Furry Friend Pet Care founders Jessica and Addison Rhudy are entrepreneurs with a love for animals. Their pet-sitting business provides in-home care of a client’s pet while the owner is away.

Based in Missouri City, Furry Friend Pet Care has been growing for two years. The business served its first client in October 2014, and now the Rhudys have three additional sitters to meet the scheduling needs of clients.

“We grew extremely fast,” Jessica Rhudy said. “We just started with a couple clients, and then word-of-mouth spread like crazy. Now, we have about 60 clients.”

Furry Friend Pet Care’s sitting services can include morning, mid-day and evening walks, medication administration, pet playtime and basic grooming care, including bathing, brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning and tooth brushing. Services start at $17 per visit.

“We can do anything,” Rhudy said. “Whatever a client wants, we’ll figure it out.”

The Rhudys both have educational backgrounds in animal science. Jessica has a master’s degree in animal science and is certified in pet CPR and first aid. Addison has a bachelor’s in wildlife management.

“I wanted to be able to make a career out of working with animals, and so I was able to by doing this,” she said.

While the Rhudys both have full-time jobs, the couple got the idea to start a pet-sitting service when they noticed their golden retriever, Fisher, had anxiety. The couple looked into pet sitting and came up with the idea to create their own business. Rhudy said she thought it was possible for animals to go without kenneling and keep the same schedule.

Before Furry Friend takes on a new client, it provides a consultation to learn about the animal’s routine and to make sure the pet is a good fit. The company is insured and bonded, so the parties then sign a contract. During the pet’s visit, the Rhudys and their pet sitters work to keep the animal’s routine. However, they also find time to keep owners updated.

“We send texts and pictures all while they’re gone,” Rhudy said. “[To] a lot of people, their pets are like their kids.”