Meet and Greet
We’ll come to your home, meet your pet(s) and answer all your questions. We’ll discuss your pet’s needs and review all our policies. Sign Up for your free Meet and Greet.
How it Works
Request Appointments
Setting up dog walking and pet sitting is convenient. We accept appointment requests via phone, text or email.
Start Walks
Pets are our passion. Our dog walkers and pet sitters are friendly, professional and most of all, they LOVE animals. All walkers are insured, bonded and background checked.
What Pet Owners Are Saying
David C.
Thank you, John and Shannon, for taking such good care of Destiny! She connected with you guys quickly and it is so obvious upon our return home that she enjoyed her time with you! You guys are great and we feel blessed to have your service and support in Destiny’s life and therefore our life too! Surf City is so lucky to have you! I highly recommend these guys!
Samantha C.
John and Shannon remain our go-to pup team here in Topsail. Not only are they super responsive, they are also well organized. It’s hurricane season in these parts and they’re fantastic about watching the weather and keeping pet parents in the loop. Wouldn’t trust anyone else with our dog and still highly, highly recommend their services!
Brooks G.
Surf Sitters are everything we could have asked for in a dog sitter. John and Shannon will bend over backwards to take care of my fur baby and are always flexible if I have a last minute change. They will help with any training you are trying to reinforce and treat your animals as their own loved ones. We love Surf Sitters!
What's Included
Treats and More
Treats and pet waste bags are always provided free of charge. We always give your pet fresh water before leaving.
Report Card
After every service, your pet sitter fills out a report card so you know exactly what we did together and that nothing was overlooked.
Love and Affection
When you’re not home, we make sure your pets get plenty of exercise, belly rubs, butt scratches and snuggles.
Surf City's Best Pet Care
When Surf Sitters Pet Care and Dog Walking LLC opened in February of 2015, we never imagined what it would be like to complete over 12,000 successful dog walks and pet visits and still be ready to hit the road at the crack of dawn 7 days a week. As you can imagine, we go through some shoes! Though we now have years of practical experience, each day with our animal friends is still a blessing, and each walk is an opportunity to bond further with the pets we serve.
There is more history prior to 2015. In 2012, co-owner John Barrile took a leap and abandoned an unfulfilling career to pursue his dream of working with animals. John’s first job as a dog walker and pet sitter was at a Durham, NC company called Dogwalk. There he earned an additional few thousand walks while learning the ropes. Our decision to move to the Topsail area presented the perfect opportunity to take his experience and create our own business.
After years of working for Dogwalk, John realized it takes a village to run a pet sitting and dog walking company that can truly be there for pets and pet parents when they need service. He knew he couldn’t do it alone. Enter his loving partner and devoted dog Mom, me – Shannon Morrow. I became John’s apprentice – visiting pets and meeting with pet parents under his watchful eye, taking animal communication and dog training classes, Pet CPR and First Aid Certification, joining pet sitting networks, reading everything I could on working with companion animals, consulting with and learning from other pet professionals. The culmination of our experience led to developing a training program for our awesome staff – the best dog walkers and pet sitters in Hampstead, Holly Ridge, and Surf City, NC.
What have we learned? So much! Running a pet sitting and dog walking business takes more than animal-loving hearts and good walking shoes. The upcoming schedule is always in 3 places – the whiteboard, the scheduling software, and the paper calendar. The cars are always full of tools for just in case – emergency kits, pet water bottles, and extra leashes to name a few. We know when a shy dog requires a piece of cheese or even a stop at a local burger joint for a “get to know you” gift. We understand doggy body language – the blinking, yawning, lip licking – those are all signals to us, and we know how to respond. We know which no harm tools will ward off an unfamiliar off-leash dog as it approaches those in our care. We know not to set a client key on the counter when greeting excited pups and cats…that’s how lockouts happen! We know which harnesses are most effective for limiting pulling. We know that each cat likes the litter box at a specific level of fullness and that all cat litter is not created equal! We know that cats don’t appreciate seeing the bottom of their kibble bowls, no matter how much food is still in the feeder. We know great hiding places that cats seek out. We know how to shake a treat bag…
Most of all, we’ve learned that we love what we do and are grateful for each and every opportunity to meet and bond with pets and their people. Our goal is to build loving friendships for the lifetime of each pet we serve, so that pet parents can rest easy knowing that they have a loving and well-trained team of pet sitting professionals to be there when they are away.
Our company employs a well-trained team to ensure that once we have a relationship with you and your pets, we can cover your appointment requests with maximum availability. We provide dogs with the exercise and stimulation they need to be mentally and physically healthy, and we give all pets the companionship, attention, and affection that they’re accustomed to so they’re having just as much fun at home as you enjoy your vacation.
What Makes Us Different From Other Companies?
With Surf Sitters, your pet’s well being is our number one priority. Unlike digital marketplaces such as Rover and Wag, we personally vet every pet sitter we employ. We also ensure proper training of any walker or sitter that interacts with pets.
Unlike many other services, we’ll come out and meet your pup before you book your sitter. The owners of Surf Sitters also personally check the quality of care each Surf pup, cat, lizard, or bunny receives under the care of a Surf Sitter. Also, unlike apps, our services are tailored to your pet. We want to learn how we can keep your pet happy while you’re away, and we aim to go above and beyond to make your pet comfortable.
We consider our team model to be extremely valuable to you the client. We pride ourselves on having staff available to handle requests when things come up – like getting stuck working late. While we can’t guarantee we’ll always be able to meet last-minute requests, we do our best because we care about your pets and know they need us. In addition, our services are available 7 days a week.
Did you know most veterinarians only recommend pet boarding as a last resort? This is because overnight boarding facilities can be very noisy and stressful for pets. Most pets being boarded only receive minimum interaction with people and are left alone at night. This means they’re not getting the attention and reassurance they need to feel safe and secure, let alone happy. And most dogs require additional vaccines before boarding, yet many still end up with conditions like kennel cough or digestive issues caused by stress. Our services eliminate the stress of the racket, loneliness, and discomfort pets experience while boarding.
Plus, with Surf Sitters, we will always treat your home with respect. We think about the little things. We always provide all of our dogs with ample fresh water after their walks and during stays. And our slumber-party pets can watch us take out your trash, bring in the mail, rotate the blind and lighting, and water your plants. These small touches help to deter theft to keep your pet safe along with your home.
