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 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 also volunteered for CAT (Cat Action Team) for the last couple of years in the quest to foster feral kittens and their mothers as well as find homes for the kittens and the mothers if they are pet material. I also help transport both kittens and adult cats to their forever homes.

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 dogs Corvidae and Nutmeg. Nutmeg is a puppy mill rescue and had no human contact for the majority of her young life. She taught her a lot about caring for fearful and shy animals, while Corvi has been in her home since three months old and is a regular social butterfly.

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 still enjoys riding when she gets the chance. She credits horses for her ability to think on her feet in situations where an animal might be stressed or acting out and thinks the quiet calmness required for equestrian activities is beneficial in the care of all animals.

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 two kitties: Bit (10 years) and Pixi about (2 years). 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.