She Quit Her Corporate Job to Become a Full-Time Pet Sitter—and She's Allergic to Dogs
You’ve probably heard stories of someone you know or office workers deciding to step off the corporate grind during or post-pandemic citing burnout. One such individual is 30-year-old Jacqueline Benita who ruminated on her purpose for pushing as hard as she did in her corporate job during the lockdowns.
Fast forward to September 2023, she has now been running Barked Club for close to two years as a pet nanny, dog trainer, and dog walker with a fully booked schedule.
Rojak Daily spoke to Jacqueline to find out more about her journey to becoming a full-time self-proclaimed ‘dog mum’. Armed with a degree in Public Relations, she worked in the field and as a journalist for three years before becoming the team lead for a B2B e-commerce start-up for two years. Then when the pandemic hit, it made her rethink her relationship with work.
Jacqueline said, “In October 2021, as Malaysians entered the endemic phase, I received an offer to pursue my dream job to create a self-sufficient shelter. As a shelter volunteer and active spectator in the dog groups on social media, it was clear that donations are not a sustainable way to run a shelter. So, when I was presented with an opportunity which aligned with my skill sets, experience, and goal, I went for it.”
Starting Off on The Wrong Paw
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Unfortunately, she encountered the dark side of the industry including syndicates involving the rescue community. She decided to live off her savings while she figured out her next move. “As a shelter volunteer, I figured I had some experience to be a paid dog walker and I hustled to get customers.
“I focused on strategic collaborations and providing value to my customers. I thought it would just be temporary till I found my way back to corporate, but somehow it took off. I got a few clients and a few jobs with a cage-free pet hotel including pet taxi (transporting pets for vet and grooming appointments, etc.), dog walking and pet sitting services.
Jacqueline, who also speaks Mandarin besides English and Malay said, “I pick up new languages easily, so I just treat dog training as a new language.”
Jacqueline’s love for canines is such that she did all this despite being allergic to dogs. “At first it was really hard, because I would get so swollen that I can’t drive. But after getting the worst reactions when I first started the job, I only got minor [allergic] reactions every few months after that.
“I still take antihistamines, but my reactions these days are much less severe. I only get slight itchiness in my eyes, especially if the dog hasn’t bathed in a while. My allergies are also triggered when I’m sick.”
While her current profession may surprise those who think that Jacqueline may be better suited off for other professions, she said, “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. I also want people to be aware of this because many re-home their dogs due to ‘allergies’. I’ve always been badly allergic, but it’s not fatal, so if you just bear with it, it gets better. Nowadays, I barely have a reaction.”
She is also currently a member of IAABC (International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants) and aims to get certified. IAABC is a global organisation that aims to elevate the standard of animal behaviour consultation.
“IAABC is one of the few recognised certifications by the Singapore government as Malaysia has not yet set a requirement for dog trainers to be certified. Hopefully with this article, that could change,” she went on to say.
A Paw-sitive Lifestyle Change
She added, “Until now, I find it hard to believe this is my full-time job.” Besides being a dog owner, Jacqueline learned how to dog sit through her experience at the pet haven shelter.
Pet sitting is not rocket science but understanding paw parents' expectations, canine or feline behaviour, and general care to keep them safe and healthy is crucial. That took a lot of research and that is where my volunteering experience came in handy.”
A Day at the Paw-ffice
Jacqueline’s Pet Sitting and Dog Walking services are fully booked and you’ll needto join a waitlist. Her Pet Taxi services are also fully booked for the month. “For pet sitting and dog walking I have about ten clients that take up my Mondays to Sundays, on mornings and evenings.
My clients are the reason I can keep going and I don’t mean because they give me an income, but the sheer love they have for their fur kids to hire a private service like mine to ensure their happiness and safety above all else is why I am driven to improve my knowledge and skills for them.”
Jacqueline shared that she keeps a busy schedule, “In the afternoon I do dog training at Patty’s Pet Hotel, a great place for training. Patty gave me a chance last year to slowly try my hand at dog training since I did it as a pet nanny anyway. I will always be grateful for her leap of faith.”
She also offers premium dog walking services. “Premium dog walking involves giving a private pet taxi/dog walking socialisation experience. In a nutshell, I pick up your dog, take them out to a park, and let them enjoy a long leash exploration with my supervision. They also get to meet other dogs and exchange scents.”
Although Barked Club is a one-man show for now and she does most of the work 90% of the time, she said, “I have been training two girls who did experience the same corporate burnout and it makes me happy to see them heal.
“Proxies actually earn up to 90% of the fee and my clients get to enjoy lower rates as they are still in training period. My proxies need to undergo 100 hours of perfect service before they can use the same fee as me and start having their own clients.”
The Ulti-mutt Dog Lover
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“I always grew up with dogs, a lot of them. Unfortunately, I grew up in a household that wasn’t tolerant of dogs having flaws such as biting, or barking and suddenly, the dog would not live with us anymore. But I had one dog that survived, my poodle, Snow. She is the reason I am who I am and who I will be. I lost her seven years ago when she was around eight years old,” she shared.
“At 23, I knew nothing of training, recall, or any structures required to have a dog. As a result, my poodle who had a history of running out, didn’t come home and I have carried that regret for seven years and counting. I followed dog groups from then till now to find her and somehow it became my way to repent for my ignorance. I choose to not be ignorant anymore.”
Jacqueline said, “As Barked Club formed, I realised that I had another role to play instead of being someone who picks up dogs off the street to re-home but as someone who can help dog owners avoid the same pain I will forever feel. I do this by teaching and even by having my services so that they can provide the most enriching life for their dogs.”
Naturally, working with animals, love tends to come along with painful memories. “My least favourite memories are getting a call about my client (cat or dog) passing away. It brings me back to the painful reality of how little time they have and how fragile they are so I must make the most of the time I have with them and keep them safe. This is why it’s hard for me to take in new clients, sometimes I worry about the heartbreak.”
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Jacqueline also shared that her favourite memory so far was when a groom asked her to bring a Jack Russell Terrier to surprise his bride at their wedding. “My heart always goes back to that moment. It was at that moment I knew this job had a more important role to play. I feel honoured to play a part in their lifelong journey,” she said.
Follow Jacqueline and Barked Club on Instagram or visit her website. You can also WhatsApp her at +6012-4887293.