Jennifer Gardner

Owner

Growing up, my brother was always bringing home some dog or cat in need of a home, and I would be the one caring for them and begging our mother to let us keep them. The first one he brought home was a little kitty he named Albany. She would be the only one our mother would let us keep, but I loved her from the moment she came into the house. Albany would wait for me at the front window every school day to come home. When I walked up to the door, her little meow always melted my heart. 

I went off to Salisbury State College twice; once in my teens after high school, I earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and Business Administration (2000). I worked in the mortgage industry for four years after graduation. I did not feel fulfilled sitting in a cubicle all day crunching numbers. In an attempt to find a career that aligned more with my passion, I decided to return to Salisbury University to earn a second degree in Interdisciplinary Studies concentrating on Archaeology (2007). Upon finishing at Salisbury University, I enrolled in the master’s program at Louisiana State University (LSU) to study Anthropology, concentrating in Archaeology after receiving a Research Assistant position.

During graduate school, I started house sitting and pet sitting for fellow graduate students or professors while they went off for summer fieldwork to make extra money. The pay was minimal, but I loved spending time with their animals.

After three years of living in Louisiana, I moved back to Maryland in May 2011. As I was wrapping up my thesis work, I continued to be a pet sitter on the side. In February 2014, I finished the last requirement to finish my Master’s Degree and found myself laid off from my archaeological position.

In March of 2014, my then soon to be sister-in-law, Tiffany, approached me to work for and potentially take over her pet sitting business. I was immediately excited and jumped on the opportunity. I started Jennifer’s Elite Pet Sitting in July, and away I went. In 2018, I decided to rebrand the company as I wanted to bring on employees and changed the business name to Platinum Paws Pet Services.

Honestly, I thought I would be a dog walker until I found another archaeological position, but I fell in love with spending my days caring for other people’s animals more than wanting to be an archaeologist. I mean, who would not want to spend your days with dogs outside going for walks!

I am extraordinarily proud of the premier pet care service I have built. I am the luckiest person to get up every morning to run this outstanding business! I absolutely adore and could not imagine doing anything else.

I am an active member of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Salisbury University’s Alumni-Owned Business Program. Since January 2018, I have been an active volunteer with the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and, in January 2020, was elected to sit on the Board of Directors. I am also the proud Dog Mom of Countess Zoey, who joined my family in December of 2020.