Meet the Owner
Drew Bensen
Owner/President
He started Close To Home in 2008. The reason for choosing this Company has remained the same. Treat the animals with respect and love. Empower the team. Support the clients in order for them to be fully away, mind and body. Do the best job we can each day and be willing to pursue our own personal dreams.
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Better Business Bureau Accredited 2019 to present
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Certified Professional Pet Sitter 2020-23 & COVID-19 Certified 2020
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Transgender Human and 100% owner of CTH Company
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Member of the ACLU & NGLCC Certified
Meet our Administrators
Jennifer Thompson
Manager / HR / Dog Walker Lead
Jenn is a born and raised West Seattle-ite and no matter how many times she leaves, she always settles back in West Seattle. Close to Home Pet Services gives her the opportunity to hang out with some sweet pups as well as keep her outside where she’s happiest. Her and her family have four dogs, three of which are rescues. All of their sweet boys are flat-faced lumps with many different needs.
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COVID-19 Certified June 2020
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Pet Sitters International Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Katie Stam
HR / Payroll
Katie grew up in San Diego, CA and moved to Seattle in 2013. She has always had pets in her life including dogs, rats, guinea pigs, bunnies and fish. She is currently mom to a senior chihuahua mutt. She is passionate about Close To Home because she understands the internal dilemma of wanting to travel but not wanting to leave her pets, often choosing shorter vacations plans so she wouldn’t be away from them for too long. She hopes she can provide each pet parent with peace of mind that their furry family members will be well cared for while they are away.
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Certified in COVID -19 Pet care safety PSI
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Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Meet our Dog Walking Team
Sherri H.
Dog Walking Team
“I have a special place in my heart for the littles!” After having adopted several senior littles over the years, Sherri’s current love is her rescue pup, Bentley. She also enjoys adventures with her partner Dave, which include watching football and snow skiing, plus sleepovers with her little granddaughter.
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Pet Sitters International Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Dave
Dog Walking Team
Dave is a native of Seattle and loves living in West Seattle. When he’s not walking dogs he loves playing guitar and traveling.
‘Dave’s calm and loving energy is welcomed by the animals he meets.’ -Drew (owner of CTH)
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Pet Sitters International Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Kersti
Dog Walking Team/ Pet Sitting Team
(Keeer-steee) is a native West Seattleite, who brings over a decade of pet care experience with her.
She is a conservation scientist, community naturalist, science educator, wildlife photographer, herbalist and lover of all things wild; particularly birds.She is an urban wildlife first responder and volunteer rehabber.
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'Walks and Wags/Metro dog' pet first aid and CPR certified
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Bird Specialist
Adrian
Dog Walking / Cat Sitting Team
Adrian is a native Washingtonian with a deep love and respect for all animals. She grew up riding and training horses and has almost always had a cat around. Currently she and her husband have two gorgeous rescue kitties that they adore. Some day Adrian is determined to have a dog again (glares at husband) to take on hikes and other adventures. She’s an aspiring writer and artist recovering from a super stressful design job and now she wants to walk all the puppies!
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Pet Sitters International Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Teri
Dog Walking / Cat Sitting Team
Teri is a native Seattleite who's a Husky (UW) that loves Coug's (WSU). Teri has a lifetime experience caring for and loving all animals. Her super powers are with cats. She founded Furry Faces Foundation in 2006 and in that time has tamed over 300 feral cats. Teri is excited to join both our Cat Sitting / Small animals team as well as our Dog Walking Team.
Michelle RR
Dog Walking Team
Michelle is a long-time West Seattleite, and the proud owner of two outstanding rescue dogs as well as one grumpy cat. One of her greatest achievements while working in the corporate world was creating an official “Dog Petting Station”, strategically located by her desk so that co-workers would bring their dogs by for free treats and pets! Now she spends her time surrounded by dogs, hanging out with her family, and enjoying the great outdoors.
Kate
Consulting
Kate moved from the UK to West Seattle in 2010. She is passionate about the care and welfare of all animals but particularly loves working with dogs, horses and cats. She’s an experienced dog walker and horse trainer with a knack for problem solving and an endless supply of patience. When not out walking, Kate can be found riding her horse, reading in the yard, or hanging out with her two kids, two cats and one very funny goldendoodle.
Lisa H
Dog Walking Team
Blaine
Dog Walking Team
Blaine is a native Seattleite, living a vast majority of life here in beautiful West Seattle. Initially, he favored cats over dogs, but as time went along, his wife convinced him of the joys of having dogs in your life.
Currently, he and his wife are owned by a senior rescue pup and a feisty rescue meow. Blaine’s passions are long walks, cooking, playing music and traveling the world (sometimes all at the same time).
Working for Close to Home allows Blaine to beat all of his friends at the weekly Fitbit step challenge, with the added benefit of getting to know your fur babies.
Patrick
Dog Walking Team
Goldsmith jeweler/dog walking teamPatrick grew up on a farm in southern Idaho, engaging in 4-H. He rode horses, raised cattle, and spent time with many dogs. He lives with his husband, Martin, and their dog, Bentley, in the West Seattle Junction. Patrick loves sports, both playing and watching. He works out and is a runner. Patrick is also a professional goldsmith jeweler with a full-service design, repair shop, and online store.
Meet our Cat Sitting Team
Michele
Cat Sitting Team Trainer / Lead
Michele was raised in Eastern Washington but spent most of her adult life in San Francisco. After retiring from corporate life in IT, she spent 15 years in Spokane and recently moved to West Seattle to be nearer to her son and the two tabbies they share.
Michele loves to travel and cook, and spends as much time as she can reading. Her friends and family call her a cat lady and she is happy to accept the title! Michele looks forward to making West Seattle her home and getting to know and care for your kitties and other family pets.
Ben
Cat Sitting Team Supervisor / Scheduling
Ben was born and raised in Seattle and has been covered in cat hair most of his life. As a kid he earned his first dollar caring for cats of friends and neighbors. Since then he has understood the uneasy feeling of leaving your pets behind while you go out into the world. Both Ben and his wife love to travel and face the anxiety of leaving their pets behind regularly, so working for Close To Home feels like he’s really providing a useful service. Ben believes peace of mind while traveling is as important as the journey itself.
‘Visiting neighborhood kitties to make sure their needs are covered is my absolute pleasure’, Ben
Brooklyn
Cat Sitting Team
Hi my name is Brooklyn! I just moved out to the West Seattle area from sunny Arizona. I am currently taking a gap year from my Masters in Microbiology. I have owned doggos and kitties my whole life and love caring for all fur babies! I currently own two spaztastic kitties so I’m sure I’ll be the right fit for yours-whatever their speed is. I enjoy adventuring the PNW with my partner and exploring all the gorgeous wonders this knit community provides. So excited to meet all your kiddos!
Adrian
Dog Walking / Cat Sitting Team
Adrian is a native Washingtonian with a deep love and respect for all animals. She grew up riding and training horses and has almost always had a cat around. Currently she and her husband have two gorgeous rescue kitties that they adore. Some day Adrian is determined to have a dog again (glares at husband) to take on hikes and other adventures. She’s an aspiring writer and artist recovering from a super stressful design job and now she wants to walk all the puppies!
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Pet Sitters International Certified Pet First Aid & CPCR for Pet-Care Professionals- PSI
Jen K
Cat Sitting Team
Jen K managed a veterinary clinic for 17 years and has an active license as a veterinary technician. While no longer working with cats and dogs; her love for them remains. While pet less at the moment and not yet ready to fill the cat-void, she is ready to spend time with your four legged family friend.
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Vet Tech Trained
Teri
Cat Sitting Team / Dog Walking Team
Teri is a native Seattleite who's a Husky (UW) that loves Coug's (WSU). Teri has a lifetime experience caring for and loving all animals. Her super powers are with cats. She founded Furry Faces Foundation in 2006 and in that time has tamed over 300 feral cats. Teri is excited to join both our Cat Sitting / Small animals team as well as our Dog Walking Team.
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Trained on Administering meds including fluids
Jennifer
Cat Sitting Team
Jen has been a Washingtonian for most of her life and a lover of cats for as long as she can remember. When not cuddling with kitties she loves to read, cook, travel, and play music with her husband. Working at Close to Home is a great fit for Jen, as it allows her the opportunity to give fellow pet parents the peace of mind of knowing their furry friends are well cared for while they are away.
Erin
Cat Sitting Team
Erin has lived in Seattle since 1999, and is now the mother of an autistic son whose happiness depends greatly on being surrounded by litter after litter of kittens that together they foster and socialize in preparation for forever home adoption. Her son also has a trained service minpin named, Daisy, that helps him navigate social situations and better manage his anxiety. Erin is also a career flight attendent and has a funny story about a "MaineCoon in a Santa suit on an airplane on Christmas Day." Just ask her about it if you want a good laugh!
Erin's family currently has three cats: Prospero, Mercedes, and Salem.
Lisa F
Cat Sitting Team
Lisa grew up with a dog, but since she's been an adult on her own, she's been a cat owner! She currently is the cat mama of Gunther, a 6-year-old rescue cat from City Kitties DC. Previously, she was the cat mama of Charlie, who hailed from Kitty Harbor in West Seattle. Lisa lived in Seattle from 2006-2017 and again since May of 2022 and is happy to call West Seattle home. She enjoys getting to know the various dispositions of cats as they are as varied as human personalities!
Lydia
Cat Sitting Team / Dog Walking Team
“I grew up all over the country but settled down in the beautiful, wet, leafy, Pacific Northwest. One of the things I love most about west Seattle is our proximity to not only the ocean but so many greenbelt forests! I love walking and playing with dogs, but the truth is I’ve been a cat lover and owner my whole life — with two sweet fur babies at home with me right now. When I’m not with them I’m out camping or teaching yoga!”
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Cat Sitting Team / Dog Walking Team
(Keeer-steee) is a native West Seattleite, who brings over a decade of pet care experience with her.
She is a conservation scientist, community naturalist, science educator, wildlife photographer, herbalist and lover of all things wild; particularly birds.She is an urban wildlife first responder and volunteer rehabber.
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'Walks and Wags/Metro dog' pet first aid and CPR certified
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Bird Specialist
Shannon
Cat Sitting and Reptile Team
Shannon
Join the Close To Home team!
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What a Former Employee Says
"I used to work for Close To Home and can attest to how much these people care about the animals and work they do. Attention to detail, love and professionalism are three things that come to mind when I think of them. You will be very happy with the care they give to your loved ones and home."