It’s been an interesting journey for Lisa Benefiel. She served 25 years in government intelligence with the National Security Agency. Now, she provides security for pets.
“I enjoyed my work with the NSA but in the past few years, I realized one thing that made my soul happy was taking care of my animals,” Benefiel explained.
She was three years short of full retirement when she and her husband decided to move from Tampa to Aiken.
“With no income at that point, I figured if I needed to go back to government work, Fort Gordon was close by.”
She spent time during Covid getting the certifications she needed to fulfill her dream of opening a pet service business including certification from Pet Sitters International, CPR training for dogs and cats from the Red Cross, and therapy dog credentials.
ABD reported recently that pet-sitting services are one of the top 10 upstart businesses for 2023. The global pet-sitting market size is anticipated to reach $5.14 billion by 2030. An increasing number of initiatives by key players, the emergence of start-ups, rising pet expenditure, and multi-service offerings by major companies are some of the key factors driving the industry growth.
Who is taking care of your pet and their experience level is a factor for owners in selecting a pet care or pet sitting service.
February marks the first anniversary of Red Dog Pet Services where Benefiel serves as owner and Pawsident. The “red dog” is her Vizsla, a Hungarian hunting dog named Teca. She also has another pup and a cat.
“Teca was really my motivation for starting this business. Vizslas are athletes, but they are also great family dogs. I wanted to be able to teach owners how to be comfortable with their breed of dog and to transition to an owner’s home and environment.”
Benefiel will be partnering with FOTAS, Friends Of The Animal Shelter in Aiken, to celebrate her first anniversary during February by helping with enrichment field trips including hikes, park visits, and Doggie Day Outs. Her fees during the month will support the program.
“I’m a professional and our customers know what they are getting from me. I want to minimize stress and guilt for fur baby owners to be able to go on a date night or vacation.”
For tips on pet care or more information about Red Dog Pet Services, you can visit their website or Facebook page.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
