Help with Your Move

Remember the famous scene in “Forrest Gump” when Tom Hanks says, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get”? Contacting Buckhead Paws is just like that box of chocolates, except you never know WHO you’re gonna get! It could be Robin or Eileen, might be Charles or Mark. But have you ever wondered who these people are at the other end?

Well, here’s your chance: Meet the Pack Leaders of Buckhead Paws!

Office Assistant Robin manages the evenings, Monday through Thursday from 6:00 PM until our last team member is home. By day, she’s the administrator of a private pre-school in Buckhead, a role she loves and has held for many years. She also volunteers at a local animal rescue, goes to yoga and meditation classes, and has published a children’s book, Sheldon’s Hurrication. Robin grew up in Miami and always had a variety of dogs. After earning a BA in Communications from Catawba College, Robin raised her two daughters and a menagerie that included cats, parakeets, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles, and fish! She joined us in January 2023 and began visiting a nice group of furry clients in the early mornings on her way to work. Then, about 15 months ago, we asked her to help manage the evenings, so on top of everything else she does, Robin is the cheery, efficient voice on the phone.

Office Manager Eileen moved here in 2017 to be closer to family and began pet-sitting her sister’s two dogs. Then it was her brother’s collection of five cats and three dogs—each needing to be fed in a different place! She had a beagle growing up in Michigan and earned a BA in Spanish at Western Michigan University. Eileen then spent 10 years exporting dental instruments to Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Middle East. She also managed a chiropractic office for 8 years in Chicago (she LOVES the Windy City!). Eileen joined Buckhead Paws in August 2019, and became our office manager two years ago. She still visits a few clients in the middle of the day but keeps the administrative side of Buckhead Paws running smoothly in the first half of the morning, then 1:30 to 6:00pm. Her calm, quiet manner makes her a steady rock when chaos strikes!

The newest member of our pack leader team is General Manager Charles. Shortly after he joined us in February 2023, our previous General Manager decided to hang up her leash and move to the mountains. Mark had known Charles for about 10 years and respected his business acumen, trusted his judgement, and loved his drive and enthusiasm—he was the perfect choice to continue building Buckhead Paws. Charles grew up in Augusta and earned a BA in English & Broadcast Journalism from Augusta State. His parents still live there and recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary! He came to Atlanta in 2003 to oversee a five-state region for Restoration Hardware and has since worked with other luxury and high-end retailers. Pets have always been in his life, most recently a beloved Pug/Beagle mix named CJ. If you’ve had the opportunity to interact with Charles via phone, text, email, or in person, you know that his enthusiasm, his passion, and his overall zest for life are infectious!

And, riding herd over this talented pack is Owner Mark Shaver. He grew up in Ohio and Texas, where he earned an MA in Speech Communication. After a long corporate career with Coca-Cola, Baskin Robbins, and Japan Tobacco, Int’l, (including 15 years living overseas), he settled in Atlanta and was semi-retired. Then, in what he describes as a God-moment, an opportunity fell out of the sky: In 2009, the young woman who had started Buckhead Paws two years earlier was about to close the business. A mutual friend introduced her to Mark, and, in a handshake agreement, he agreed to help. Two years later, Mark had built a team of four and had added dozens of new clients, so on January 1, 2012, he purchased Buckhead Paws. And the growth continued. Along the way, he converted the team members from 1099 contractors to W-2 employees and added credit card processing and online scheduling. He also met his wife Karen, a beautiful poet who shares his values, his interests (like opera), and his sense of spirituality. Then, in December 2024, they added Frankie, their sweet mini-goldendoodle. Meanwhile, today Buckhead Paws has 43 employees and provides loving care for over 500 clients throughout Atlanta, Decatur, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Smyrna.

Together, we all share one commitment: To provide you, our beloved clients, with loving care for your pets and peace of mind for you. Thank you for asking us to be of service.

If you’re getting ready to move, you know how crazy the real estate market is, especially in Metro Atlanta. Having lived in four countries in 15 years and moved multiple times with children and dogs and cats, I’m well familiar with moving stress…  for humans and animals! This list for moving with pets came to my wife recently in an email sent to her by Maggie Goldman of Buy and Sell Differently, and I’ve added some thoughts of my own.
 
1. Prepare a Moving Kit
Create an overnight bag for your pets; include food, toys, a bed or crate, leashes, and litter so that everything they need is easily accessible when you’re unpacking. Make sure your pet sitter or dog walker knows where to find the items. 
 
2. Keep Your Pet Away from the Hustle
Never underestimate moving day commotion! All that activity, noise, and people-stress makes animals anxious. Try to keep them away from the hustle, preferably in a quiet room. Your dog walker will be happy to take your pup for extended walks, and some of pet sitters take furbabies into their own homes, all day if necessary — this is sometimes known as “Pet Sitting by the Hour.”
 
3. Don’t let Them Out Unattended or Unleashed, Yet
Be careful when transporting your animals to your new neighborhood because if they get out they can easily get lost. Once they’re in the car, don’t open the kennel or carrier until your pet is inside your new home. Give them a few days to adjust. For your cat’s safety, a move is a good chance for kitty to get used to being inside rather than out. Use this transition to your advantage.
 
4. Ease Your Pet into Your New Home and Neighborhood
If possible, set up as much as you can before bringing in your pet. If not, keep them secluded in a calm area of the house with familiar things, like toys or a bed. Your dog walker can also play a key role in helping your pooch feel comfortable with all the new neighborhood sights, sounds, and smells. 
 
5. After You Move, Make Sure You Update Important Info
Collar tags and microchips need your new address and phone number… and so do your pet-service providers! Please remember to give your pet sitting service copies of your new keys and information pertinent to your new home. Also, ask your pet sitter or dog walker to meet you there to learn the new ropes.

If you live in the Buckhead Paws service area (Brookhaven, Buckhead, Chamblee, Decatur, Dunwoody, Intown  or Midtown Atlanta, Sandy Springs, or Smyrna), our team would love to help keep your pets stress-free during your move. And if you live elsewhere, find the best pet sitter or dog walker near you (visit Pet Sitters International) and rely on them to help you and your animals keep calm and carry on. 

Happy moving!