon walk, or book a sitter to check on their dogs and cats (or hamsters, or snakes) over a long weekend.
“If you want us to come while you’re on vacation four times a day, we’ll come four times a day,” she said, as an example. “If you want us to sleep at your house, we’ll come and sleep over.”
Woofie’s also offers “Bed and Biscuit” service, where pets go to a sitter’s home or visit the D’Esposito residence for a night.
A mobile app keeps pet parents connected with the Woofie’s employees, who will update a digital journal while they are with the animals. She said the process provides peace of mind for owners, so they don’t have to wonder if the sitter remembered specific feeding instructions for a pet.
“People love it, and the pet owners also can communicate with us through it,” she said.
All employees have to complete training online, and D’Esposito said she accompanies them on their first few visits for hands-on training, too. The Woofie’s team is currently hiring additional sitters and dog-walkers for its Morris County clients, and has a full-time groomer on staff.
D’Esposito said she is looking for patient, responsible people who love pets to join her staff, particularly if they have experience working with animals or are trained in pet CPR. The Woofie’s app model also lets employees have a more flexible schedule – and there are nearby colleagues to help them out if they have to cancel in an emergency.
“We have a whole team of sitters,” D’Esposito said. “ And so if something happens, where a pet sitter can’t get to the job, there’s always backup. We would never leave a dog alone.”
Woofie’s also provides house-sitting services to those who don’t have pets, if vacation-goers need someone to bring in the mail.
Area residents who want to find out more, and meet the Woofie’s team, can stop by their grand opening event on Saturday, March 9 after they march in the Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade. There will be a pop-up tent “pawty” around 1:30 p.m. at the Headquarters Plaza Pioneer Park (3 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ).
“It’s really for our customers to meet all the pet sitters, because pet sitters are in the home when the customers aren’t,” she said, adding that a number of current customers live in walking distance of the parade.
Woofie’s is offering free mini brush-outs for dogs and coupons for pet services that day and giving out a prize for the best-dressed dog for St. Patrick’s Day as well as some other giveaways. People can also take a look at the mobile pet spa, which can come by appointment to a client’s house and will also be at various events this year. Clients can book grooming services for cats, too.
D’Esposito said it’s a good time to book sitters for spring and summer vacations, or schedule dogs whose coats need more upkeep for a trim. They offer services 365 days a year.
“In the spring, also, we worry about allergies,” she added. “A lot of dogs get allergies, so it’s good for them to get baths, because pollen can stick to their fur.”
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Click here to check out what Woofie’s of Morristown has to offer, or give them a call at 908-441-6000.
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