i'm john heinz, the owner of shepherd and grey daycare and guesthouse.

As a lifelong animal lover and longtime pet caregiver, I have many years' experience handling dogs of all breeds and sizes as well as domesticated birds. My approach to pet care is one of thoughtfulness, extra-individualized attention, patience, and flexibility. Every animal is special and different—what works for one may not work for another. 

Through the ASPCA and other national and local welfare organizations, I've been lucky over the years to foster and parent animals of various ages, constitutions, and temperaments. These include our beloved German shepherd mix, Murphy, and 30-year-old Byron, an African grey parrot—the pets who lent my business its name when I began it in 2012.

My animals mean everything in the world to me, and so I understand just how much yours means to you. As the primary caregiver of my small business, I treat each guest here like a member of my small family—with kindness, love, appreciation, and respect.

*please note, due to high demand and a low capacity we are not currently accepting new clients for any future care, including for the summer of 2024 and beyond. although there is no waitlist for new client inquiries at this time, we will announce both here and on social media once we are open to new business. thank you.