Susanne is our owner/founder, and our first pet care professional. Pause for Pets began in 2016 for Susanne when she recognized an opportunity to help out busy pet owners while also combining several of her passions: her love for animals, her artistic/photography skills, her caring nature, and her enjoyment of the outdoors and physical activity! So she left behind her 22 year career as an art teacher, and began following her heart and the advice she always gave to her students – do something you love. She has a lifetime of experience being “owned” by a wide variety of pets, and loving care and protection for all the earth’s creatures is a commitment she takes seriously. Currently, her furamily include two cats – Freya and Loula.
Tony is Susanne’s partner in life, business and crime 🙂 He is a full-time English teacher at Barrington High School by day, but by night and on summers and weekends, he becomes Susanne’s favorite pet care professional and is always there to lend a paw! Tony has been “owned” by dogs and cats most of his life, but he loves all types of animals…..one of the many gifts he got from his mother. He’s particularly good at feeding and caring for our backyard “pets”, and our cats, and he loves watching all the birds, chipmunks and squirrels that frequent our patio and garden.
Amanda became a welcome addition to the Pause for Pets team in April of 2023. She grew up in a zoo of a household so she has lots of experience with a wide range of animals, from dogs and cats, to rats and lizards! She has two cats at home, Sugar and Spice, and two Mini Aussies, Spencer and Benson. She’s currently going to college at ECC, recently earned her Associate of Arts, and is now pursuing her next degree. In her spare time she enjoys crafting, reading, and games. Her experience with a wide variety of animals makes her great for working with the wildest to the most timid of creatures.
Cody has been an integral part of the Pause for Pets team since October 2022. He has a gentle demeanor that calms our most anxious dog clients and makes him great with new cats. He’s grown up with pets all his life, and currently he has one cat, Layla, at home. In addition to being an animal lover, Cody is also a very talented artist, skilled in watercolors, ink and body art. When he’s not caring for clients’ pets, he is developing his portfolio to pursue work as a tattoo artist. We are supper excited to have his help!
Leigh has been with Pause for Pets since late 2018 and she is our core pet care professional, manager and a huge asset to the company and Susanne. She is a college graduate who has been in the animal care profession for over 9 years, before coming to us. Her passion for animals led her to work in several kennels and daycare facilities, where she had the opportunity to experience a variety of breeds and temperaments, and work under a world-renowned trainer. She has been a pet parent from the age of five, and has had many different kinds of pets in her life – including bunnies, fish and Chinchillas. She also brings her loving care to her two human “babies”, Conner and Jaxsten. Leigh wears many hats at Pause for Pets. She’s our manager, our scheduler, our dog whisperer and she trains our new employees. As many of our clients have said – we don’t know what we’d do without her!
Alice works for Pause for Pets part-time, but she gives the her full attention and care when she’s pet sitting. She is a graduate from Roanoke College in VA, and has worked at a few different pet sitting companies before joining Pause for Pets in 2024. Alice has a gentle approach, but a strong passion for the making sure our clients’ pets only receive the best. In addition to spending her free time with her canine pal, Vivi, Alice is also very creative and enjoys knitting. We know even your anxious pets will love Alice’s kind approach! 🌻
Lexi came to Pause for Pets in 2025 after working independently as a pet care provider. She has two enthusiastic canine walking partners, Flynn and Milo. Lexi has an enthusiasm that the puppies love, but her calm approach has won over some of most skittish pups. In addition to spending her free time with Flynn and Milo, Lexi is an avid storm chaser! When she’s not in class at MCC for meteorology, we defer to her for the inside scoop on the weather before we head out for dog walking!
Kerianne came to Pause for Pets in October 2025 after a lifetime of pet care in other contexts! All of her jobs have been animal related, and she can’t remember a time she wasn’t caring for dogs, cats or a horse. She has worked at vet clinics and animal rescues before coming to us, and we couldn’t be happier with her experience and insights. Her ultimate goal is to become a vet tech. At home, Kerianne has two young kiddos and a husband, who is a firefighter and paramedic, and two of her own pets that she adores. Wonton, 16, is in the photo below, and her Jack Russell Terrier, Speedy is 14, but still hasn’t slowed down. When she’s not working, Kerianne loves to read, play games, do puzzles, and hang out at parks and playgrounds with her family.
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