Critter Sitters provides an alternative to placing the family pet in a kennel when a pet owner has to be away from home.

"The idea behind the company is to let (the pet) stay in their own home with which they're more familiar. (Pets) feel safe and comfortable in their own homes," said Jennie Culbreth.

A Critter Sitter in east Cobb for 25 years, Culbreth replicates the pet's routine as closely as possible, usually visiting the pet three times per day in the morning, early afternoon and late at night.

"The sitter tries to stay close to (the pet's) schedule," she said. "You try to do what they're normally accustomed to having mom do as far as their walking, their mealtimes, medications and things like this."

The east Cobb resident explained by hiring a Critter Sitter, the pet rests better at home and is not subjected to germs or a higher stress level by being placed in a kennel.

"(The service) seems to work very well. The pets are excited when you come," she said.

Critter Sitters provides pet owners a sense of security because the sitter performs a variety of services in addition to pet sitting, such as watching the house, taking in the mail, taking out the trash, dealing with home alarms and watering flowers.

Established in 1975, Critter Sitters' carefully screened and trained sitters care for 50,000 pets per year with fur, scales, fins, feathers or shells in the Atlanta area as well as the Golden Isles area.

"(Critter Sitters) gives people the peace of mind to know their babies are cared for. They can check on their (pet) and they know they're safe, because they know you and the dog knows you because you're familiar," she said.

"When someone's out of town, they're my children and they're treated like my children," Culbreth said.

To learn more or to book a Critter Sitter, visit www.critter- sitters.com or call (404) 377-5475.