MEET THE HUMANS
David started Pet Pals in 1994. Since then, he's made a lot of furry friends!
In addition to being avid animal lovers, our staff is always heavily involved in community activities, including mentoring programs, coaching youth sports, even judging the Town Day Dog Show.
The Pet Pals family is committed to the highest standards when it comes to caring for your pet.
David, Owner & Alpha Dog
Dave and his wife, Kristin, reside in Winchester with their three children, David Jr., Eliza, Mekhi and two Rhodesian Ridgebacks named Pax and Eli. Possibly the only person who likes all four seasons of New England weather, Dave started Pet Pals way back in 1994! In the few hours that Dave's not running Pet Pals, he plays lacrosse, hockey and basketball, snowboards and coaches youth lacrosse.
Susan, Office Manager
Susan grew up in Orlando, Florida and attended the University of Central Florida. She has been working with us since 2014! Currently living in Wakefield, she experienced her first winter while here at Pet Pals! When not at Pet Pals she enjoys being outdoors camping and hiking with her dog Zeus! Susan runs the office and handles all of the billing and scheduling here at Pet Pals.
Heather
Heather was born in Salem, New Hampshire but now resides in Groton, Massachusetts. She is Pet Pals' assistant office manager! Heather grew up with two dogs, a Norweigan Elk Hound and a Shiba Inu. Currently she has two cats named Charlie and Navi and a Treeing Walker Coonhound named Daphne. When she isn't on the clock with us, she likes to play the piano, kayak, and play video games. A cool fact about Heather is that she used to compete in professional CrossFit competitions.
Ayoub
Ayoub is the newest addition to our team here at Pet Pals. He was born in Beverly, MA but spent four years living in Morocco as a child. He attended Whittier Technical High School and then moved on to study business at University of Massachusetts Lowell. Although he does not have any dogs of his own, he does have a cat named Cleo and loves that he gets to hang out with all of the dogs while he is at work with us! In his free time he likes to do yoga and learn about astrology.
Matt G
Matt was born in Winchester but has spent most of his life in Wilmington. He attended Shawsheen Valley Tech for high school and then went on to study architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Matt has one dog named Bailey - she is a mutt and he absolutely adores her! In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and his girlfriend. He also loves music, cars, and vacationing in Maine.
Jenn
Jenn (Heather's sister!) was born in Salem, New Hampshire but currently lives in Groton, Massachusetts. She has grown up with two dogs--a Norwegian Elkhound named Frenchie and a Shiba Inu named Copper. She now has a dog of her very own named Nala. Her favorite hobbies include embroidery and hiking with her pup. Jenn's favorite thing about working with us is that the environment is like a family, dogs included. Jenn is also studying to become a dog trainer.
Joe
Joe was born and raised in Revere, but currently lives in Woburn with his dogs Izzy & Arlo. He's been working with us here at Pet Pals since 2018! As someone who has a spontaneous sense of adventure, Joe loves taking the pups out on the town and also enjoys fixing anything with a motor! Joe studied Automotive at Northeast Metro Tech and worked as a mechanic for several years before joining Pet Pals. Joe is an absolute animal lover!!!
Vanessa
Vanessa was born in Medford, Massachusetts but currently resides in Woburn, Massachusetts. She has two dogs, one named Nikki who is the old lady of the pack and Savannah who's the baby, she also has a fish named Pongo! In her free time when she isn't spending her time hanging out in daycare with our dogs she loves the beach and swimming. The best part for her about being here at Pet Pals is the environment. She loves how everyone here is so welcoming and all share a love for the pups. One cool fact about Vanessa, she has an identical twin sister!
Kayla
Kayla is from Wilmington and absolutely loves animals. She owned two Bassett Hounds growing up and now owns a Pit mix named Nala and a Chihuahua mix named Taco. She was even a volunteer at the local MSPCA for 5 years! In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, being outdoors, and trying new things.
Brett
Brett was born and raised in Winchester and currently resides in Wilmington. He attended Lasell College in Newton where he studied Graphic Design. He enjoys working with us at Pet Pals thanks to our friendly environment and awesome dogs! He is our #1 Daycare Attendant and has been with us since 2019. Brett grew up with dogs his entire life and currently has a Jack Russell Terrier named Mackey! When he’s not working with us, he enjoys anything related to music. He can even play the drums! He also enjoys reading, writing, playing videogames, going hiking, and camping.
Alex
Alex is a born and raised North Andover native, but went to Boston College where he studied Economics. Even though he didn’t get to grow up alongside his own furry companion, Alex is loving getting to know all the pups from Pet Pals! His favorite pastimes include hiking, mushroom foraging, and going on long drives. Alex also loves studying up on Ancient History. A typical New Englander, he is a diehard Patriots fan!
Duncan
Duncan was born and raised in Winchester and has been working at Pet Pals since 2018. He attended the University of New England where he studied Animal Behavior and proceeded to do an internship at NEADs, a service dog training program. He helped take care of the dogs until they were ready to be given to people in need. Growing up Duncan owned geckos, guinea pigs and a Portuguese Water Dog. Currently, Duncan owns a corn snake, a cockatiel, and a Whoodle named Nora. When Duncan’s not working at Pet Pals, his favorite hobbies include traveling, cooking, and playing video games. He is also a certified Scuba Diver!
Keith
Keith was born and raised in Lowell where he also attended university to study music. He's been working with us since 2018! His favorite hobbies include playing hockey as well as playing shows with his band and honing in his self-taught guitar skills. Growing up Keith had two German Shepherds named Ceasar and Chevy. Because he doesn't have any pets currently, he loves getting to play with the dogs here at our park!
Colin
Colin, another Massachusetts native, was born and raised in Wakefield. He loves playing sports in his free time--especially hockey and basketball! When he is not skating on the ice or running up and down the court, you can probably catch him studying up. Colin is an accounting major and is currently enrolled remotely at SNHU. Growing up, his family owned a chocolate lab named Jake and they now own a maltese terrier mix named Cody. Colin loves working at Pet Pals because he enjoys being a part of making sure dogs are getting the exercise they need. A fun fact about Colin is that he was originally named Aidan! However, his family changed it to Colin when he was very young.
Gabbie
Gabbie has been working with us since 2022. She currently resides in Stoneham but is originally from Brazil. She attended Melrose High School and is now enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College where she is working on her radiography degree. She owns a cat named Bela, a hamster named Billy, and a Dalmatian named Colby! She taught herself English and spent 6 months in England to practice at the age of 17. In her free time she enjoys learning new languages, going to museums, embroidery, and writing.
Steve
Steve grew up in Woburn where he attended Woburn High School and currently resides. He is married and has two grown kids who are working on their college degrees. He is an all-around animal lover! He owns two cats and eight guinea pigs!!! He is studying to be come a vet technician and hopes to one day open a guinea pig sanctuary. He also loves music, gardening, hiking, and cooking.
Renae
Renae was born and raised in Winchester but now calls Woburn her home. From a very young age she knew that animals were her passion and is happy to have found a job where she can spend time with dogs. She owns two Goldendoodles named Teddy & Dallas. She spoils the two of them at every chance she gets! Renae works two full-time jobs so she likes to take it easy when she can find the time. When she's not on the clock you can probably find her catching up on her favorite Netflix shows.
Jill
Jill hails from Beverly and is currently residing in Saugus. She loves music--especially pop and classic rock! Above all, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and does so at every chance she gets. Jill received her associate degree in Animal Care at North Shore Community College. While she's on the clock with us, she enjoys testing her knowledge of dog breeds and their personality traits. When Jill isn't working in our daycare, she's helping out in our grooming room!
Tori
Tori was born in Chelmsford and still calls it home to this day. She went to Chelmsford High School and also attended University of Massachusetts where she studied Animal Science. We are happy to have her join our team here at Pet Pals while she takes a break in her studies. She grew up with a variety of pets--dogs, chickens, hamsters, fish, and gerbils! She currently owns two Pomeranians named Finley & Teddy as well as a Puggle named Maisy and a cat named Snowy. In her free time she enjoys boating, fishing, walking her pups, and dancing. When she's not driving the Pet Pals van, you can catch her riding her motorcycle!
Matt W
Matt was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire and currently resides in Wilmington. He went to high school at Shawsheen Valley Technical and moved on to study biology at Salem State University. Matt has been an avid animal lover his entire life. Growing up, Matt had three dogs named Moose, Harlee, & Leo. However, his love for animals extends beyond the furry variety - he also loves spiders, scorpions, and all of the creepy crawlies! In his free time he enjoys spending time in nature, playing videogames, and trying new foods.
Sara
We are so happy to have Sara on board as the newest member of our team! She was born in Boston and grew up in Tewksbury where she currently resides. Sara attended Tewksbury Memorial High and moved on to study marketing at Merrimack College. Growing up, Sara owned cats, turtles, and even a chinchilla. When she isn't hanging out with her pets, Sara enjoys spending time with her friends, doing makeup, and reading about new subjects.
