Meet the Pets' Choice Team
Name: Karen
Position at Pets’ Choice: Manager
Pet Specialty: Birds, ponds, freshwater fish
Years at Pets’ Choice: Since Pets’ Choice opening in 2007
Experience in the Pet Business: Since 1984
Current Pets & Set-Ups: “Mischa” the German shepherd, 4 turtles, 8000 gallon pond, and a room full of birds
Favorite Critter: Ringneck parakeet
Favorite Fish: Most tetras, particularly the bleeding heart tetra
Favorite Dogs: German shepherd and Malamute
Interesting Fact: Since Karen’s been in the pet business so long, she’s seen most fish and critters and knows enough about each to help almost anyone. She has a great husband and she plays “groupee” to his band that he plays in on the weekends (aside from his real job). She also believes that she’s a great cook.
Name: Steve
Position at Pets’ Choice: Assistant Manager
Pet Specialty: Fish
Years at Pets’ Choice: Since Pets’ Choice opening in 2007
Experience in the Pet Business: 10 years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: “EJ” the cockapoo, “Kitty” and “Nala” the cats, a 46 gallon bowfront aquarium with Central American cichlids, a 38 gallon aquarium with Tanganyikan cichlids, and a guinea pig
Favorite Critter: Water monitor
Favorite Fish: Redline snakehead
Favorite Dogs: German Short Hair Pointer and Italian Greyhound
Interesting Fact: Steve is a very easy-going guy who LOVES to help people the best he can… He’s quite the character (typically referred to as that bald guy in the fishroom). He’s had all sorts of animals growing up, from guppies to tarantulas. He doesn’t know everything… but he does know a lot.
Name: Bruce
Position at Pets’ Choice: Cichlid Guru (Sales, fish department)
Pet Specialty: Fish, particularly African cichlids
Years at Pets’ Choice: Since Pets’ Choice opening in 2007
Experience in the Pet Business: 13+ years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: “Maggie” the mutt, “Minnie,” “Cali,” and “Patrick” the cats, and only 11 aquariums set up with various Malawi cichlids
Favorite Critter: Maggie, his dog
Favorite Fish: Electric blue ahli (guess what – it’s a cichlid!)
Favorite Dogs: Mutts
Interesting Fact: Bruce is the last original employee from when RMS Aquaculture opened… back in the day. Many of his African cichlids have won various awards in Cichlid shows in Ohio – Check out the bulletin board to see some of his awesome fish!
Name: Maggie
Position at Pets’ Choice: Pet Care Specialist, Web Master
Pet Specialty: Cats, Reptiles, Hedgehogs
Years at Pets’ Choice: ½ Year
Experience in the Pet Business: 5 years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: “Tupac” & “Biggie” the dwarf frogs, “Milton” the Betta, “Killer B”, “Crouton”, “Guch”, & “Fluffy” the piranhas, “Speedy” the red eared slider, “Mr. Mouth” the pac-man frog, “Duchess” the hedgehog, and “Sampson” the cat.
Favorite Critter: Cat (particularly her cat, Sampson)
Favorite Fish: Fu Man Chu Lionfish
Favorite Dogs: St. Bernard and Pomeranian
Interesting Fact: Maggie is 100% Greek; she can read, speak, and write it. She is also a licensed Pre-K – 3rd grade teacher.
Name: Dawn
Position at Pets’ Choice: Pet Care Specialist, Web Master
Pet Specialty: Reptiles, amphibians, aquatics including invertebrates, exotic critters
Years at Pets’ Choice: Summer of Pets’ Choice opening
Experience in the Pet Business: 7 years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: “Sir Isaac Newton” the albino pac-man frog
Favorite Critter: Abyssinian cat
Favorite Fish: Archer Fish
Favorite Dogs: Rottweiler and Husky
Interesting Fact: Dawn has her Bachelors degree in biology, focusing on microbiology (particularly bacteria). She enjoys working at Pets’ Choice, but her second home (without a doubt) is in the lab.
Name: Rhonda
Position at Pets’ Choice: Pet Care Specialist
Pet Specialty: Dogs/Puppies and small animals
Years at Pets’ Choice: 2 years
Experience in the Pet Business: 2 years, though lots of “at-home” pet experience
Current Pets & Set-Ups: Hermit crabs, freshwater fish, gerbils, dwarf hamster, dogs, and ball python
Favorite Critter: Dogs
Favorite Fish: Fancy guppies and tetras
Favorite Dogs: Shih Tzu and Poodle
Interesting Fact: At one time, Rhonda has had 148 animals including quite a selection of small animals, fancy and dwarf dogs, tarantulas, fish and bats. She grew up on a farm and has the talent to prove it: she saddle broke her own horse, can milk cows and goats, and even churn butter.
Name: Chuck
Position at Pets’ Choice: Sales
Pet Specialty: Tropical Fish
Years at Pets’ Choice: Over half a year
Experience in the Pet Business: 6 years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: A 125 gallon aquarium set-up and 150 gallon aquarium set-up, both filled with multiple African cichlids
Favorite Critter: Great Dane
Favorite Fish: Blue Moorie and frontosas
Favorite Dogs: Great Dane and Miniature Pinscher
Interesting Fact: Chuck tries to learn and educate himself as much as he can on anything he does, and share what he has learned with others. He is also a firm believer in treating everyone as he would want to be treated.
Name: Joe
Position at Pets’ Choice: Sales, fish department
Pet Specialty: Fish
Years at Pets’ Choice: Almost 1 year
Experience in the Pet Business: 4 years
Current Pets & Set-Ups: A 55 gallon saltwater reef tank, a125 gallon freshwater tank, a 30 gallon freshwater aquarium, a few 1 gallon freshwater set-ups, a 4 ft male iguana housed in a 60 gallon set-up, 3 parakeets, and “Zoey” the bulldog beagle puppy.
Favorite Critter: Iguana
Favorite Fish: Ropefish and yellow headed jawfish
Interesting Fact: Joe was shot by a 12 gauge shot gun and survived. He almost lost his leg, but did actually lose part of his left hand ring finger.