Even when she was a little girl, Katelyn Stephens knew what she wanted to do with her life. Every step of the way was methodically planned out. Katelyn is a planner, which comes naturally for someone with an accounting degree from Georgia Southern University, but her transition into owning a petsitting business came as a bit of a surprise.
    When she graduated from college, Stephens went to work for a local church in an accounting position. She enjoyed working in the ministry so much that she went on to complete her masters in Christian Ministry from Liberty University.
    She had the job of her dreams — then, in an instant, everything changed. Her employer decided to outsource the accounting department and eliminated her position. For the first time in her life, there was uncertainty.
    Even though this was new for Katelyn, uncertainty had somewhat become a way of life for her mom, Dr. Dell Shilling, a noted professor in the GSU School of Nursing. Dr. Shilling worked full time, nights and weekends while raising Katelyn and continuing her education, eventually moving from the hospital to the classroom as a Ph.D.
   “She is my hero. I was desperately looking for a job. I kept hitting dead ends and I kept thinking about her advice to me. She instilled in me, by her words and actions, that when life knocks you down you only have one option: to get up and get over it," Stephens said. "She challenged me to use this opportunity to search my heart and figure out what would fulfill me. She pushed me to discover a career that I would love every day."
    With three dogs and two cats, all of which she rescued, she began to think about how much she enjoyed being around animals. She began to research local opportunities for
petsitting and pet daycares. From this research, the idea for Fur Nannies was born.
    Fur Nannies is a pet care service that offers day care and extended care options for all types of pets. What makes them unique is that they provide this care in the comfort of a pet’s own home. Each nanny is bonded and insured to provide an extra level of peace of mind for pet parents.  
    No two pets are the same. Realizing this, Katheryn focuses on keeping all pets healthy and happy, whatever that means to the pet owner. Unlike traditional pet day care, Fur Nannies keep the pets at home so they are in familar, comfortable environments. Some pets simply need to be walked a few times per day. Others need medications monitored or more extensive care.
    The level of care Fur Nannies provides is common in more urban markets but is more unique here. According to a report by CBS News, Americans spent an all-time high of $55.7 billion on their pets in last year, and spending is expected to creep close to $60 billion this year.
    “Pets across America live like little humans these days — and as long as people treat them that way, pet spending will most likely keep climbing,” said Bob Vetere, the president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association.
    Overall pet spending has not dipped since record-keeping started. Those services — which include grooming, boarding, training and petsitting — grew by the largest percentage last year: 6.1 percent.
    Katelyn goes the extra mile for each client. Each new pet client gets a specially designed welcome package that includes homemade treats for the pet and extensive rewards programs and perks for the pet parents. Their prices are competitive, and this service not only saves time for families but is customized to each pet's needs.
    You can learn more about Katelyn and Fur Nannies at her website, www.furnannies.com.

Please email DeWayne at dgrice@statesboroherald.com or give him a call at (912) 489-9499.