Reigning Cats and Dogs

Dog person? Cat person? In animal-friendly Winter Garden, we say “why choose?” Here are a few of our finest four-pawed pets and pet-people.

by Rheya Tanner / Photos by Fred Lopez

Pet Projects

Two-year-old Hamilton “Ham” the Frenchie is the unofficial mascot of Ingrid Aguero’s operation—and her right-hand man.

It started as a passion project.”I liked to draw portraits of dogs I fostered and some of the dogs at the rescue where I volunteered,” says Ingrid Aguero, pet portrait artist and dog foster mom. “Now, it’s customers who reach out to me.”

Her pencil drawings are typically of dogs, but Aguero has done plenty of cats and the occasional bird (as pictured above). She’s been drawing all her life, but her business is relatively new.

Aguero’s own dogs include an 8-year-old French Mastiff, a pug-mix rescue, a foster dog named Duncan, and her happy little Hamilton—“Ham” for short. The art also benefits Aguero’s rescue efforts; proceeds from each commission go to an area animal rescue. Through the end of this year, 20% of sales benefit Southern States Bully Rescue.

ingridartandphoto.com

Brady-Gram

“I just wanted to create a thumbprint of our adventures together,” says Brittany Rock, owner of Winter Garden’s Insta-famous Yorkie, Brady. She and her husband Mike adopted Brady from South Lake Animal League when he was 7. “We wanted to give him a fresh start on life,” she says.

Creating the Instagram profile for him felt natural. “I was already taking photos of him everywhere we went, but thought it would be too overwhelming to post on my own page,” says Rock. “I saw other people make Instagrams for their dogs, so I just started my own. Then we gained a whole bunch of followers.”

Brady, now 11, loves getting recognized at the Crooked Can and the Farmers Market by vendors and patrons alike. “He loves people coming up to him, talking to him, petting him,” she says. “He probably gets recognized at least once a month.”

Rock is a big proponent for adoption, especially of seniors like Brady. “Don’t overlook the senior dogs. They have so much life left.”

@brady_the_yorkie_

Kitten Mama

Foster Kitten Mama poses with kittens Kate and Pippa

Heidi Shoemaker had been with a cat rescue for a year before starting her own operation as Foster Kitten Mama.“I realized I could do more on my own,” she says. “So far, it’s worked out really well. Many of my followers send supplies we need for us to do as much as we do.”

Shoemaker’s focus is usually on pregnant or nursing mothers. “A lot of other rescuers won’t help them, but I try to give them a chance. It’s amazing to see them born and watch them grow from day 1.”

With a variety of mamas and babies in varying stages, Foster Kitten Mama often cares for as many as 30 cats at a time. “It sounds like a madhouse, but it’s really not,” says Shoemaker. “We keep the cats separate in their own spaces. The mother cats stay in their birthing box for up to four weeks. So it’s mostly pretty calm.”

In her 1.5 years in operation, Shoemaker has rescued nearly 200 cats. “I keep a running total in my Insta bio and add to it every time we take new ones in.”

But a Foster Kitten Mama’s work is never done. “I get messages daily about cats,” she says. “Once you start fostering, people start calling you. I’m just happy I can make a difference.”

@fosterkittenmama

Stitch, 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, with handler Officer Jeff Doyle

Pooch Patrol

For Jeff Doyle, Master Police Officer, and Joe Thompson, Canine Officer First Class, every day is Bring Your Dog to Work Day.

A day in the life of K-9s Stitch and Dak includes patrol work, surveillance, building searches, and often tracking people who are missing or have fled. But off duty, the dogs are just dogs, albeit pretty active ones. “They’re very high-drive and have to be doing something all the time,” says Officer Doyle.

Be warned: these dogs are not friendly on the clock—and aren’t supposed to be. But at home, they enjoy the leisurely life every good boy should. “They have the ability to turn it off, which is the coolest thing,” says Officer Thompson. “You see the two sides of them, when they’re at work and when they’re at home.”

Taking Care of Business

Some people are willing to take a lot of crap. But who’s willing to take it straight from your yard? Michael Wright, owner of Poop Bandit, is up to the task.

The job is exactly what it says on the tin. “We go into people’s yards and pick up all the poop,” says Wright.

Poop Bandit was started by Wright’s son, Lucas, here in Winter Garden in 2017 and has been scooping up business across Orange County ever since—with an emphasis on eco-friendliness. “One day I’d like to develop a process to turn the pet waste into compost instead of having it just go to the land ll,” says Wright.

The company also goes beyond its expected call of duty. “If we see anything abnormal in the poop, we let the client know, just in case the dog is sick,” he says.

For Wright, excellent service is second-nature, having spent much of his pre-poop life in the private service industry managing butlers, chefs, and personal assistants.

Poop Bandit will abscond with your excrement one to two times per week and o ers one-time pickups. If you’re home when the Bandit arrives, be sure to say hi. “We love to interact with our furry friends and clients!”

poopbandit.com

Sitting with Savvy

Courtesy Savvy Sitter

It’s the job we all dream of. “Other than petting puppies and kitties all day,” says Savanna Westwood, aka The Savvy Sitter, “we make sure pets are healthy, safe, comfortable, and loved on.”

Animals have always been part of Westwood’s life. “I grew up around bunnies, mice, fish, snails, craw sh, cats, dogs, and horses,” she says. She is an avid equestrian and hopes to own a horse of her own again one day. “Right now I have no pets of my own, unless you count my fish.”

Alongside walking and sitting services, Westwood takes pride in being one of Winter Garden’s key pet resources—hence the name. But “savvy” also has a more personal origin. “It was actually my nickname in high school, from Pirates of the Caribbean. Thanks, Captain Jack Sparrow.”

Most of her savvy sitting is of the canine or feline variety, but she has also had some more unique clientele, including poison dart frogs, bearded dragons, saltwater fish, koi, leopard geckos, and tropical birds. “We’ve taken care of a hand-trained sun conure, which was super cool.”

All her clients have one thing in common: they love Westwood. “When I do check-in calls, sometimes the dogs hear my voice over the phone and freak out,” she says. “They start looking for me because they hear me, but can’t see me.”

That comes partly from Savvy Sitter’s relationship-building process. “If a pet is scheduled for a 30-minute visit, but keeps their distance, we may alter the visit to be more of a bonding exercise,” she says. “We want to go at the pet’s pace, and that takes patience, respect, and kindness.”

Kitty in the City

Cats aren’t often known for their love of walks—especially on a leash. But such stereotypes have never stopped Andrew Spencer, one of several cats rescued and owned by District 2 Commissioner Ron Mueller. Cooler than any human could ever be, this cat deserves his own Instagram. And that’s why he has one: @andrewthefearless

thesavvysitter.org

Dream Team

If you know nothing else about Ryan and Laura Taylor, know that their whole heart belongs to animals. “We’re big proponents of adoption,” says Ryan. “There are so many animals out there who need a home—and they’re often the best ones.”

It was only a matter of time, then, before their fervor for their furry friends led them to owning Puppy Dreams Pet Boarding. “Laura’s always had this dream of owning a farm with hundreds of animals,” says Ryan. “So this scratches that itch for both of us.”

“The folks who started Puppy Dreams ran it for 20 years and wanted to retire, so they put it on the market—the business and the property,” says Laura.

“At first I was like, ‘yeah, right,’” says Ryan. “But it was a good chunk of land in an up-and-coming area. Plus, we both really care about animals, so it was a business I could see us doing.”

So, the couple went in on Puppy Dreams, and manages it while they balance their day jobs.

Puppy Dreams currently employs seven people, most of whom have been working there for several years.

“We’re fortunate to have an amazing staff,” says Ryan. “That’s the key, is the wonderful people working there. For the most part, we let the staff do what they do best.”

puppydreamspetboarding.com

Puppy Love

Which puppy loves Puppy Dreams the most? Probably the Taylors’ own dog, Leo. “It’s almost embarrassing,” says Larua. “He runs to the door to get in, and I have to drag all 60 pounds of him to the car when we leave.”

Leo is Laura and Ryan Taylor’s first dog since their Puppy Dreams mascot died four years ago. “It took him that long to be ready for another puppy,” says Laura.

They found Leo on social media, in a post from a South Florida rescue. “We drove down there on Valentine’s Day to pick him up.” says Ryan.

Bring the Gang

Every local dog owner worth their kibble knows Woof Gang Bakery is the spot for gourmet goodies and fun toys and accessories. But there’s plenty of fun treats and toys made specially for cats as well. Woof Gang also offers grooming services, from trims and touch-ups to a full spa-day experience. And if it’s your best buddy’s special day, try treating him to a pet birthday cake baked locally.

woofgangbakery.com