Team Bios - Paw Pals Pet Sitting

Learn more about our skilled and highly qualified team!

Hazel Hunter

My name is Hazel Hunter and I just love dogs! I am originally from Va. Beach and have been living in Fairfax County since 1989. I have had cats and dogs my entire live and currently have a brown Labradoodle and a Chinese Shar Pei. I also keep a friend’s yellow Labrador for extended visits when her family is traveling. He has really become a part of our family. Now that my 3 kids are older and I have more free time, I am able to help Mary out with her clients. I love taking walks and playing with all of our clients’ pets. They all have such different personalities and bring a lot of joy to my life. I look forward to meeting more new friends soon!

Debbie Swindall

My name is Debbie Swindall and I am a native northern-Virginian. I have had animals all my life, including dogs, cats, horses, gerbils, and hamsters. My family now consists of my loving husband, two dogs and a cat. I recently retired after 39 years in the health care profession (32 years with Kaiser Permanente), and wanted to try a different line of work. I enjoy all animals; they all have such different personalities. I have worked 4 years part-time as a pet sitter and am enjoying it immensely.

Shad McAllister

Hi, my name is Shad McAllister. I have had animals for most of my life. Growing up on a family farm, we’ve raised bulls, cattle, goats, chickens, and horses. Of course, we’ve always had cats and dogs running around. I have a beautiful daughter and a love.. my wife. My wife and daughter sometimes come with me to meet the pups or kitties. They always have fun interacting the animals. I have been working with Paw Pals since August of 2018 and it has been really rewarding. Paw Pals has gotten me out there and get some more exercise. Can’t wait to meet you and your best friends.

Laura Poston

My name is Laura Poston. I live in Centreville with my family and our lab Hank. I retired from the Army in September 2019. Working for Paw Pals has given me the opportunity to exercise and avoid a long commute outside of Centreville. My furry clients are happy to see me and I enjoy taking them on a good walk or playing with them during my visit.

Lisa Ringwood

Hi, I’m Lisa, and I absolutely adore animals! I currently have two dogs and a cat – Sally, Bentley, and Jasper. Here I am with Sally after she was rescued. I have future plans to do fostering (potentially adopt, who knows). I love working with Paw Pals and I’ve already grown attached to many furry clients. I’m excited to continue meeting new people and fur-babies along the way!

Sofie Hunter

My name is Sofie. I’ve had dogs my entire life. I love being outside and enjoy waking and playing with my clients’ pets. I treat all of these furry friends as if they were my own. Caring for animals has become a passion of mine and I can’t wait to take care of your four-legged friends.

Samantha Sims

My name is Samantha and I am so excited to be apart of the Paw Pals family! I have many years of experience working with animals all shapes, sizes, and breeds. I also work at VCA Centreville Animal Hospital as a receptionist. When I am not working I am spending time with Princess, my Beagle. As a family we enjoy hiking, gardening (me more than the kids – I just like to think they do…) and going on little trips to the lake or zoo. I am so happy to have this new journey, in life and I am looking forward to meeting you and your fur babies!

Jacqueline Loius-Gaines

My name is Jacqui, and I am a Boston University graduate turned Pet Sitter. I live in Chantilly with my husband and 2 pets, Tessa and Kelsi. I enjoy taking care of both dogs and cats. I promise to treat your babies like I do my own, with lots of love!

Diana Cabrera McAllister

Hello my name is Diana Cabrera McAllister. I went to James Madison University and I love everything Disney! I’ve been with PawPals, off and on, for about 3 years, and can often be seen helping out with my husband Shad on walks and vacation visits. We have a 2 year-old kitty named Sir Tuberson Reginald III (aka Tubby). I look forward to meeting you and your fur-family!

Kayla Boyce

Hi, I’m Kayla! I love animals; honestly, I have been known to hang out with the animals more than the humans whenever I’m invited to someone’s house! If I disappear, I’m often found cuddling the dog! I have a Maltipoo named Shelby, who I refer to as my sister (yes, I’m that kind of person!) She’s an angel and sparked my love for animals. I enjoy being active outside and learning more about caring for and understanding animal behavior in any way I can. I am currently listening to the Creative Dog Training podcast; that’s the nerd I am. I plan to graduate from Liberty University with my major in Graphic Design and minor in Biblical Studies after this coming year. I can’t wait to meet you and your fur babies and treat them how I would want my dog, Shelby, to be treated when I’m away.

Paul Pilipczuk

Hi! I’m Paul, I’ve grown up with cats my whole life and have also had my hand at watching dogs ever since I was about nine years old. I love animals, and my friends even call me the cat whisperer because every time I meet a new cat they always come and welcome me. Dogs have always been fun for me to work with, and I really enjoy getting to know them and their unique personalities. Working with Paw Pals has made my passion of loving animals fun and exciting. I can’t wait to work with your pets and get to know them!

Andrea Hall

22:45 03 Oct 20

I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!

Phillip Evans

14:38 11 Jul 20

When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.

Katie Russell

15:01 17 May 20

Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!

Kristin Conrad

16:00 16 Nov 19

We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.

Dr Tammy Cashion

21:11 12 Mar 19

We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!

Cindy Welgoss

13:12 27 Nov 20

We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.

Alexandra Hill

22:43 23 May 21

I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!

Katie McCune

19:19 15 Jul 21

I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!