According to Kristy, she is the only properly zoned boarding facility in Philadelphia that is operating out of a private home.
And it didn’t come easy.
In this episode of “Bella In Your Business,” Bella speaks with Kristie Glazer from Philly Pet Care,a family-owned pet sitting and dog walking company in Philadelphia.
In an unprecedented interview, you learn what it is like when the Zoning Board is knocking on your door telling you to stop your business or they will fine you and board up your home.
You will also learn how you can take the proper steps in being able to operate your dog boarding business legally in your own home.
Kristie talks about the struggles she went through with the boarding aspect of her business and the complicated steps it took to move it from being shut down by the city, to now being the only zoned boarding facility in Philadelphia that is operating out of a private home.
There is great strength and success in this podcast if you are thinking about doing dog boarding in your home. Through a difficult struggle and long process, Kristie was able to get her city to back her business. Unfortunately, Kristie only represents about 1% of in home dog boarders I know about. Many, do not know their city ordinances or know what permit they need to operate legally. Some, choose to ignore and pretend they don’t know they need permits or proper zoning.
It is troublesome because some pet sitters use in home dog boarding as their livelihood. If your business is shut down, because you are operating illegally, your income stops. This could have a grave effect on their life. It is a topic to think seriously about and take into proper consideration.
2:00 – Kristie’s story
7:38 – What made Kristie decide to fight to keep her business
9:24 – How Kristie got her neighbors support
14:35 – What to do if you want to board dogs in your home
15:42 – Fines or penalties for illegal boarding?
16:36 – Where do people go to start boarding legally?
20:12 – Importance of having a strong team
21:40 – Final words of advice
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Transcript:
This is episode 23 of Bella in Your Business.
Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.
Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting, and today I am joined again by an incredible business owner. Christy with My Philly Pet Care out in Philadelphia is here with me today. Christy, how are you doing? I’m doing great. How are you? I am fantastic. And I am so thankful that you agreed to join me for your second podcast. You’re one of the only pet sitting companies I’ve had on more than once because your story is so compelling. In our last podcast, we talked about your business, how you started, got pulled back like an arrow, and then catapulted forward to create this incredible lifestyle for you, your husband, and your family. Something came up that we really wanted to dive more into, and anyone listening out there who’s considering or already has a boarding aspect to their pet care business—this could be a groomer, a trainer, or a sitter—should really listen. It’s a sticky subject and often misunderstood. People think that because they’re insured, it’s fine. But that’s not always the case. Tell us your story, Christy, and how you literally had to shut down the boarding part of your company for a while, gather a strong team around you, and then reopen.
We have a neighbor who lives on the corner on the way to a park. We live in an urban area, so everyone walks past our house to get to the park where we walk our dogs and board dogs. At the time, doggy daycare was a huge part of our business. We would pick up about ten dogs a day and have them romp around our house, some sleeping over, doing this Monday through Friday. But one day we got a knock on the door. It was Licensing and Inspection from our city. They informed us that we were running a business out of our home and weren’t zoned for it. I was wearing my “Personal Pet Care by Christy” shirt, thinking everything was fine. I explained that I was insured, bonded, and had a city license for taxes, but they said we also needed proper zoning. Then we got letters from the city and state threatening to board up our house if we continued to operate.
This all started because of one neighbor—someone watching everything we did. When we bought our home, part of our plan was to expand our doggy daycare. We moved in, walked our dogs, and we’re very particular—they don’t bark excessively, don’t relieve themselves on others’ property. About a week after moving in, this neighbor knocked on our door and said, “I know your dogs aren’t the ones peeing on my property, but someone’s are, so I’ve put chicken bones out for dogs to choke on.” That was my introduction. It escalated from there—she screamed at us when we passed, sprayed my husband with a hose, and called the cops on us multiple times. Eventually, she called the city, which led to our shutdown.
We had to make a decision: give up or fight. Financially, it was devastating—we lost nearly half our business overnight. But we decided not to let her win. We tightened our budget, canceled cable, stopped eating out, and pushed through. My husband got our councilwoman’s support, and she found us a pro bono attorney. Neighbors came forward to testify that we were good neighbors, that our dogs were quiet and respectful. We needed a 90% neighborhood petition, so we went door to door with help from our block captain. The zoning board initially denied us, but when we appealed to court, the judge ruled in our favor—mostly because our neighbor didn’t show up.
It’s been five years since we won, but she still occasionally causes trouble—recently threatening to call Child Protective Services because our son lives in a house with dogs, and even accusing my husband of keying her car. It’s exhausting, but we’ve learned to handle it legally and calmly.
Looking back, as stressful as it was, I’m actually grateful for her. Because of that situation, I can now proudly say I’m the only legally zoned in-home boarding facility in the city. The city inspects my property regularly. My business is legitimate, compliant, and approved. That peace of mind is priceless.
For anyone considering or currently offering in-home boarding, my advice is to know your local laws and take them seriously. Most cities and states don’t allow boarding in residential homes without proper permits. You need to ask yourself if you’re willing to go through the legal steps or risk being shut down. Start with your local zoning board or licensing department. In our state, you need a “use permit” to operate a business out of your home—something beyond just a tax ID or insurance. It’s an official city document with the state emblem, like what you see displayed in any storefront.
Typically, zoning boards are most concerned about traffic—people or pets coming and going. If you’re just doing administrative work from home, that’s different, but once clients or animals are entering your home, you need zoning approval.
It’s worth it to do things the right way. If you ever face a situation like mine, having the right team—legal, political, and community support—makes all the difference. Get your team in place before you need them. Don’t wait for an emergency to find out who you can trust.
So take Christy’s story as a reminder. Every city is different, but it’s your responsibility to know the rules where you operate. Do your homework, get legit, and protect what you’ve built. Christy, thank you for sharing this powerful story. Your persistence is an inspiration to so many business owners who might face similar challenges.
For anyone wanting to connect with Christy, you can find her at myphillypetcare.com. And remember—get your ducks in a row, get your team together, and make sure your business stands on solid legal ground.
Thanks for jumping with Bella in Your Business. For more information, articles, and coaching, visit jumpconsulting.net—and remember, Bella’s got your chute.