A self-described animal lover, Tracy Hahnle has always been around pets.

At one time she owned four dogs, two cats, a bird and a fish.

She loves pets so much that this year she went from the teaching profession to starting her own pet business in Denton.

“I wanted to do something to make pets feel comfortable at home,” Hahnle said.

Hahnle, 43, opened a local franchise of Fetch, a California-based business originating from the concept of providing customers with alternatives to regular kenneling and boarding of their pets.

“In my view, there are not very many pet sitting, pet walking or in-house pet care services in this area,” Hahnle said.

Hahnle came to Texas in 1997 because of the teaching opportunities. She began her teaching career, starting at kindergarten, in Oklahoma City, where she grew up. She moved on to the third, fourth and fifth grades as she continued her career in Denton public schools.

Though she had 16 years as a teacher, Hahnle decided to try something new and began to research different franchises.

“It was always going to be a dog franchise because franchises give you the support you need,” Hahnle said.

She said she chose Fetch because it was affordable compared to others.

It offers a variety of services like private dog walks, off-leash dog playgroups, in-home pet care, overnight sitting, private dog boarding and even pet transportation. Prices are based on the type of pet and the frequency of the service needed. 

Hahnle does not like the standard animal kenneling and boarding experience and discourages it.

“I am not saying that all kennels are bad, but it is very stressful for the pet to be in some place he doesn’t know,” Hahnle said.

So with her business, she makes pets feel better, which allows the pet owner peace of mind, she said.

Donna Harris from Grapevine came across Fetch in a newspaper ad last month and hired the business to walk her dog, Pearl, three days a week.

“I think Tracy is a godsend,” Harris said.

Harris travels often and wanted to find someone who could handle her 60-pound boxer.

“They are certified to handle animals, and that is important,” Harris said.

As part of setting up her business, Hahnle has hired six sitters in nearby areas such as Argyle, Corinth and Flower Mound to make services as accessible for as many area residents as possible.

“If you are going to Hawaii for two weeks, we can go to your house, take care of them, walk them, or we could have someone come to your house and spend the night,” Hahnle said. “We make sure you house is well taken care of, water your plants, and pick up dog poop … whatever you need done.”

She said pet sitting is not for everyone — people have to truly love being around animals.

“I have been doing this since I was 10 years old — house sitting for people and walking the dog. I got online on www.craigslist.org [an Internet classified ad site] and found Fetch,” said Sarah Bergman, one of the pet sitters from Corinth.

She made the switch from child care to spending her days playing with golden retrievers, Dalmatians and schnauzers.

“I love the idea of taking care of the animals, going to people’s houses and spending the night,” said Bergman, who has two Pyrenees at home.

Hahnle, who is looking to hire more sitters for the upcoming holiday season, said that before any services are performed, pets and their owners meet the sitter to build a working relationship.

“Sitters are background-checked, references are checked,” she said. “All the sitters that I hire love pets; I would not have anyone else.”

If Hahnle had her way, she’d have a zoo at home, but with a too-small backyard, she has settled for two mutts.

“I think that would be illegal,” she added, laughing at the idea.

Hahnle said she hopes people will want her services.

“Everyone relies on their neighbors or their brother-in-law [for pet sitting],” she said. “I think my biggest competition is letting people know that we are out there.”

KARINA RAMIREZ can be reached at 940-566-6878. Her e-mail address is kramirez@dentonrc.com.

Fetch Pet Care of South Central Denton County

On the Web: www.fetchpetcare.com

Phone: 940-489-4129