Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Strayer.
Hi Anna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Anna’s Animals began in the fall of 2019, just a few months after I graduated from Ohio University in their E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. I had spent that following summer pet sitting for friends and family, and not thinking much of it beyond enjoying time with animals. When my mom casually suggested, “You should start Anna’s Animals,” I laughed it off at first. It felt too simple, too small… maybe even a little silly at the time. After all, I just got my degree so I thought I had to go get what would be considered a “real” job or a “big girl job.”
Yet, something about the idea stuck with me.
Between shifts serving and bartending at Applebees, I found myself in a local coffee shop fleshing out the idea, researching how to form an LLC, and designing a website that felt true to me. I even hired my childhood friend to take photos of me with my family dogs in my parents’ backyard so I’d have something real and personal to put online. I decided early that if I was going to promote myself in this way, I wanted it to look professional, tasteful, and legitimate.
At one of my shifts at Applebees, my manager said, “So what… you’re just going to let dogs out all day?” And I replied, “that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Then, in early 2020, the world shut down. COVID hit and all the bookings I had lined up for spring disappeared almost immediately. Like so many new business owners, I found myself back at square one, but I was fortunate compared to many — I still lived at home, and since Anna’s Animals wasn’t off the ground yet, I didn’t fully feel the impact that others in my industry did. I did not have to pivot. I simply just had to wait to start again.
By fall 2020, I accepted a part-time marketing job, thinking maybe I could get my business going while earning some more stable income. But the more time passed, the more I realized how much the office life did not resonate with me. I craved something more meaningful and, if I’m being honest, work where I felt genuinely appreciated. I realized if I wanted this dream to grow into something real, I couldn’t half-commit to it. I needed full time availability to be of service to client needs.
So in the spring of 2021, I took the leap and quit my marketing job. I decided I was all in!
My first week “all in”, I got my first call for reoccurring work. I’ll never forget the moment I received an inquiry from a client who needed weekly drop-in visits for his new Corgi puppy. It felt like a sign — a little moment of validation that I had made the right decision. That client ended up becoming not only one of my longest-standing clients, but a friend and a mentor who has supported and guided me through this journey.
Over the years, I’ve poured myself into this work because I’ve realized how special, necessary, and deeply personal professional pet care truly is. I found an industry podcast that became my informal education — sparking ideas, pushing me to grow, and helping me shape what Anna’s Animals could become. I invested in pet sitting software that transformed everything: the client onboarding experience, communication, scheduling, invoicing — it became the heartbeat of the business. Along with that, I’ve joined Pet Sitter International, the industry’s leading professional pet care association since 1994. I have even attended two World Pet Sitter Conferences – one in Niagara Falls, NY and recently, San Antonio, TX.
But more than anything, the reason Anna’s Animals is what it is today is because of the connections I’ve made along the way. From crossing paths with the right people at the right time, to joining a business cohort led by one of our industry’s major consultants, every relationship has helped push me forward, refine my vision, and believe that this little idea from 2019 could become something meaningful.
Anna’s Animals started as a side gig, a suggestion I almost dismissed. Today, it’s a full-time business, a community, and a purpose I’m grateful for every single day. And we’re only getting started!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I zoom out and reflect, the journey has been smooth in the sense that things have always worked out, and the timing of my business’s growth has aligned naturally with the stages of my personal life. That said, each season has brought its own challenges. I’ve heard the saying, “As you grow, so do your problems,” and while that’s partly true, I think the problems simply transform.
In the solopreneur stage, the challenge was having enough clients to make this my full-time income. I certainly didn’t start with that, and taking the leap came with financial pressure. At the same time, I faced more judgment and criticism from others early on. Blocking out those comments wasn’t always easy—they made me question whether what I was doing was silly or legit. I had to learn early on that all that mattered was believing in myself even if that meant being misunderstood by others. I use to struggle with that in the beginning.
Fast forward to today: I now have recurring weekly clients, a small team, and more brand recognition. The challenge has shifted to juggling the internal needs of the business while still being one of the main service providers in the field. It’s been a tricky season of trying to pull myself out of day-to-day work so I can actually run the business, while also maintaining enough client volume to delegate consistent work to my staff. In many ways, I’ve realized I am my own business’s bottleneck.
Like many business owners, I started this because I was passionate about the core service—my love of dogs and spending time with them. That part has always been clear, natural, and easy for me. What I didn’t anticipate was how much I would need to learn about the business side: profit margins, labor costs, taxes, and everything else behind the scenes. Learning all of this as I go has been humbling. It’s felt like learning a new language while simultaneously using it in real time.
But I also recognize that the struggles I face now exist because my business has grown. That perspective is a blessing in disguise, and one I try to return to whenever things feel overwhelming.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Anna’s Animals is a premier in-home pet care company serving Perrysburg, Ohio and the surrounding suburbs. We specialize in personalized, relationship-based care that gives pets comfort and their owners’ peace of mind. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all experience, we aim to build long-term, trusted relationships with the pets and families we serve—something we’ve become known for in the community.
While our business has expanded to a team centric model, the heart of what we do has stayed the same. We value care, consistency, concern, and connection.
We stand out because of our commitment to personalized service. Every visit is tailored—whether that means adapting to an anxious dog’s comfort level, paying special attention to senior pets, or maintaining a pet’s exact routines. Our clients know that their pets aren’t just checked on; they’re genuinely cared for.
Brand-wise, we’re most proud of cultivating trust. We’ve become known for our professionalism, our communication, and the deep compassion we bring into every home we enter. That level of trust is reflected in our policies and operations—transparent communication through our client portal, meet-and-greets before service, branded attire to ensure professionalism, and a strong emphasis on home safety and reliability.
We offer a range of pet care services including daily dog walking, drop-in pet sitting visits, Almost Overnights (our new “bed and breakfast” style evening + morning service), and Wedding Pet Attendants. We will bring your dog to your wedding day!
What I want readers to know is that our brand is built on heart, trust, and high standards. We don’t aim to be the biggest—we aim to be the most reliable, the most thoughtful, and the most client-centered pet care provider in the area. For us, it’s about giving pet parents the freedom to live their lives—go to work, travel, or attend life’s obligations—while knowing their animals are safe, loved, and treated like family. And, we make it fun!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.annasanimals419.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnasAnimals419
