Star Pups combines best of in-home and boarding services for pets

Whether you are going out of town for the weekend or taking a month long trip overseas, Maricopa resident Julie Rae Applegath will make sure your pets aren’t lonely.

Applegath is one of the owners of Star Pups, a local pet sitting service.

She started Star Pups, LLC, because she saw a need in Maricopa for such an enterprise. It was her goal to provide an affordable service combining the best aspects of hiring an in-home pet sitter and placing pets in a boarding situation.

“We pet sit in our own home and, therefore, are able to offer our clients 24-hour care for their pets, ensuring they get plenty of attention and time to run and play outside in our big, grassy backyard,” Applegath said.

Applegath moved to Maricopa in November 2003 when Maricopa was basically undeveloped and consisted of just a couple of gas stations. She had four large dogs that she didn’t want to board due to the stress she felt it would cause them.

Julie Rae also knew that to hire an in-home pet sitter was expensive and was concerned that her two puppies wouldn’t have enough time to run and burn off energy. As a result, she decided to start her own, small-scale pet sitting service, boarding pets in her home.

The business boards all types of dogs, especially ‘special needs’ dogs that might be elderly and need peace and quiet, or pups needing lots of attention and space to play.

Star Pups also has a Doggy Day Care program for people who might need to get their pets off their property due to construction or service work at their homes. Maybe they work long hours or have a high-energy dog they’d like for us to tire out while they’re at work, Applegath explained.

Recently Applegath partnered with Tim and Shawn Bell. “This partnership enables us to care for more pets and open a branch in Mesa. We are hoping to continue branching out as our business grows,” Applegath said.

Business Details:

Location(s): Maricopa and Mesa, Arizona
Address: 43421 West Sagebrush Trail
Telephone: (602) 327-5193
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.starpupsllc.com
Products/services offered: Pet sitting, dog walking, Doggy Day Care
Hours: Variable, depends on client needs

Submitted photo