“Peace of mind has never been so fun!” TM Philadelphia’s Trusted Pet Care Professionals - Since 2005 Insured. Bonded. Experienced. “Best Urban Pet Sitter 2006” Philadelphia magazine “Best Dog Walkers... Hands Down” Phlare magazine 2007 “pet-obsessed” South Philly Review, 2008 “the city’s best sitters...” Philadelphia HOME magazine, 2008
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Carrie and Lindsay are like the family I never see.  We leave each other notes & messages, but never seem to be in the same place at the same time.  And you feel bad.  But it turns out, that’s exactly what they’re there for: to be at your house when you’re not and be with your monster when you’re not.  Because that’s what family does.  Asking Carrie and Lindsay to be a part of my and Riley’s family is one of the BEST choices I’ve made in a long time!”
 
    Aileen - Washington Square
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our Story: The Monster Minders was created in 2005 by husband and wife team, Carrie (me) & Lindsay Maria. We envisioned a unique & fun pet care service that offered personable professionalism. Only months after the creation of The Monster Minders, in July of 2006, we were awarded Philadelphia magazine’s highest award - “Best of Philly,” Best Urban Pet Sitter 2006. The award was quite an honor, and we do everything in our power to live up to our name. We have since been named “the city’s best sitters” by Philadelphia HOME magazine (Winter 2008) & “The Best Dog Walkers” by Phlare magazine (2007). It’s been an amazing few years! We share our lives with three monsters: Max, our gentle giant (Mastiff Mix). Lola, our cheerleader (Whipet-Pit Bull Mix?), and Nedward, our curtain climber (Domestic Short Hair Kitten). We always say, “How would we want someone to care for our monsters if we had to leave them in someone else’s hands?” From that perspective, we shape & model our practices to care for our clients’ monsters, just as we care for Max, Lola and Ned - with our entire heart & soul. Upon asking new Minders to join our team, our top criteria is, “Would we place our monsters’ lives in their hands?” We are proud to say that we have comprised a core team of pet care professionals that are totally worthy of Mr. Max, Miss Lola & Crazy Ned. We’re proud members of Pet Sitters International, the nation’s largest and most progressive pet sitting organization. We’re also thrilled be sustaining supporters of the Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia. In the Summer of 2007, we became certified PetTech Pet First Aid Instructors. Our goal is to teach hundreds of pet parents not only how to save their pet’s life, but also how to sustain it in a healthy way. We’re also very active in the community doing everything from fundraising to fostering homeless pets. Community%20Involvement.htmlshapeimage_5_link_0
 
 
 
            All of The Monster Minders are: Bonded, Insured, Background Checked Pet Parents themselves - a job requirement for our staff! We understand your pet bond! Amazingly reliable, dependable & experienced Absolutely monster-crazed Managed by PetTech Instructors (First Aid) & Certified PetTech Minders on Staff. We’re not just walkers & sitters - We’re The Monster Minders! It’s time to Meet the Minders.
 
Carrie Ruddell Maria The Monster Minders - Owner, Manager & Minder Certified PTI - PetTech Instructor (First Aid) After getting her undergrad in Sociology and Urban Studies (graduated Magna Cum), Carrie headed overseas in search of adventure. (You're only young once right?) She met Lindsay (co-owner of The Monster Minders) in New Zealand and they lived and worked in New Zealand, Australia and England. They have also traveled to France, Holland, Thailand, Honduras and most recently, Malta (it’s a tiny island nation in the Mediterranean). Carrie and Lindsay love immersing themselves in unfamiliar cultures and ordering food that they can't pronounce. She hopes to get to Belize, Guatemala, Czech Republic, Vietnam and Egypt in the near future. (Well... eventually!) Her love for travel was a jump start for The Monster Minders. She figured that other people must love to travel too and worry about leaving their pets behind. Why not offer them peace of mind while they’re away on an adventure? (or just traveling to Aunt Bessie’s house in Jersey?) Other than Monster Minding, Carrie enjoys yoga, photography, reading, eating spicy food, dancing under disco balls, and organic gardening. When she can get a weekend off, she lives to spend days in the mountains hiking & camping. Carrie is also very passionate about sustainable, local agriculture. She tries to grow as much food as possible on her roof in Bella Vista during the summers and is a proud member of Sixth Street Community Garden. Carrie updates her own urban gardening blog (How nerdy and trendy at the same time!). Carrie also launched The Monster Minders Mega Wind Energy Challenge to encourage pet lovers in Philadelphia to switch to green, local wind energy. Carrie also dabbles in web design and is proud to say that this website is entirely her creation. Currently Carrie and Lindsay share their lives with a huge Mastiff-mix named Max. Max's favorite pastimes are sleeping, hiking in the woods, camping, hiding his bones in closets/boxes (and thinking he’s very clever for doing so), and convincing Grammy that he's starving so she gives him table scraps. Max howls at The Monster Minder's answering machine, so if you call and the Minders are out and about visiting monsters, have yourself a giggle because Max is howling at the other end. Carrie and Lindsay decided to foster a sick, emaciated pup from PAWS in August of 2007. Little did they know, that Lola would totally steal their hearts. (She’s a mutt’s mutt. Boxer? Whippet? Pit Bull?). Lola is now a healthy, energetic pup. She lives to gnaw on bones and chase airplanes that she spots in the sky (She really does). She constantly pesters her big brother, Max - but he secretly loves it. Lola is a total “scrapper” at the dog park and LIVES to wrestle with other dogs. In 2008, during a routine fostering session, a crazy kitten named Nedward stole their hearts. To make a long story short, they didn’t have to find a home for him because he set up shop at their place. Lola was thrilled to have another buddy to chase around the house. Ned’s secret weapon: Hiding under the bed where Lola can’t reach him.
 
 
Lindsay Joseph Maria The Monster Minders - Owner, Manager & Minder Certified PetTech Instructor (Pet First Aid) Lindsay was a professional graphic designer in New Zealand when Carrie met him six years ago (He's the master minder behind The Monster Minders' logo). He's a Kiwi, and DO NOT ask him if he has an Australian accent. (Kiwi pet peeve. And no, the accents - according to Kiwi's - are nothing alike!) Actually, on second thought, ask him. It's always good for a laugh. Carrie and Lindsay soon decided they had to be together, and wouldn't let the fact at that they lived a world away stop them. Together they hopped from country to country before settling down and starting The Monster Minders in 2005. Lindsay is also a rad DJ. (Think turntables and disco balls, not the chicken dance and wedding toasts.) In NZ and Australia he DJed at many bars/clubs. His biggest gig was The Gathering, a 3-day outdoor electronic music festival with 20,000 people (Stage fright?). In Philly he has DJed at the Barbary and FreeJade Gallery in Old City. He has started producing his own music, which is an exciting new step in his musical journey. Lindsay still dabbles into design work, but he now does it on his own terms. He’s done work for various organizations and businesses in Philadelphia ranging from print media to logo design. He is also obsessed with the burritos from VeraCruzana on Washington Ave. The salsa verde is to die for! Watch out - it’s HOT! His reasons for being one of the co-creators of The Monster Minders may have something to do with his childhood lack of pooches. Whereas Carrie comes from a family obsessed with pets, Lindsay's dad (being the son of a farmer) thought animals belonged on farms, not homes. (Oh but we know better!) Lindsay begged for years, and even offered to build and pay for a fence around his parents yard. No luck. He did however work at a kennel as a teenager. He was on POOP Patrol! Revenge comes in many forms. Now he spends his days with all sorts of monsters! (and happens to have three of the best monsters in the whole world...) Lindsay is a Certified PetTech Instructor. (PTI)
 
 
Erin Williams Minder Erin is not only a professional dog walker - she’s also a professional artist. Her work has exhibited all over the country. Erin got her BFA from Syacuse University and has just completed a rigorous two years of graduate art school. She has her Masters of Fine Art from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She has a studio space in Kennsington where she makes metal magic. She’s a metalsmith so the tools of her trade include blowtorches, solderers, hot metal, and sharp saws. (and yes, she has caught herself on fire once!) Don’t mess with her! Erin can make killer metal dog tags. We know - our pooches wear them proudly. She also teaches part time (both adults and kids) at the Main Line Art Center. Erin has lived and studied on both the UK and Denmark. Her website: http://www.erincwilliams.com Before joining Team Monster Minder Erin volunteered regularly at the Delaware County SPCA. She found it to be some of the most rewarding work she has ever done. She was REALLY involved, placing pets on PetFinder and spending almost all of her time at the shelter. She walked & exercised shelter dogs, gave cats TLC and provided minor medical care when needed. Many of the animals she worked with were neglected and/or frightened, so she has a keen understanding of how animals behave under stressful situations. One of the most important things she learned was how to give the pets both attention and obedience guidance, but do so in a manor that wasn’t threatening to them. She is constantly fostering kittens for PAWS, so if you want to add a kitten addition to your life, there is a good chance Erin has one in need of a forever home. Erin definitely has the “knack” for monsters. She has two feline monsters and a canine monster of her own - Yuki and Willie (as in One Eyed...). Yuki was a rescue who had been previously abused and neglected, and for obvious reasons Yuki was highly anti-social when Erin rescued her. It was a VERY long road to recovery for Yuki, but now she lives happily in a home full of love. Cat number two was found near her studio in Kennsington in a trash heap. He had such a bad eye infection that the vets had to remove one of his eyes, hence the name Willie (One Eyed Willie). Erin’s pooch is also a rescue named, Witje (pronounced “Vitya” - it means “white” in Dutch), Witje had been bounced from foster family to foster family for months before Erin came into her life. Miss Witje has now found an awesome home and enjoys romping at the dog park and snuggling with her new mama, Erin. Funny side story: Witje also managed to break Erin’s ankle while she was out for a walk. Erin had to take a two month break from Monster Minding while her ankle healed. Nice one Witje. http://www.erincwilliams.com/shapeimage_9_link_0
 
 
Chris Whaley Minder Chris is our toughest Minder. He practices jiu jitsu at Balance studios in Center City and is very serious about his practice. Once he completes the basic program, he hopes to move on to Mixed Martial Arts and Yoga for Fighters. Chris also runs 3-4 days per week with his three lucky mutts, Mebix, Fester and Nika. Becoming a full time dog walker seemed to fit nicely into his active lifestyle. But don’t worry - Chris isn’t tough with his client’s monsters - in fact, he’s a huge softie. (But I still wouldn’t pick a fight with him!) His other great passion is music. He plays guitar in a metal band (BSOM.) Chris studied guitar building at Luthiers International in Atlanta, GA. While at Luthiers he learned custom electric guitar and bass building, and all basic types of repair work on electric and acoustic stringed instruments. All of our Minders bring new talent to our roster and Chris is no exception! Chris's three lucky running companions started life in not so nice situations. All were rescued from local shelters. Nika is a lab/shepherd mix who's a total sweetheart. Chris reckons Nika is one of the smartest dogs he's ever met (and he's met a TON of pooches!). She actually mimics Chris in her actions. The way Nika sits and sleeps is very human-like, and she's the calmer of the two monsters. Mebix, on the other hand, is one energetic pup. When Chris rescued Mebix, he was very sick with kennel cough and various parasites. Under Chris's care, Mebix is now completely healthy. He loves nothing more than a good jaunt to the dog park or a long jog. Fester (named because he was covered in mange when Chris adopted him) is a typical pit-mix puppy - energetic and totally loving. Chris completely rehabilitated his three dogs into pooches that love people and other pooches. In the past Chris has worked for Philly's own Mambo Movers and at a local doggy daycare. Previously, he was studied in the VetTech program at Camden County College. His dream is to move down south (Nashville, Tennessee or Savannah, Georgia) and open up a kenneling/training facility. (Monsters are definitely central in his long-term life goals.) Chris fell in love with the south and the legendary “southern hospitality” he found while he was studying at Luthiers. We need a little of that in Philly and he's happy to dish out hospitality for humans and monsters alike. Chris joins us for walks and runs in Rittenhouse, Fitler Square, and Granduate Hospital
 
 
Sarah Wong Minder Our Minders come from very diverse backgrounds. We have farmers, jiu jitsu fighters, stenographers, gardeners, mullet makers, and now we have a culinary superstar! Sarah has worked at various dining hotspots including Gayle and Xochitl as a line cook. She was a saute master, but found the food industry a bit too high stress. Sarah is still very passionate about food and it’s importance in our lives. In the future, she’d love to intertwine her creative spirit and her love for food somehow. Sarah is also a visual artist and loves to paint, draw and sew. She’s a self proclaimed pet “fanatic” and she’s the “go-to” person when her friends and family head out of town. Sarah prides herself in finding patience and understanding for all animals. She really understands their driving instincts and nature. Sarah spends her days pampering her two-year old Akita, Nora (above.) Nora is Sarah’s “pride and joy” and she “dotes on her to an embarrassing level.” Sarah has been known to sing songs with Nora’s named substituted in them and she has at least twenty nick-names for her. Sarah loves Nora’s “gentle, solid nature.” Sarah graduated from Bard College with a BA in Fine Arts. While at school she lived in co-op housing that was full of felines, so her pet care knowledge doesn’t stop at canines! She has shared her life with pets from a young age and her pet roster includes: Dogs, cats, turtles and a host of varied marine life. Her understanding of all things monster, make her another great addition to our team of pet care professionals. She joins us for mid-day dog walking and pet sitting in Society Hill, Washington Square, and Old City.
 
 
Hannah Benfield Minder What are the chances of having two New Zealanders on our Monster Minding roster? Slim to none you say? Well, in walks Hannah! She's quite the international super star. She was born in the UK and moved to New Zealand when she was a wee babe, then moved back and forth between the USA and New Zealand. (NOTE: For all of you travel junkies out there - Hannah holds two passports - UK passport and New Zealand passport, and a US Green Card. For those of you who aren't travel junkies - Hannah's travel documents are the primo combination. And yes, they all are under the name "Hannah Benfield." She's not a spy or anything! Or is she? Da da da DAAAA!) She has her bachelors degree in Fine Arts (with Cum Laude honors) from Kutztown University (Pennsylvania) with a concentration in sculpture. She was pondering going back for her Masters from the University of Auckland (New Zealand), but decided to take a break from academia for a few years. She plans to stay in Philly for at least a year or two while she saves up to embark on a trip across Europe. (Jealous? That's what a UK and New Zealand passport will get you!) Growing up in New Zealand, Hannah learned to love the outdoors. New Zealand is great for that kind of thing. (Outdoors, wine, BBQs, sunsets, sunshowers...) She grew up with a feisty beagle named Max. While in college she saved a Guinea Pig (Archie) from a raffle. (She actually won a raffle and won a Guinea Pig... She claims it was love at first sight so she had to buy a ticket.) Hannah currently shares parent-rights with her roommates of clumsy feline named Byron, who was a foster kitten she adopted from one of our clients. Hannah is creative (a Fine Arts degree will do that...) and she enjoys drawing, painting, video production & photography. In the past she has volunteered at kindergarten art classes and making crafts with the elderly. She has traveled all over the world and her travels taught her to be easily adaptable and calm in high pressured circumstances (& unfamiliar territory!) Combine that with her love for all things monster, and she's the perfect addition to our team!
 
 
Desiree Casimiro Minder Now The Monster Minders has a bona fide music guru to add to our roster of well-rounded pet care professionals! Before joining The Monster Minders gang she was really involved in the music industry. Desiree's name can be found on Philly's own, G. Love & Special Sauce's Lemonade album! She's also done voice overs for a TV program & can work like a champ setting up microphones and instruments in a music studio. When asked to dream “big” she'd love to see her name in the credits of an evocative indie film listed as “Music Supervisor.” So what is this music buff doing working for a dog walking crew? Is she writing a soundtrack for an edgy dog walking documentary? No. (Although we'd welcome that! She can sing to her monsters all day!) Desiree is here to love on the monsters of course! She shares her life with Pablo (AKA El Capitan), a Chihuahua who has been with her for the past ten years. In her life she has cared for birds, hamsters, snakes, dogs, fish, a scorpion and a tarantula. Why does she love Pablo so much? She can't imagine life without him. “Through first times, happy times, boring times and rough time. He's been my baby and I adore him.” Spoken like a true pet parent, huh? She also enjoys hanging out with her boyfriend's two kittens, Red and Oscar. In the past she was the go-to pet sitter for her brother's Canary Islander, the late, great, Roxy. Roxy and Pablo were best of friends, despite their physically opposite physiques. Pablo and Roxy would live to run at the park, then snuggle up next to one another. As a pet parent she understands how important it is to nourish and nurture a pet. She knows what it's like to leave a pet at home while she's away at school or work, and she's thrilled to put our client's minds at ease when they can't be with their monster. Desiree has her BA in Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Mass Media from Temple University. When she's not out and about with one of our clients' monsters or struttin' with Pablo she enjoys cooking (and eating), swimming, great music, arts n' crafty things, and spending time with her family and friends. She joins us full time for dog walking throughout Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square and Bella Vista.
 
Justin DeLoatch Minder Justin is our “nature freak.” While walking dogs in Philly doesn’t seem to get him very close to “nature” per-se, it might just be the next best thing. And who says there’s not a natural environment in the concrete jungle? Heck, look at all of the squirrels in Rittenhouse! Anyway, Justin put himself through Appalachian State University (Boone, NC) and graduated with a BA in English. Justin has had pets his entire life. From a cat named Fluffy (“Who hasn’t had a cat named Fluffy?”), to Scotty his lab-mix, and his all-white mice Pinky and the Brain. There isn’t a time when he didn’t have some kind of monsters in his life. Currently he shares his time with Rummy, his energetic pit-mix. According to Justin, Rummy is a world class snuggler, and lives to play fetch at the park. He also tends to call Rum’ a “gentleman.” See his mug above! Before joining The Monster Minders full-time Justin was doing freelance dog walking and pet sitting throughout the city. In the future Justin would like to see himself furthering his writing career. In the meantime, he can leave our clients killer Monster Memos while he polishes his writing skills. He’s toying with the idea of going to grad school for Linguistics. When we asked him what he’d do with a Linguistics degree he laughed and said, “I’d have to teach. It’s one of those degrees.” When he’s not out walking client’s monsters or visiting their felines you can find him playing hide-and-seek with Rummy, reading or writing (he always carries a writing pad), listening to Frank Zappa, playing frisbee golf, or playing chess (or a combination thereof). He enjoys weekend getaways (NYC, DC, NC). After graduating college he moved to Hawaii by himself just to experience something different. For now, he’s in Philly to stay and a fantastic addition to our crew of monster-crazed professionals. Justin joins us for Dog Walking/Jogging and Pet Sitting in Society Hill, Washington Square, Queen Village & Pennsport.