Pet Sitters International Names Cara Armour 2009 Pet Sitter of the Year ™

Contact: Beth Stultz, Pet Sitters International

Phone: (336) 983-7747

E-mail: beth@petsit.com

Pet Sitters International Names Cara Armour 2009 Pet Sitter of the Year ™

King, NC (PSI)—Selected from this year’s superb pool of nominated professional pet sitters was Cara Armour, owner of Active Paws, Watertown, MA.  Armour was crowned PSI’s new Pet Sitter of the Year™ at the PSI’s 2010 Quest for Excellence Convention on February 5, 2010.

With members of Pet Sitters International (PSI) performing more than 17.4 million pet-sitting engagements annually, there’s no question pet owners rely on their professional pet sitters.  PSI’s Pet Sitter of the Year™ award gives pet owners an opportunity to recognize their pet sitters by nominating them for this coveted title. 

The Pet Sitter of the Year award is sponsored by Business Insurers of the Carolinas. It was created by PSI in 1995 and is considered the professional pet-sitting industry’s highest honor. 

Formerly a store manager for a local sporting goods company, Armour knew she did not want to continue a career in retail sales. Instead, she longed for a career that would allow her to provide a service that she knew would enhance her customers’ lives. She often felt guilty leaving her own puppy too long without having someone reliable to check on him and, after meeting some contacts at a local dog park, she decided to start Active Paws in January 2004.

Armour sees this recognition not only as an affirmation of her career choice, but also a validation of the pet-sitting industry. “I don’t know if I can express how honored I am to now have the ability to not only continue to help other pet sitters like me improve, but to further help the world understand that this industry is real, it’s professional and it’s booming,” she said.

This year’s Pet Sitter of the Year™ campaign brought in three hundred nominations for PSI members in 16 states and Canada. Serving on this year’s judging panel were David Pearsall of Business Insurers of the Carolinas, 2008 Pet Sitter of the Year™ Rob Nager and the PSI staff.

“Cara Armour’s commitment to her clients and to the betterment of the entire industry made her an ideal choice for this honor,” said PSI President Patti Moran.  “Her professionalism and passion are assets to her clients, to PSI and especially to the pet-sitting community.”

The other Top 5 Finalists in the 2009 Pet Sitter of the Year™ competition were: 

Scott Black, Personal Touch Pet Sitting Inc., Kingwood, TX

Kimberly Boyd, Canine Cuddle Care, Alpharetta, GA

Rita Burrows, Grand Paws at Home LLC, Dalton, GA 

Donna McPherson, Pawsitively Pets Inc., Atlanta, GA

To locate a PSI member pet sitter in your area or for more information about pet sitting as a profession, visit PSI’s Web site at www.petsit.com or call (336) 983-9222, ext 1.

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About Pet Sitters International

Established in 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing nearly 8,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad. PSI provides members with access to affordable bonding and liability insurance and educational resources including a comprehensive Accreditation Program, The Pet Sitter’s WORLD magazine and PSI’s annual Quest convention. PSI also publishes the The Pet Owner’s WORLD magazine and thepetsitblog.com. For more information, visit www.petsit.com, home of the Official Pet Sitter Locator™ or visit the PSIStoreOnline, the largest specialty retailer of products for pet sitters and pet-sitter business owners.