Southern Maine
Pet Sitting & Dog Walking in Wells
Wells is a beach town first, and its dog rules follow the seasons. We look after Wells pets at home all year, with walks timed around the beach hours and a photo and a text after every visit.
- Walks timed around the summer beach hours
- Any animal, not just dogs and cats
- Meet and greet at home, free
Wells is the third-oldest town in Maine, and its beaches make it a popular summer destination. For a dog, the year splits in two: a summer when the sand is closed to dogs for most of the day, and a long off-season when it isn’t.
We look after Wells pets in their own homes, so your animals don’t have to rearrange their lives around the calendar. Your dog keeps its bed, its yard and its mealtimes while the beach rules change around it.
Why home is the better place to wait
From June 16 to September 15, Wells beaches close to dogs from 8am to 6pm. A dog who lives for the beach can find those hours long. A midday visit gives it something to look forward to: a potty break, fresh water, play in the yard or quiet time on the couch, whichever your dog likes best.
It also means your dog isn’t sent into a crowd to fill the time. Daycare puts a dog among animals its owner has never met, and that’s where fights and illness can start. One-on-one care removes the risk, and your dog spends the day with one person in a house it knows.
Pets who aren’t dogs get the same attention. Drop-ins cover cats, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles, fish and livestock, including elderly, disabled and special-needs animals.
What a visit looks like for your pet
- We meet first, at home. Your pet sniffs us out while you’re there, and you decide whether it goes ahead.
- We learn your pet’s rules. Feeding, medications, where things are, which door the dog bolts out of and what makes it nervous.
- Walks start and end indoors. Leash, harness or boots go on inside the door, and fresh water and wiped paws come after.
- You see how it went. A photo and a text after every visit.
Visits on weekends and holidays carry a small extra charge. Last-minute bookings are possible when we have availability.
Wells beaches with a dog, by season
These rules come from the town and the refuge, and they’re the reason walks here get planned rather than improvised.
- June 16 to September 15: no dogs on the beaches from 8am to 6pm. Before 8am and after 6pm, leashed dogs are welcome.
- April 1 to September 15: a leash is required on the beaches.
- September 16 to March 31: dogs may be on the beaches at any time.
- The Carson Trail at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge: leashed dogs allowed on this trail only, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
The beach rules cover Wells Beach, Crescent Beach and Drakes Island Beach. No other pets are allowed on the refuge.
Off-season is dog season
Once the summer window closes on September 15, dogs are welcome on the beaches at any hour until March 31, and walks can stretch to match. Older dogs can take their time, and puppies learning the leash get room to practice.
Cold weather brings road salt, which cracks pads and gets licked off. We rinse or wipe paws after every walk, and on the coldest days we shorten the route for a dog who won’t wear boots. Maine CDC also says ticks can be active on any day above freezing, so a quick check after a walk stays a good habit through fall and mild winter days.
While you’re away, they stay put
Overnight sitting starts at 7pm and runs to 9am, so your animals keep their own beds, their own yard and their own schedule. Most pets settle best when the evening looks like any other evening. We ask when the last trip outside is, whether the cat sleeps on the bed and which lights stay on, then follow that.
Evening and morning meals are measured the way you do it, and there’s fresh water, litter, potty breaks and medications at set times. You get a photo before bed and another in the morning, and you hear right away if something goes wrong.
For puppies, seniors and pets in recovery
Some animals shouldn’t be alone for a few hours, never mind a day. Constant care puts a person with your pet the whole time, which suits a puppy who can’t be left, an elderly dog who needs a hand getting up or outside, an animal recovering from surgery, one who hurts itself when you’re out, or a big pack, where paying per animal gets costly.
We work from your vet’s written discharge instructions, whether that means a cone, crate rest, stitches or medication on a tight schedule.
If you’d rather they stay with us
Our quieter Portland home is the closest of our two boarding homes. Boarders live in the house with the household, and sleep indoors on a bed or blanket from home, not in a kennel run. Every boarder has a meet and greet first, and we say honestly if it isn’t a good fit.
Nearby towns we also cover
Boarding stays are at our quieter Portland home, the closer of our two to Wells.
Don't see your town? Just ask. We travel, and distance is factored into the quote.
How we can help in Wells
-
Dog Walking
Starting @ $25.00 for 30 mins
In summer, beach walks before 8am or after 6pm; the rest of the year, whenever suits your dog.
Learn more -
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.
Learn more -
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.
Learn more -
Boarding
Starting @ $75.00 per night
At our quieter Portland home, the closest of our two.
Learn more -
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.
Learn more -
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.
Learn more -
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.
Learn more
What families say about us
Real Google reviews from the people whose pets we care for.
Questions about pet care in Wells
Something else on your mind? Call or text (207) 561-7322.
View All FAQsFrom June 16 to September 15, dogs are not allowed on Wells beaches from 8am to 6pm; early mornings and evenings are fine on a leash. From September 16 to March 31, dogs are welcome at any time. A leash is required from April 1 to September 15.
On the Carson Trail only, on a leash. It's open from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. No other pets are allowed on the refuge.
We care for pets in their own home, wherever that is in Wells. Every new client starts with a free meet and greet, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
It gets a break built around its normal day. A midday visit covers a potty break, fresh water and play or quiet time, and walks can be planned for the early-morning and evening windows when leashed dogs are welcome on the sand.
For many dogs, yes. A daycare mixes your dog with animals you don't know, and fights and illness are part of that risk. With a sitter your dog is the only client in the room, in a house it already knows.
