This review is long overdue. The only reason that we are no longer clients of North Shore is that we moved out of their service area. I sincerely wish that they could have followed us into the suburbs. As an avid traveller AND the cat-dad to a special needs feline, I was overjoyed to locate a trustworthy pet sitter who could accommodate difficult medical situations. When my cat developed three chronic conditions almost simultaneously, I thought that my vacationing days were over. Ultimately (and to this day) her treatment regimen grew to include seven medications--some given twice per day--a combination of pills, an oral liquid, and subcutaneous injections. Caring for her became routine but torpedoed our recreational possibilities. Enter Jean from North Shore Pet Sitters. She has experience with all of those types of medications and handled them like a champ. Before booking the first stint, we had an in-home consultation, at which Jean imbued complete confidence that we were leaving our darlings in good hands. Besides expertise, compassion and enthusiasm are her other strong suits. Jean always left a detailed log of the cats' activities which showed that she truly enjoyed being a caregiver. Booking was always easy and the prices were more than fair. A bargain, in fact. Expert, compassionate care of one's furry family members is practically priceless. I can't overstate enough what it meant to us to find a reliable cat sitter. Discovering NSPS and Jean relieved a lot of angst in my household. If you need someone just to show up, change the litter, fill the food and water bowls, and sprinkle some catnip around, I'm sure that North Shore can handle that. But if you have a high-maintenance cat, they will really shine, especially if Jean is your sitter. She is a treasure. read more

My husband and I use NSPS every time we go out of town and always know our cats are in great hands! We get plenty of pictures, and we get detailed notes about the kitties from each day. The pets also get a lot of attention. It's not just a quick visit to give food and go. They took great care of our senior cat before she passed away, and they take great care of our new kittens. As long as we live in the area, we will use NSPS. read more

They weren't able to help me with my pup sitting needs. But they left a detailed message, gave me some good ideas and were very kind. Thank you! read more

North Shore Pet Sitters - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a great first experience with North Shore Pet Sitters. When Jean came to meet our cat, she was thorough and I felt confident that my cat would be well looked after. She also called the day before our trip to confirm that she would be there. We came home to a detailed report and a reminder to call and let them know we arrived home. I love this because I know if anything ever happened, they would continue to care for him. We are looking forward to using them again in the future! Tip: they do not have an online portal like some pet sitting services are using now, so if you are looking for that, look elsewhere - but honestly, with this level of professionalism, it is not needed. read more

The only people I call to care for my two cats. So reasonably priced for a kind, trustworthy, dependable, cat-loving sitter to visit and care for them, and provide an informative report card on our two dearies. When I get home, the cats are happy and healthy, and maybe just a little disappointed it's me and not their North Shore pet sitter! The peace of mind is a wonderful thing. read more

I used this service in April, I apologize for not reviewing sooner. I was worried due to my very far north address I wouldn't find anyone. I found this company and could not he happier. My cat is 23 years old. No joke. He is crabby and reclusive. I do not travel often due to the undue stress and destruction he causes. I once went out on a Friday night and returned Saturday evening and he opened a bag of $6 pitas and are one bite of each pita, just to punish me. There was still food in his bowl. We call him Edward the @$$*0! 3. After three years of dating, my boyfriend was no longer accepting that I couldn't vacation due to my commitment to this manipulative creature, so off to Mexico I went. Owner Renee set up meetings and was beyond helpful. Jean came over ahead of time and ensured all would be fine. Set up a very detailed schedule. While away, She emailed lengthy reports assuring me Edward had not staged a hunger strike or destroyed my possessions. She checked mail, and anything else asked of her. In fact, and this will sound like a lie, but since returning from our week away Edward is more social and does not hide under the bed from strangers, basking in his martyrdom. There cannot be a better pet service than this. Prices are reasonable, service is outstanding, and Edward was more than happy. Which means you are saints. I cannot sing this companies praises any higher. read more

North Shore Pet Sitters - Edward. - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am writing this as a past customer of North Shore Pet Sitters and only stopped using them because I moved out of the area. I know my dog definitely misses them! I came to Renee at North Shore due to the great reviews here on Yelp. I've never had to use a dog walker as I used to work at a doggy day care and was able to bring my little guy to work--how awesome! Since moving on from there some time ago, and my schedule becoming pretty hectic, I knew I had to get a dog walker one day a week. From the moment I contacted Renee, it was a simple and comforting process. After initiating the conversation with Renee via email, her and Ruth came to visit my home and meet Shorty. We filled out paperwork and I showed them around and from there, the rest is history. Ruth came every Thursday for a few months to walk Shorty and although I never saw them interact beyond the first meeting, I know he was in good hands. Ruth left a note every time she walked Shorty and she definitely understood his behavior, which I appreciated. I felt safe and comfortable having Ruth and Renee come into my home when I wasn't there and ensuring that Shorty got a great mid-day walk and play. Price is on par with other dog walking services and I really think they care about their customers (humans and dogs). Anytime I had a question, concern or cancellation, I emailed Renee and she was on top of it. It's nice to know there are people out there who truly love what they do and this service is definitely one of those. If you live in the area and need a reliable service, please contact Renee! read more

I was hesitant leaving my senior cat since this was my first time traveling post pandemic. Renee was excellent with my cat. I was very pleased with the daily report as well. I highly recommend you try this service for your pets needs. read more

I can't believe I forgot to review North Shore! My husband and I were taking our honeymoon the week of Thanksgiving through the first week of December 2010. I had never dealt with a pet sitter before, but with two cats (one with medicinal needs) I knew I didn't want to rely on friends to come by twice a day to feed/medicate these little guys. So, off to Yelp I go to check reviews. Renee and her team received great reviews, so I shot her an email. She responded promptly and because our time frame included a holiday, she wanted to set up a meeting with the sitter right away. Unfortunately, I was putting the final details of our wedding together so I couldn't do it that soon. Renee was super patient and we set up an appointment for a couple of weeks after the wedding. Our sitter was Jean.....the "cat whisperer"! She stepped in our front door, said hello to our old guy, Sammy and he immediately started purring. She got down on the floor and they immediately started bonding. It was great! Now, our other cat, Frank, was a different story. He's a scaredy cat. Doesn't like new people and generally runs from noise, more than two people in a room, etc. But not this time. He actually walked up to Jean, rubbed against her legs and *then* took off. It was a good start. Jean brought with her all the paperwork we needed to fill out and we handed her a set of keys. She asked where we were going for our honeymoon and when we told her Barcelona she squealed in delight! Her husband is from Barcelona. So not only did she bond with our cats right away, she gave us some good tips about our trip! Upon our return we read through Jean's write up about her visits. They were quite detailed and a good read and she clearly loves her job. It's obvious she loves cats and that they love her too. Usually when we get home from a trip, the cats are "mad". Not this time! I would and have highly recommended North Shore Pet Sitters for your cats. If the rest of the staff is like Jean and Renee, your pets will be well cared for! Thank you. read more

Renee is the best pet sitter I could ever want! I hands down recommend her. My two cats don't even seem to notice when I am out of town now. A few years ago my husband and I boarded one of them at a pet "hotel" for a week. I called them every day to check up on him, and they said he was doing great. When I picked him up, however, he was emaciated. I was furious... After that experience, we contacted Renee, and I am so happy that we did. Now, when I come back from a trip, the cats are happy, relaxed, and there is always a handwritten note that explains in detail how every visit went. Renee also waters my plants if/when I ask her. I have a complete piece of mind knowing that my little buddies are well taken care of, and that's priceless lol! But seriously, Renee is very good at what she does, and she is super nice on a personal level too. Thank you, Renee!! read more

North Shore Pet Sitters is the Best! I had a short notice out of town trip and they were able to provide a sitter to watch my picky, shy and anti-social feline. Jean Galan is the awesome! Very soothing personality and she did not force a greeting with Santiago. Just looked in and said Hello to him as he hissed back at her. (which is standard for my cat) Upon returning home I was pleased to see that he was in a very good mood vs. the normal "I'm mad at my human for leaving me" mentality. He was almost like a new cat! Lots of energy and Lots of cuddles. Jean mentioned in the log that the sitters leave for the owners that Santiago even came out and looked at her, then walked away to eat his food without any fuss. As if he tolerated and perhaps even enjoyed her presence! I can't recommend North Shore Pet Sitters highly enough! Will definitely use again! read more

We went away for two days and my cats didn't miss me. When we got back they were happy, not begging to be fed and relaxed. So nice. Renee does a thorough and professional job. I gave her instructions once and she kept them on file for the next time. She brings simple toys, plays with the cats and writes a hilarious account of what happened in our absence. (Lots of toys were drowned in the water bowl in our household). North Shore seems to understand that it's hard to leave my furry dependents in the hands of someone else but both times I felt that they were very reliable and conscientious. read more

Totally forgot to review our wonderful pet sitters after getting back from our vacation (we slept for about a day afterwards) but they were incredible! Yvonne cared for our two high maintenance cats over a long weekend and our cats were SO content when we came back. Prior to our departure she emailed me as she noticed the weather was supposed to be extraordinarily hot and we hadn't discussed air conditioning options. She sent a text during her visit so me and my guy could feel reassured and comfortably relax at our music fest vacation. They're responsible, dependable, accommodating, and super easy to work with. Love North Shore Pet Sitters and looking forward to having them hold down the fort during our next music fest getaway :) read more

My boyfriend and I hired NSPS to watch our cats while we traveled abroad for 11 days. I was nervous about leaving, because I had never been away from my cat for more than a long weekend. Renee came over the week before we left to meet the cats and to become acquainted with our apartment. She took notes on their habits, and everything was set. Well, the day before we left I realized my cat had a UTI! I took her to the vet to get antibiotics. Now I was insanely nervous about leaving her. Renee assured me that she would pill my cat and had lots of experience doing so. While we were gone, she used some magical ninja skills to pill my cat - who of course hates being pilled. She responded very quickly to any email inquiries I had, and even sent me a picture! When we returned, the cats were in great spirits, and the sick cat's UTI was gone due to successful intake of her medication. Renee even changed the litter boxes before we got home. My apartment smelled clean (not like cat urine, which can happen after even being gone one night), and there were no mysterious pee stains anywhere! I was also nervous that I would come home to carpet pee spots and spots on the bed due to the cat's UTI. Renee even went above and beyond to double check the carpet for pee! Additionally, she even cleaned up the other cat's mistake on one of the couches . . . he pooed. You would never know it, though, because Renee worked some magic and now the couch is spotless. The bottom line is that you know Renee cares about your cats while they are under her care. She treats them like they are her own. I will absolutely use her service again, and I cannot say enough positive things about NSPS! I even think one of my cats (the one without the UTI) misses her! read more

Renee is caring, flexible and incredibly responsive. She and her team clearly love their work! Don, our main cat wrangler, is great with our cats and leaves great notes. One time we were out of litter and he bought more just to ensure the cats had no disruption to their routine. They're fantastic -- your cats and dogs will be in trustworthy and loving hands! read more

I love North Shore and have been utilizing them as my sole pet sitter for years now. Jean is my regular sitter and she is super cool! I want to be her when I grow up. She loves my cat, and I know I can trust this company to take care of him and my mail. read more

North Shore has cared for my cat Simon for about 10 years. Ruth visits Simon every Sunday morning and when I'm on vacation. North Shore is simply the best. Renee and Ruth are professional, caring, responsive and absolutely dependable. There have been times when I've had emergencies that have prevented me from getting home and North Shore has rescued me every time. They are more than pet sitters. They have become trusted friends. I give them my highest recommendation! read more

I have used a couple different pet sitter companies in the past and they have been horrible. I feel so fortunate to have found Northshore Pet Sitters. it is a real company that is beyond professional and has some of the best customer service I have had in a very long time. They come out pre-sitting to meet your pets and get acquainted with them and your place. They are thorough and detail oriented and CARE about what they do. We have never had such a great pet sitting experience and I will always use them from now on. Rates are very competitive too. read more

Our cat Smokey is a big fan of North Shore Pet Sitters. He always gets plenty of quality time with Renee when we are out and is in a mellow mood when we return. Before, we tried other options which were just as hard on us as on poor Smokey. My wife and I give Renee and her team two big thumbs up for their affordable and quality services. We're lucky to have them available whenever we need them. As mentioned in some other posts, their is always a journal for the pet owners to read when they get back and the pets always get great attention, in addition to other perks such as plant watering and picking up mail. read more

I have used this service twice now and cant tell you how pleased i am. These people treated my pets and home as if it was their own. I have 3 cats and they cleaned up around the box and when i get home, my house looks like i never left. They also leave cute notes and daily updates on your pets. My last sitter Molly was so great, she left me some spray she had used and thought i might like it. I thought that was very sweet. It was well worth the cost (except it was very reasonably priced). I will never use another sitter service. read more

North Shore Pet Sitters - Crazybaby in a box - Pet Sitting Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We couldn't have asked for more! Renee did an amazing job, and actually managed to make friends with our scared-of-everything cat! Both cats greeted us as though we had never been gone, sporting very nicely groomed coats. She left us detailed narratives of her time with the cats that captured each cat's personality quirks fabulously. We paid for 1 30 minute visit per day, but she must have stayed much longer than that (and I'm pretty sure the apartment is cleaner than when we left it). We will definitely use her services in the future. read more

I love this company. They were really nice to me on the phone, they have a form that I filled out about how to care for my animals. They really sympathized with me about my past animals. When I came back they had detailed and funny notes that are supposed to be from the animals and they did a very good job at my house. I recommend them for any kind of trip and they take care of any kind of animals even chickens! read more

I hired North Shore Pet Sitters to watch my cat, Basil, for 10 days while I was on vacation. I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. I came home to a kitty who was surprisingly calm-- especially considering he's the type to completely lose it if we are away for so much as a night ordinarily. Jean couldn't have been more friendly during the initial consultation, and the notes she took during her visits were a joy to come home to. I can't recommend this company enough. I'm just sad we're moving outside their service area. read more

Renee is a wonderful "cat-sitter". She goes above and beyond in her care of our cats. She leaves detailed notes on each visit and obviously really loves what she does. We'll use NSPS whenever we travel, and never worry about our "boys'" care. read more

I hired NSPS when my brother went into the hospital for unexpected surgery. I cannot say enough about how wonderful and accomodating Renee was and how great she was with two very shy cats. She actually was able to get them out of their shell. She put our minds at ease during this difficult time and I would highly recommend her in the future. read more

We have been clients of NSPS for almost 8 years now, and cannot say enough good things about it. We have had a couple different sitters over the years, but Jean is our regular sitter for our shy, anxious, but lovable cat, and she is awesome. The whole experience from top to bottom has never been anything but informative, compassionate, thorough and loving. Through last-minute trips, emergencies, etc., we always come home to a clean, well-fed and well-loved cat. NSPS is the best! We have recommended them many times over the years to friends and will continue to do so. read more

Renee was great to work with. She came over for an initial consultation and was very thorough. You can tell she loves animals and what a pleasant surprise to find that after 10 days away, she left a detailed log with notes of each of her visits... how my cat was doing, his temperment, the weather, the plants, etc. The mail was sorted into letters and magazines, the newspapers laid out in order. What a nice thing to come home to. read more

If you are looking for reliable, professional, and compassionate pet care look no further than North Shore Pet Sitters. We have used them on several occasions and have not been disappointed. read more

I've used North Shore Pet Sitters for more than 10 years and I am so happy with the care they give my cats! Either the proprietor of NSPS Renee or her senior sitter, has always done the initial interview with their new clients or when one of us has moved to a new home. She knows so much about domestic pets and always has good suggestions about their care. Any of the sitters I've met have been mature, (mostly) women. They do all kinds of meds and fluids and geriatric care and that senior sitter really seems to be a "cat whisperer". They all have left comprehensive notes on their visits and really enjoy being with my animals. I especially like that they ask me to call in when I get home, so they know my pets are back in my care. read more

I have been using North Shore Pet Sitters for several years now and really can't praise them highly enough. I'm pretty obsessed with my cats, so it's really important to me that I leave them in good, caring hands whenever I travel (which has been a lot over the last few years). My cats are older and require a lot of meds, and North Shore always calls before each visit to make sure there haven't been any major changes to their health/medicine regimen. I can tell they spend quality time with my cats, because they seem to know them as well as we do (their funny quirks, habits, etc). I wouldn't hire anyone else to look after my cats--North Shore Pet Sitters is the best!! read more

We have known and trusted North Shore Pet Sitters owner and staff for the twelve years that we had our female yellow Lab, K.T. and our cat. You took K.T. from her undisciplined puppy years through her prime with unfailing care and devotion. When K.T. fell victim to cancer you worked with us to manage her navigating three flights of stairs up to our flat and showed us how to utilize a sheep-skin lined sling when her hind legs became a problem. We had to say goodbye to K.T. recently, but amongst our most comforting memories of her are her walks with you and your staff. Thanks for always being there for K.T...and for us. Gary and Nancy read more

I love this pet sitting business! Renee is fantastic - making the appointments for us, sending us reminders before we go out of town and also staying flexible when we make requests at a minute's notice. Ruth is our cat sitter, and she is THE BEST! We've had so many pet sitters in all the states we've lived, but none compare to Ruth. When we leave and return, it's almost as if my 3 cats don't notice we've gone and returned. Also, one of our cats is extremely skittish and hides when anyone comes in to our house.....except for Ruth. I don't know how she did it, but he absolutely adores her and follows her around I've heard. We always return to a clean home with happy kitties. Thank you, Ruth!! And thank you, Renee for a trusted, reliable, and caring pet sitting service! read more

I contacted North Shore Pet Sitters in early December about cat sitting in January. Renee responded to my email within 12 hours. The sitting dates and initial meet and greet were very easy to set up. Renee was extremely helpful! I met Jean two days before I left for vacation. Right off the bat I could tell she was a cat lady (and I mean that in a good way!). She was so gentle and patient with my cat, Zipper. We spent a good 30 minutes discussing Zipper's personality, her diet, her likes and dislikes. I felt confident leaving Zipper in Jean's care. The day after I left, Chicago was hit with that minus 50 degree, blizzard conditions. I called Jean to check in and she was so genuinely understanding of my concerns! My roommate came home four days after I left and she said Zipper seemed as happy as ever! I'm extremely satisfied with the service I received, and I look forward to using North Shore Pet Sitters the next time I go on vacation! read more

I'm not sure why this company is listed in "university village"--they are based on the far north side of Chicago and serve the neighborhoods around there (Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park, Uptown, Lincoln Square, etc.) and the northern suburbs. I've had nothing but great experiences using NSPS for cat sitting when I'm out of town. The owner of the company, Renee, is a joy to work with. She really cares about your pets and knows a ton about animals. She is very thorough in her initial consultation and will try to learn as much about your pets as possible in order to care for them the best. She set me up with one cat sitter who has come every time (and I've used them about 5 times so far). The sitter leaves a daily diary chronicling your pet's activities and will bring toys to play with, as well as do the usual--feed, water, scoop litter, etc. In my case the sitter usually comes more frequently and stays longer than they promise (but my cats are kittens and extremely cute). Very affordable rates and a very trustworthy company. read more