Sarah Jess
Owner/Operator  

I am an electrician by trade, the mother of 2 children, and the 5th generation owner of my farm on Hillcrest Road in Simcoe.  I have had dogs my entire life and am an animal person in a big way.  I was a student veterinary assistant at the age of 15 and owned and cared for my horses all through high school.  I can't imagine my home without a dog or two to make it a happier, hairier place!

I have designed our dog kennel as though I were building it for my own dogs.  We have our Cane Corso, Sadie.  She is a quiet, sweet, gentle dog who loves attention. We have a new addition, Daisy, who is a rescue Rottweiler.  I would not leave them with someone I do not trust.  I would not leave them without somewhere to stretch their legs and run full-tilt.  I would look for someone who would talk to my girls, give them treats, and snuggle my pups whenever possible.  This is what I provide for every dog that is away from their family and staying at Hillcrest Paws Only Inn.  

The Inn will never be their home but I try to make it the next best thing.

PAWS ONLY INN STAFF

I am so lucky to have the best staffers anyone could ask for! I can depend on them to do their part and their love for the dogs shines on every shift. There are no slackers here! They are all such joys to work with!!!

Emma started with us as a volunteer when she was just starting high school and we had just opened in 2019. Emma always says the kennel is her Happy Place, often coming in when she isn’t scheduled just to spend more time with the pups. You might hear from Emma through email since she helps me out with admin when she can or you’ll get to know the Paws Only Inn dogs through Instagram because of Emma’s postings (I have no idea how to use Instagram, this is all Emma and my other staff). I am lucky to have Emma on my team - so are the dogs that have the privilege of being cared for by her. Emma brings her own dog, Nico the corgi. He brings a tonne of fun to the kennel! Nico can get even the shyest dog to come out of their shell and go for a run or have a little wrestle :) Emma has become an employee I can count on to do her best every time she comes in - and she’s a kennel cleaning machine!!! Emma loves to take that extra time to snuggle a new pup and make sure they feel at home. Emma is away at University now but comes back some weekends, holidays and in the summer to work at the kennel. She has been known to fall asleep in the kennel when snuggling a dog during last outs. She loves all the pups so much!

Alex is an absolute gem who came to us in 2021 when the kennel was in constant turmoil due to COVID. Lucky for us, Alex has stayed at the Inn through all of our ups and downs during the pandemic. She has amazing patience and compassion for all of the dogs and loves to get them running and playing! Alex is efficient to the extreme and she has a heart of gold. I am always in awe at out how much work she gets done in a short time and without cutting corners. She gets so much of the extra chores done around the Inn along with being great at answering all of your questions as owners. You can rest easy when Alex is taking care of your pup knowing they will get the absolute best care, every time.

Lana is all about making sure the dogs have their best day every day they’re at the Inn. You will be impressed with her kindness and obvious affection for your pups. Lana is a hard worker and gets a lot of cleaning done around the Inn on top of giving the pups the best care in the business by throwing balls, playing and giving so many super snuggles. Alex and Lana came to the Inn at around the same time and again, we are so lucky that Lana has stayed with us through the unpredictability of the pandemic. Lana has brought a wisdom and a quiet calmness to the Inn that we all appreciate - dogs, coworkers and owners alike. Our good fortune in having Lana on the Paws Only Inn team is passed on to you and your dogs.

Holly is my high school student employee. She is responsible beyond her years and loves the dogs, making sure they all get lots of playtime, pets and tummy rubs. I only have one high school student at a time and I’m picky about who it is. Holly took over as my student employee when Emma left for school. When it is difficult to find student employees who want to work, I have managed to find Holly, who goes against the grain and is happy to work hard to care for the dogs and takes pride in her work. Sometimes I forget she’s a student, simply because she works harder than many adults and has such compassion for all of the dogs.

Agatha has studied as a vet tech in Guelph and worked at a kennel while at school there. She is extremely experienced handling pups and making them feel comfortable. Even our most shy and nervous dogs warm up to Agatha quickly - dogs seem to have a sixth sense for people who truly care about them. Agatha does not shy away from hard work and makes sure the kennel is clean and the pups always have what they need, including extra snuggles! You’ll notice she always has a friendly smile and is happy to be around the dogs. We are lucky to have Agatha on our staff - she’s such a genuine person, she’s the real deal!

Chloe is kind and gentle with every dog that comes through - she loves them all! Chloe has experience with rescues and is an animal person in general, with horses and several dogs of her own to care for on top of working at the kennel. Chloe is young and full of energy. She is hard working and goes above and beyond to take care of the pups. Chloe is always happy to talk about your pup and tell you about their day. She is only with us once or twice each week since she has other obligations but maintains her job at our Inn out of her of her love for the dogs. When your pups are fortunate enough to be in when Chloe is working, they are in for a treat :)

Megan is a full-time employee at a local vet and came to us already knowing her way around dogs. Not only did I not have to train Megan but she taught me a few things, too! Megan has also volunteered her time to give extra help on top of her regular shift. She has a huge soft spot for all critters and when there is a lull in work, we often find her snuggling a pup or two in her spare time. Megan has a great work ethic and is super efficient making her reliable and a big help to all of us who work with her. All dogs in Megan’s care are super lucky pups! When letting overnight dogs out for their last outs, Megan gives them lots of time to do their jobs, play in the yard and brings them into the playroom for extra snuggles before bed. Update: Megan is super busy working at the vet and only stays with us to do last outs once or twice each week because she loves the dogs so much!

*****

I have been so fortunate to find such fantastic employees, all of whom I trust with my business and more importantly, with your dogs!