About Us

After 36 years in the clinical laboratory field in 3 states, the last 13 years as a lab manager, I decided to ‘retire’ and pursue my lifelong interest in caring for animals. I have experience with dogs and cats of all ages, rabbits, birds, gerbils, fish and– thanks to a brother — many reptiles such as lizards, snakes, chameleons, turtles and anything else he could bring home or buy. I have also volunteered for the several years for Voices for Animals in their endeavor to capture, spay and neuter mostly feral cats each year. Over 1,000 cats were spayed or neutered and returned during the time Voices for Animals was hosting this endeavor. I have been a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) for many years and have taken their certification course which teaches all sorts of things professional pet sitters should know, such as emergency situation awareness, laws involved in business ownership, all kinds of specific pet care etc. to name but a few. I also fostered two kittens last year for The Cat Action team. I was able to facilitate the adoption of one of the kittens and ended up adopting the second myself and nursing her through months of illnesses.

is the head of marketing. For any of you who have found a card or postcard near your mailbox, Steve is the reason for this. He does this in his “spare time” — he is the author of over 23 science fiction novels and short stories that have been published since the 1990’s.

Michele “Chella” Hagen lives in Ivy with her husband Alan and dog Corvidae. She moved to the area in 2015 for a job on an area estate caring for Friesian horses. Though she has left the horse world to focus on caring for area pets she volunteers at a therapeutic riding facility once a week that helps children with all ranges of behavioral, developmental and emotional issues.

Chella says, I have been told I am a bit ‘extra’ in regards to my own pet. I think that also carries over to the animals I take care of. I truly love my job and get very excited to see the same smiling faces weekly. They always give me a big welcome! Even if it’s a dog or cat that I haven’t seen in awhile because their people haven’t been away, they remember me and are just so happy it can’t help but brighten my day. What’s not to love about that?

Chella has been on the team since December of 2015 and also helps out with administrative tasks, scheduling, and team management several days a week.

Rosemary has lived in Charlottesville the majority of her life, and she has been working at Purrfect Place for Pets, on and off for several years. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg with a BA in Peacebuilding and Development. She then came back to Charlottesville to work at Region Ten as a Direct Support Professional for about a year. When that job ended, she decided to come back to Purrfect Place for Pets. She writes below:

Animals have been my passion since I was a little girl. I’ve always had several pets throughout my life, always cats. My cat family consists of three kitties: Kenny (10 years) and Bit (8 years). and Pixi about 8 months. Of course, I love dogs too. I’ve been pet sitting independently since I was a teenager around my neighborhood and for friends in other neighborhoods around the Western Albemarle area. I’ve taken care of all types of animals such as the typical dog and cat and also, farm animals such as chickens and llamas. I love every animal equally and treat them as my own. Any animal I take care of will be part of my family, no matter how long I take care of them. I hope to see y’all, both human and fuzzy animals, soon!

Belinda was born in Southern California, and spent most of her childhood moving around as a military brat. Her family settled in San Diego when she was 10 when her father retired from the Navy. She made her way to Charlottesville when she was 29 to pursue a Ph.D in economics at UVA.. She spent most of her time after graduating with a Masters, teaching and tutoring economics and mathematics. She came to Purrfect Place for Pets to supplement her income in a rich and rewarding way. She did not grow up with pets, despite her desire to have them, but had a dog (a Beagle) and a cat upon finishing school. Her dog, Lucy, and her cat, Buckley, have both passed on, but she now has a young cat (Rahab) that she loves very much. She has taken care of friends dogs and cats in the past. She writes below:

It is my pleasure to care for your pets at Purrfect Place for Pets. I can’t imagine a better use of my time than caring for pets. I approach every visit as though your pets are my own. I have a genuine love for animals and cannot wait to meet — or continue to care for — your pets.