Downeast
Pet Sitting & Dog Walking in Ellsworth
Ellsworth is the Hancock County seat and the gateway on the road to Acadia. We offer dog walks, drop-ins for any animal and overnight stays in your home, each followed by a photo and a text.
- Leashed walks at Branch Lake and Knowlton Park
- Any animal, not just dogs and cats
- Free meet and greet at your home
Ellsworth is where the road to Acadia begins, so a lot of people pass through while your pet goes about an ordinary day. Most of the year that day is quiet. In summer it is busier, and the best thing for many animals is simply that nothing changes at home.
Your pets stay in their own spot, with walks from your door, meals on schedule and medications on time. We send a photo and a text after every visit, and a cat home alone gets company and play rather than just a full bowl.
Small animals, big routines
Not everyone in the family has four legs and a leash. We look after rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, cats, birds, reptiles, fish and more, and for these animals home is the safest place to be, because their setup is already right.
For a reptile we check enclosure temperature and humidity against your numbers, not just the food bowl. For fish, the exact amount of food. For a rabbit or guinea pig, fresh water, the right meal and company for a while.
Drop-in visits run from 15 minutes to an hour or longer, and elderly, disabled and special-needs animals are welcome.
What a visit looks like for your dog
- Walks from your door: puppies learning the leash and seniors taking hills slowly. We collect your dog inside the home, with leash, harness or boots, and give fresh water afterward.
- One household at a time: your dog walks alone or with the dogs it lives with, never mixed with dogs from other homes. A walking buddy is only added with the other owner’s consent, after a meet and greet and a trial walk.
- Midday drop-ins: a potty break, a meal and some company while you are at work.
- Overnight stays: we arrive at 7pm and stay until 9am, so your dog keeps its bed and its routine.
Every client starts with a free meet and greet at home. We go over feeding, medications, where things are, and which door your dog bolts out of, and the first booking waits until you are comfortable.
If your dog has a vet or groomer appointment in the middle of your workday, we can drive it there. Dogs ride secured by a seatbelt made for dogs, with a crate if you prefer.
Walking your dog in Ellsworth: the city’s rules
- Branch Lake Public Forest: a city-owned forest of about 800 acres with more than 3 miles of trails, open sunrise to sunset. Dogs should be kept on a leash. Hunting, fishing and trapping are allowed in the forest, so it’s worth knowing the season.
- Knowlton Park on State Street: dogs on a leash held at all times, no longer than 8 feet, and not in the splash pad area. Please pick up after your dog.
- Jordan Homestead Preserve on Bayside Road: about a mile of trail with Union River views, bog bridging and stone steps. Dogs are welcome; follow any leash rules posted at the trailhead.
- Downtown: dogs on a leash of 8 feet or less on sidewalks and public ways in the downtown and commercial district, and on school and library property.
A summer town and a working town
Knowlton Park’s splash pad opens Memorial Day weekend and runs to Indigenous Peoples Day, and dogs stay out of it. On a hot day your dog is better off with fresh water and a cool place to rest at home.
Out at Branch Lake, the forest is shared with hunters and anglers, so bright colors on you and your dog are a good idea in the fall. We can keep your dog on a leash, close, and on a route that suits the day.
In winter, we rinse or wipe your dog’s paws after every walk, because road salt cracks pads and dogs lick it off. On the coldest days, if your dog won’t wear boots, we shorten the route.
When an older pet needs someone close, or a change of scene
Some animals need someone closer than a visit allows. A puppy who can’t be left alone, an elderly dog who needs help getting up, a pet recovering from surgery (cone, crate rest, stitches), or an animal with separation anxiety who hurts itself when alone can have someone with it the whole time, working from your vet’s written instructions. It’s also a good fit for big packs, where paying per animal gets costly.
If your pet does better with a household around it, boarding means living with the family and sleeping in the house, not in a kennel run. Ellsworth pets usually stay at Lindsay’s Milford home, and every boarder meets us there before the first booking.
Nearby towns we also cover
Boarding stays are at our Milford home, the closer of our two to Ellsworth.
Don't see your town? Just ask. We travel, and distance is factored into the quote.
How we can help in Ellsworth
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Dog Walking
Starting @ $25.00 for 30 mins
Your dog is walked alone or with the dogs they live with, never in a pack of strangers. All sizes and breeds, from puppies learning the leash to seniors taking the hills slowly.
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Overnight Sitting
Starting @ $65.00 for 7pm–9am
Your sitter arrives at 7pm and stays until 9am, so your animals keep their own beds, their own yard and their own routine.
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Drop-Ins
Starting @ $25.00 for 30 mins
Dogs and cats, plus birds, rabbits, reptiles, fish and livestock. Potty breaks, meals, fresh water and medication on time while you're at work or away.
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Boarding
Starting @ $75.00 per night
At Lindsay's Milford home, which is the closer of the two.
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Transportation
Starting @ $30.00 round trip
Round-trip rides to the groomer, daycare, the vet or anywhere else your pet needs to go, fitted around your schedule instead of theirs.
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Weddings
Starting @ $110.00 per hour
We bring your dog to the venue, keep them calm through photos and crowds, and get them to their spot for the ceremony, so you can enjoy your day.
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Constant Care
Flat rate $150.00 per 24 hours
A sitter stays with your pet for the whole time you're away, not just on a schedule. For puppies, elderly animals, post-surgery recovery and timed medication.
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What families say about us
Real Google reviews from the people whose pets we care for.
Questions about pet care in Ellsworth
Something else on your mind? Call or text (207) 561-7322.
View All FAQsBranch Lake Public Forest, Knowlton Park and the Jordan Homestead Preserve all welcome dogs. Branch Lake and Knowlton Park ask for a leash, and downtown sidewalks need a leash of 8 feet or less.
No. Dogs are welcome in Knowlton Park on a leash held at all times, no longer than 8 feet, but not in the splash pad area. The splash pad runs from Memorial Day weekend to Indigenous Peoples Day.
Yes: rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and more. Drop-in visits are for any animal, from 15 minutes to an hour or more.
For reptiles we check the enclosure's temperature and humidity against the numbers you give us, not just the food bowl. For fish, we feed the exact amount you specify.
We go over all of it at the meet and greet, so your animal's setup stays just as it should be.
We start with a free meet and greet at your home, so your dog meets us with you there and on its own ground. We ask what makes it nervous and which door it bolts out of, and nothing is booked until you are comfortable.
