LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / September 22, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who is proud to honor Lori Douglas for her distinguished contributions to pet services, dog training, animal welfare and entrepreneurship. Ms. Douglas's recognition reflects her dedication to improving relationships between pets and their owners while building a highly referral-driven business centered on trust, safety and compassionate care.

Ms. Douglas is the founder and owner of By Your Side Pet Services, which she established in 2018 after retiring from 27 years of government service. A professional dog trainer with more than 15 years of experience, she created the company to provide the level of in-home care she believed pet owners and their animals deserved. Today, she oversees a team of seven providing pet sitting, house sitting, dog training, medication administration, transportation and concierge services.

The company serves a diverse range of animals, including dogs, cats, chickens, ferrets, fish, tortoises and reptiles. Because employees enter clients' homes and are entrusted with both animals and property, Ms. Douglas maintains rigorous hiring standards. Every team member must be certified in pet CPR and pass background checks and drug screenings before providing services.

In an interview with Marquis Who's Who, Ms. Douglas described the growth of By Your Side Pet Services as one of her proudest achievements. What began with handwritten notes and scheduling through Google Calendar has grown into an operation serving nearly 400 clients. Approximately 95% of the company's business comes through referrals, a result she attributes to consistently earning clients' trust rather than relying heavily on advertising.

Ms. Douglas remains closely involved in daily operations, reviewing client communications, tracking staff assignments through company software and working alongside her office manager. Her services sometimes extend well beyond routine pet sitting. She assists older clients with pet-related shopping and accompanies owners during euthanasia appointments, providing support during difficult moments. Overnight pet and house sitting also remain important parts of the company's service model.

Training is another cornerstone of Ms. Douglas's career. One memorable accomplishment involved caring for an eight-week-old goat and teaching it to signal when it needed to go outside and ring a kitchen bell when it was hungry. More significantly, she takes pride in rehabilitating rescue dogs whose behavioral challenges might otherwise place them at risk of euthanasia.

That mission extends to her civic involvement with Foreclosed Upon Pets, where she serves as a board member, volunteer and resident dog trainer. She conducts behavioral evaluations and provides three complimentary training sessions to new adopters, helping families better understand their animals and increasing the likelihood that pets remain successfully placed in their new homes.

Although Ms. Douglas does not hold a formal academic degree in dog training, she has pursued extensive education through mentors, online courses and hands-on instruction. A highlight was spending two weeks training with Cesar Millan at his ranch, where she expanded her understanding of handler energy, leash techniques and canine body language. She continues to collaborate with local trainers and exchange professional insights.

Speaking with Marquis Who's Who, she emphasized the importance of building a team around shared values and creating the approachable, knowledgeable and accessible leadership style she wished she had encountered earlier in her own career. "I believe surrounding myself with good people who share the same interests and value quality is crucial," she said. She also mentors aspiring animal-care professionals and encourages them to thoroughly research the realities of the field and understand their personal motivation before entering it.

Technology is increasingly supporting that mission. Ms. Douglas uses artificial intelligence to improve forms, presentations and professional communications and conducts dog-training consultations through Zoom for clients across the United States.

Looking ahead, Ms. Douglas plans to continue scaling By Your Side Pet Services so it can eventually operate independently of her daily involvement. Her future vision includes traveling across the country in a converted van, interviewing mentors, training dogs along the way and launching a YouTube channel focused on animal care. She is also developing two book concepts related to pet sitting, dog training and strengthening the relationship between animals and their owners.

"Lori Douglas exemplifies the caliber of compassionate entrepreneur and animal care professional Marquis Who's Who is proud to chronicle," the editorial team stated. "Her ability to combine hands-on training expertise, rigorous standards and genuine concern for animals and their families reflects a career devoted to improving the lives of pets and the people who care for them." Through its recognition of Ms. Douglas, Marquis Who's Who celebrates a business leader whose work continues to advance professional pet care, responsible training and animal welfare.

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About Marquis Who's Who^®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America^®, Marquis Who's Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis^® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who^® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who