Silvia Wasek, the owner of Home Alone, was born and raised in Germany where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and then worked as a Registered Nurse on a Cardiology ward for several years. Upon arrival in the United States, Silvia immediately enrolled at the University of Colorado and later at San Francisco State University in order to improve her language skills and continue her education.
During her entire life she has had a fondness for animals. Often times, she would pick up and bring home a stray that she had found on her way home from school - very much to the dismay of her parents. Her professional interest in animals started when she volunteered at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito where she was mostly involved with the intensive care of premature harbor seal pups. From 1992 to March 2000, Silvia worked part time as a Veterinary Assistant at the Cat Clinic of Mill Valley and also part time as a Wildlife Technician at WildCare where she helped with the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured wildlife. She is also certified in Pet First Aid and Pet CPR. Over the years she also fostered many kittens for the Forgotten Felines, a non-profit organization that rescues stray cats and their kittens. In 1996, Silvia received a phone call from a lady that needed to be hospitalized and was unable to bring her cat to a boarding facility. Silvia readily agreed to visit the kitty on a daily basis and feed her until the owner was back from the hospital. This was the start of Home Alone. With only a few clients at first, Silvia was able to pet sit before and after her other jobs. By March 2000 her clientele had significantly increased and Silvia decided to become a full time pet sitter.Today Home Alone serves more than 250 active clients and is steadily expanding.
Silvia provides a wide range of services including walks with dogs, administering medication, feeding, cleaning of litter boxes and lots of play time for cats. Due to her medical background, Silvia is able to administer any type of medication such as shots, subcutaneous fluids, pills and liquid drops as well as provide special care based on each pet's individual needs. Having a cat and a dog of her own, Silvia knows the importance of reliable, daily visits as well as friendliness and TLC for each individual pet. During heavy travel times such as holidays and the summer months, a backup sitter who is also well trained in animal care and is very reliable, honest and caring helps out.