CHOCOWINITY — For as long as she can remember, Jessica Edwards has loved animals, especially dogs.

She longed for a career where she could spend as much time with her furry friends as possible. But upon graduation from Unity Christian Academy in 2012, she did what is expected of most young people. She attended college, earning a degree in medical office administration, and found a typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.

The Chocowinity native found herself doing something she didn’t enjoy.

“She’d come home from work and I saw how unhappy she was,” said her husband of one year, John. He encouraged her to explore other options.

“I wanted to do something I enjoy, and I really love animals,” Jessica Edwards said. “And I wanted to do something to make a difference.”

With that in mind, she fell back on something she enjoyed doing in high school and college — “babysitting” for the pets of friends and neighbors. She founded Heart To Heart Pet Care and she is seeing her dream come true.

“There are not a lot of people here who do it,” said Edwards of her pet sitting service. “I do in-home pet sitting, dog walking … and when people go on vacation I will house sit for them, checking their mail, taking the trash out, turning lights on and, of course, taking care of their pets. I give them food, water and simple medications and I exercise them.”

Heart To Heart Pet Care is an alternative to boarding pets in a kennel, Edwards noted.

“A lot of people do board their pets, but I like to offer one-on-one care,” she said. “They’ll know exactly how much attention their pet gets. And a lot of people have animals that are really nervous around other animals, so they can stay in their own homes.”

“A lot of it is getting that personal attention; that means a whole lot to people,” interjected John Edwards, who handles the business end of the service.

Potential clients are asked to fill out a form and then Jessica Edwards meets with them for a get-acquainted session.

“I go for a free initial visit and I get to hear the pet owner talk about their pet’s routine,” she said. “Then I try to stay as close to that schedule as possible. I enjoy spending time with dogs; if I could I’d spend time with dogs 24/7. It’s cool dealing with different types of dogs.”

Edwards is bonded and insured, a benefit appreciated by her clients.

So far, Heart To Heart has appealed to dog and cat owners. But Edwards doesn’t rule out caring for other animals. There is a line she’d rather not cross, however.

“I’m not a big reptile person,” she said with a laugh. “I’m scared of snakes so I’d probably turn down a snake sitting job.”

As her business grows, Edwards hopes to someday expand into areas outside of Beaufort County, including Greenville and New Bern.

“And I’d really like to eventually partner with a local pet therapy charity and support them financially in their work with helping sick people,” she added.

*For more information about Heart To Heart Pet Care, call 252-944-5487 or email heart2heartpetcare@gmail.com.