A lifelong animal lover, Melissa began working with pets professionally at age nine. Before founding Cuddle Bear, she cared for horses in a boarding stable, assisted at a cattery, was an independent dog walker, and volunteered at some of the premier animal rescues in Los Angeles. Melissa now runs our office, where her passion is using her training in vet medicine and animal behavior to guide clients through the challenges of pet ownership. In her free time, Melissa can be found adventuring with her husband and pack of four rescue dogs.
A California native, Nikki was raised in the San Fernando Valley with a little zoo of family pets. She holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and interned at the California Wildlife Center, where she rehabilitated everything from raptors to deer.
When she's not leading our team you can find her hanging out with her senior dog, two cats, and pet snake. She loves video games and has a small business making wire-wrapped jewelry with semi-precious stones.
Raised in Simi Valley, in a multi-generational household of animal lovers, Hailey has quite a collection of critters. She joined our team in 2019 with experience caring for her own pets: a chinchilla, bearded dragon, dogs, cats, ducks, hermit crabs, fish, and pet pig. Hailey is a team leader who has a special way with our shyest animals, and crafts the absolute best updates for our pet parents.
In her free time, Hailey enjoys wildlife photography and hopes to one day take a National Geographic expedition.
A Simi Valley native and lifelong animal enthusiast, Kylie is busy pursuing her degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicine at Cal State University. She hopes to become an exotic animal veterinarian, at a zoo or somewhere she can focus on reptile care.
She credits her passion for animals to her many pets, which include: a dog, cat, bearded dragon, leopard gecko, snake, frog, tarantulas, and two very entertaining ferrets.
In 2015, our childhood cat, Cuddles, was diagnosed with kidney failure. He required daily treatment, which we happily provided between his usual adventures. A few months into his diagnosis we were invited to attend the wedding of a close friend, but we would have to leave Cuddles for a couple days and we couldn't find anyone qualified to care for him.
After Cuddles passed, we formed Cuddle Bear Pet Care in his honor. A family-owned, local business that pet parents could trust to provide quality, in-home care for their little ones, regardless of special needs.
Today, we proudly care for all species of pets, including those with medical conditions, physical disabilities, and behavioral challenges. We strive to provide pet care solutions to fit each family's unique needs, so you don't have to choose between caring for your pets and living your life to its fullest.
