Meet Our Team

Welcome to
Stayin’ Home Pet Care

At Stayin’ Home Pet Care, our passion is pets! Established in 2009, our team first served the south Austin community before expanding to the greater Austin area, reaching from San Marcos across to Dripping Springs, and all the way up to Georgetown. Our mission is to give you the peace of mind that your pet is cared for like a member of our own family while you’re away from home. We offer pet sitting as well as dog walking services.

Our team of sitters and walkers takes our role seriously and we strongly believe in delivering personalized, compassionate, and professional services so that you may never be left without care for your pet.

View Our Services

About Karla Bauman

Founder, Stayin’ Home Pet Care

I grew up having a special connection with animals. Being surrounded by cattle, dogs, pigs and horses on a farm in Iowa will do that to a girl! There has been a dog by my side every day of my life, a total of 19 dogs in fact. While on the farm, being distant from my friends that lived in our small community, my dad always had a dog for me to play with. I will brag that there were many Saint Bernards! After completing my BFA from The Kansas City Art Institute, I moved to Austin in 1994 and started my career in customer service at Holland Photo. I changed companies a few times over the years, while maintaining my customer service career. In 2009, I decided to start Stayin’ Home Pet Care to combine my customer service skills with my Dr. Doolittle nature.

I live in SW Austin with my dog ZuZu. I was fortunate to have her land into my lap from Lucky Lab Rescue, who we proudly support. My oldest son, Dakota & his family live in Waco and my youngest son, Jax, is in his final year at Wartburg College in Iowa. Yes, I have successfully passed down to them that life is much better with a dog. I am a bit obsessed with Men’s College Basketball and attend every Longhorn’s home game. My top 5 favorite albums are REM: Life’s Rich Pageant, U2: Joshua Tree, Lenny Kravitz: Mama Said, Madonna: Ray of Light, and Prince: 1999.

I believe that we can all use a helping hand when work is getting the best of us or when we need to travel for business or pleasure. Your peace of mind and your pets’ well-being will always be our top priority, and our promise to you is to love them like we love our own. It is a joy to be able to provide a service that is bringing happiness & fun into the lives of your pets while making your life easier!

Meet Our Amazing Sitters!

We know we take great care of pets, but we also take great care of the pet parents, too! So at Stayin’ Home Pet Care, we employ caring and trustworthy sitters who are efficient and dependable. From students to stay-at-home moms to teachers, our team of pet care professionals have a variety of interests (from rock music to opera), but they all have one thing in common: they know how to take care of pets. So, whether it’s playing with cats or walking dogs, you can rest assured that your pet will always have exceptional care while you’re away from home!

This ridiculously cute pup in my photo is Remy. A couple of years ago, I heard from a friend that Remy needed a home. We set up a meet-and-greet and from the moment I saw him I was in love. He has been the center of my universe ever since!
I was born in south Texas, but I’ve lived in Austin since I was a toddler, so I consider myself a native Austinite. I loved growing up in Austin for the food and the music and the greenbelt!
Most of the week you will find me in a pair of scrubs and a lab coat on the UT Health Science center campus where I am studying to be a medical laboratory scientist. In my free time, you will find me at the gym, devouring romance and fantasy books, or going out to brunch with my friends.
My 5 Island Albums are This Empty Northern Hemisphere (Gregory Alan Isakov), Evermore (Taylor Swift), Hozier (Hozier), A Moment Apart (Odesza), and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (Chappell Roan).

I have two fluffy balls of fur (cats), Lennon May and Lux. They are best friends who cannot go anywhere in my home without each other. I grew up in San Angelo, Texas surrounded by 3 lakes which developed a love for all things water related. My grandparents took us as small children out on their boat every weekend and taught us how to water ski by 5 years old.
I moved to Austin 20 years ago to be closer to my nephew and niece and pursue a job in education. I am a Pre-K teacher and have a passion for enriching little minds. In my free time you can find me at Lady Bird Lake on my stand up paddleboard.
My five island movies are the 1980's made for TV Alice in Wonderland, Pulp Fiction, Leo's Romeo and Juliet, The Craft, and Nightmare Before Christmas.

Hi I’m Alex! I live in quite the zoo with two dogs (both rescued mixed breeds), two Maine Coon cats, 3 chickens, and a bearded dragon. I love spending time with all kinds of animals, whether it be my own or your animal family! I was born in Houston but have spent most of my life in Austin. In 2023, I moved to San Francisco for a year, but have been back in Austin since the beginning of 2024.
Aside from pet sitting, I work at a fulfillment warehouse for Zellie’s Xylitol Mints and Gum. I love spending time outside, if the heat allows for it 🙃 . Luckily there’s tons of fun spots to swim and paddle board in the city, so finding a spot to do that is a must! I’ve recently been learning Spanish and crochet.
I love all things music! If I were to bring 5 albums to a desert island it would be Childish Gambino’s “Awaken, My Love”, Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”, Masayoshi Takanaka’s “TAKANAKA, Tyler”, The Creator’s “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST”, and “Midnight Marauders” by A Tribe Called Quest. I can’t wait to meet your pets and show them all the love and care they deserve!

I have a dog named Jojo. I’ve had her since she was a puppy. She’s my little attachment and loves going on adventures with me. I’ve lived in Austin my whole life. Austin will always be my home, but I do love traveling to the mountains with my dog.
My regular job is a preschool teacher for 3 year olds. I have a big heart for caring about others and animals. I have little siblings who I have a huge age gap with and I love spending a lot of time with them. I’m a huge music person and I love going to concerts of all types, my music taste is all over the place. I also really enjoy reading comics and books. I also really enjoy painting abstract art.
My 5 islands albums would have to be “Twilight of the Thunder God” by Amon Amarth , “Love Strong” by Cristina Perri, “Gift” by Given, “Foiled” By Blue October and “Fearless” by Taylor Swift

Hello, my name is Sydnee! I have been an animal lover for as long as I can remember. Since I was a kid, I have always felt a connection to them and nothing makes me happier than getting to know and love them. I have two family dogs that reside in the Dallas area with my parents, Levi and Harlee: my two lab siblings! I moved to San Marcos back in 2019 to attend Texas State University where I graduated in 2023. I’m now lucky enough to call this place home!
Throughout college I have worked with animals; I started out at a boarding facility, then found this amazing pet sitting company. Most recently worked at a shelter as an adoption counselor/ animal services technician. I am planning on going back to school to earn my masters degree in library sciences to follow my dreams of becoming a librarian! In my personal time I enjoy writing in coffee shops, reading at Sewell park, and swimming in the San Marcos river to help combat this Texas heat.
If I were stuck on a deserted island, I would definitely need some good tunes! My 5 albums would be Jeff Buckley’s “Grace”, The Sunday’s “Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic”, Deftones “Diamond Eyes”, The Smiths’ “Hatful of Hollow”, and finally System of a Down’s “Toxicity”.

Meet Dolly. She is a mini Aussie & my everything. I have had her since she was a wild puppy. She loves anything and everything related to balls. I am originally from Dallas, Texas. I moved to Austin about 15 years ago. I was drawn to the outdoor activities and music this great city provides to its residence. I am currently an active/working musician and artist. Music and art allow me to express myself in all kinds of ways. I have many activities I enjoy but my number one activity is spending time with my dogs (Dolly and Frost) and family.
My island albums would consist of the Beatles - White Album, The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream, Nickleback - Silver Side Up, Katy Perry - Teenage Dream, and Tom Jones - Along Came Jones.

As a child, I vividly remember my father rescuing a stray dog from a busy intersection and nursing him back to health. We took him in temporarily, searching for his owner, but he was extremely timid and disoriented. Our German Shepherd, Judge, warmly welcomed him, and as time passed with no one claiming him, we adopted him as our own, naming him Max. Judge gained a new companion, and Max blossomed into the happiest, friendliest dog, teaching me that every animal deserves a second chance.
I was born on an army base in Seoul, Korea, but my family relocated to Texas when I was young. I spent most of my childhood in Cedar Park before moving to Austin 16 years ago. Growing up, I enjoyed baking, outdoor activities, and being the center of attention among my aunts. Nowadays, my passions include hiking, spending time with my friends and family, weightlifting, traveling, exploring Austin's hidden gems, and trying new restaurants. I also have a background in dance, specifically ballet and ballet Folklorico, which I pursued for five years. For the past seven years, I've had the privilege of teaching preschool, and it's been incredibly rewarding to witness my students' growth and development. Seeing children grasp new concepts, master skills, and light up with understanding is truly priceless, making teaching a career worthy of pride.
My five top island movies/series are A Walk to Remember, Purple Heart, Big Hero 6, Boys Over Flowers and Grey’s Anatomy.

I was born in Hawaii and then I lived in California until II was about 10. We moved to Michigan where I spent 14 years of my life. I hated the cold so I came to Austin in 2007. I had been visiting ever since I was 15 and I knew that when I got old enough to move away, this was where I was going to venture to and it is clearly where I stayed.
I have an interior design company that I started at the beginning a couple of years ago. If you need a good interior designer, hit me up…I got you! In my free time, I go to a lot of shows, mostly country shows. I like to two-step and spending time with my friends and mom.
Even though I like music more than movies, I think I’m going pick five movies just because narrowing down the music is really hard for me and stressful. 1. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure 2. Elvira Mistress of the Dark 3. Wayne's World 4. The Devil's Rejects 5. Clueless (I probably just gave my age away.)

I am a true Austin girl, born & raised. While the city constantly changes, I still feel very at home in Austin. I have always had a love for animals in general, but especially cats! My only cat-child is my 3-year-old cat Sage, but I grew up with cats at a young age. With my free time, I love curling up with junk food & watching movies and TV and sometimes going to a pop cultured themed trivia night. My 5 Island Albums are Lizzo’s ‘Cuz I Love You, Ariana Grande’s My Everything, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Ariana Grande’s Yours Truly, & Lizzo’s Special.

I’m ZuZu. But sometimes my owner calls me ZuBeeLicious. Or ZuBeeDuBee. I don’t care…I still come running! I am a Harvey Rescue. My mom was rescued by Lucky Lab Rescue and I was born in their care. Lucky for me, Karla & I found each other. We have so much fun! I chase everything: lacrosse balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, basketballs, deer. I love to run as fast as I can! And I am really fast. We go on a long walk every day. My favorite treat that she lets me have is Trader Joe’s White Cheddar Popcorn. I am always very curious about everything around me. She says that I am full of life.

What Our Clients Say

"We have been using Stayin’ Home Pet Care for our two cats for the past year, and couldn’t be happier to have found them. The owner is unbelievably responsive, and our two sitters have been world class. They text and send pictures with each visit, and go above and beyond to entertain our two feline babies. When we return from a trip, I almost wonder if they aren’t disappointed to see us instead of their favoritae sitter. I appreciate being able to travel with peace of mind that our cats and home are in good hands with an insured/bonded and reliable sitter.”

- Amy H. SW Austin