Five years ago Karen Palmer chucked an insurance-consulting business and went to the dogs. And cats - occasionally, rabbits or even horses.

While the outdoors is a welcome respite from the stuffy corporate offices she once roamed, the owner of Karen's Pet & Home Care in West Seattle says that pet sitting is a challenging job that requires a great deal of dedication and responsibility.

"It's more than just 'I love your pet, let me take it for a walk,'" she said. Pet sitting requires comprehensive and reliable pet care for owners who consider their pet a member of the family.

"My goal is to keep your pets happy and content in their familiar surroundings and for you to have peace of mind while you are away from your pets and home," she says on her Web site, www.karenspetandhomecare.com.

A seasoned pet sitter of more than five years, Palmer made the transition from the business world to the animal kingdom after trying out early retirement in Ajijic, Mexico, where she often took care of friends' homes and pets while they traveled.

Receiving nothing but praise for her efforts, Palmer saw that she had brought a sense of security to worried pet owners. Upon returning to Seattle, she swapped her corporate colleagues for the animals she had always loved, and began by filling in for local pet sitters whenever they needed a vacation.

"It is the best thing I ever did," she said. "Had I only known about it earlier!"

Now bonded and insured, Karen's Pet & Home Care currently serves more than 100 clients in rain, shine and even snow. Her services include everything from daily check-ins for feeding, playtime and walks, to overnight stays in clients' homes and, according to her Web site, "just plain loving and attention."

"I customize it. Whatever you need, I can do," she said. "I am always trying to go that extra mile."

As a result of her enthusiasm and hard work, Palmer has received a great deal of positive feedback from her many clients.

Kristi Caggiano, a frequent customer from Mercer Island, wrote to Palmer.

"All of your attention to detail always puts me so at ease. I have never worried once when I was gone, about Gunnie or Ripley or the house, and I know that's why your clients love you so much - both furry and human!"

Palmer also works to expand her knowledge of pet care. She recently attended the 2007 Cybersitters United (CSU) Pet Sitters Conference in Las Vegas, where 110 pet sitters gathered from around the country to exchange business tips and hear expert advice.

"[The conference] was a wonderful learning experience for me," Palmer said in a press release, "and I'm eager to put to use the information I attained for the benefit of my clients and their pets."

Begun in the early '90s as an Internet discussion group for newcomers to the pet-sitting business, Cybersitters United developed into an annual conference for networking and continuing education. Conference speakers address such issues as pet nutrition, holistic medicine and first aid, as well as marketing strategies for businesses.

While owning her own pet-sitting business allows Palmer more control over her schedule, this job does not always allow the freedom of sick days and vacation time that most corporate jobs have.

"There are people and pets depending on you," she said. "It's not an option to call in sick."

To avert disaster when an emergency does arise, or if she simply needs to take a vacation of her own, Palmer works with a fellow pet sitter who takes the reins in her place.

"It's very, very important to have a backup," she said.

Ultimately, Palmer hopes that more people will start to see pet sitting as a real job, one that involves hard work, reliability and more than a just quick trip around the block with the neighbor's dog. And while her job can be very difficult, sometimes requiring her to be responsible for dozens of animals at a time, she said that she feels this is the right job for her.

"I'm very passionate about what I do," she said. "This is the love of my life."

Brittany Rogers is a University of Washington Newslab student who can be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com