Heavy Petting Pet Sitting is a small, family owned business based on a deep love for animals.

We won’t try to sell you expensive dog food, supplements or pet photographs.

We provide dependable, professional and experienced care at reasonable rates. References available upon request.

Alisha Tomlinson is the owner and primary pet sitter of Heavy Petting Pet Sitting. A Charlotte native, she brings a lifetime of love for animals to her work. After several years working at a large veterinary practice, she witnessed behind the scenes mistreatment of boarding dogs and cats in noisy kennels and knew there was a better way.

Since 1995, she has walked, petted and loved hundreds of client’s pets like they were her own.

Alisha is a vegetarian, active in animal rescue, feral cat T-N_R and wildlife rehab and takes care of her own herd of cats, dogs, potbellied pigs, chickens, turkey and a tortoise named Helga at home when she isn’t taking care of your pets.

Alisha is Red Cross Pet First Aid/CPR certified and has cared for a large variety of animals. If you love them, so can Alisha. Until his death in 2009, Alisha also visited nursing homes with Mr. Joy, her tiny therapy rooster. (insert link to Mr. Joy video of Golden Living Center- Vimeo)

Troy Tomlinson is Alisha’s husband and back up sitter. He often accompanies her during visits on nights and weekends. Troy is a talented professional photographer who owns Flaming Chicken Studio.

Troy is also a vegetarian and responsible for bringing 2 dogs and three cats into their blended family in 2002 and MANY more since then. He has a special way with dogs and birds of all sizes, especially Chica their chihuahua/poodle mix Chica. Troy is very active in farm animal and wildlife rescue. Alisha and Troy actually fell in love helping a friend Trap/Neuter/Release a colony of feral cats in 2002.