About Paws & Kisses

Paws & Kisses is dedicated to providing top-notch pet care to all our furry clients. Founded in 2008 by Mandy and Bill Oram, the company has grown to include 3 other sitters, all of whom are employees of the company.

 

About the Owners:

Mandy OramMandy Oram has worked with dogs for over 25 years. While living and working in England, Mandy trained, groomed and showed dogs on the British Kennel Club circuit. Her champion poodle, and beloved family pet, Maggie, took 34 top prizes in Breed, Class or Show during her career in the ring. 

Mandy and her Air Force husband Bill returned to the United States in 2000 - with their dogs in tow - in order to care for her elderly mother.  Maggie became her mom's closest companion and they remained inseparable until her mom passed away in 2003. Maggie lived in happy retirement with her furry brothers and sisters until she passed away at the ripe old age of 18. 

Since her return to the United States, Mandy has been active with several animal rescue groups and currently shares her home with several wonderful former shelter dogs. She has dual Bachelor's Degree in Applied Human Behavior and Cultural Anthropology and a minor in Business Management.  Mandy left the corporate world, where she worked in Human Resources and Business Management, in 2007 in order to realize the dream of owning her own business. In 2008, Paws & Kisses Pet Sitting opened for business.

Mandy is very active in the Presents 4 Pets campaign, raising funds and collecting donations for local animal shelters. In the past four years, her local campaign has collected pet care items and raised funds totaling over $ 24,000.00, all of which is distributed each year in time for the holidays to local animal shelters and rescue groups.

Bill OramBill Oram always had pets while growing up and shares a great love of animals with his wife, Mandy. They are co-owners of the business.

Bill retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) in 2004 after 20 years of active duty. Bill and Mandy travelled far and wide, as his career with the Air Force took the family to several states and several different countries. Wherever they have called home over the years, several furry family members were also sure to reside. When he is not at work at his job with a local aerospace company, Bill assists his wife in providing quality pet sitting services to area humans and animals.

About the Staff:

Karen OramIf you ask anyone who knows her, most would agree that Karen Oram was born an animal lover. Currently, Karen and her husband are the proud pet parents of a pit bull mix who is a puppy and eight cats, ranging from two to thirteen years of age. All of Karen's pets are rescues.

Karen worked for several years at Westport branch of the Connecticut Humane Society. She was responsible for administrative duties at the front desk, including incoming animals, as well as animal care and adoption counseling. Her passion for animals and her belief in rescue was realized professionally and personally through her work at the Humane Society. Karen has been employed part-time with Paws & Kisses since its inception.

Karen has also cared for pets of family and friends for years. Her experience with felines, in particular, has prepared her for dealing with medicating cats, and brushing and grooming them. She has even used her experience with American Sign Language to help communicate with a deaf cat she adopted. She has worked with one of her cats, now deceased, as a therapy cat at a local nursing home. Karen has pursued her love of nature professionally and has an Associate’s Degree in Science in Horticulture. She is also a licensed Arborist and Pesticide Applicator in the State of CT.


Lisa SpinelliLisa Spinelli has lived in the Valley her whole life, and has had dogs for as long as she can remember. As a child, Lisa would often bring home stray dogs and other animals. Lisa is currently the proud pet parent to six dogs, including an English Springer Spaniel, a Pug/Chihuahua mix and 4 Dachshunds. Lisa also shares her home with two birds: a Yellow Nape Amazon and a Cockatiel.

Sharing her home with multiple pets all her life has given Lisa a breadth of experience in caring for furred and feathered beings. Lisa's friends and family often turn to her for help and advice on pet care issues. She has helped several rescue dogs stay in their adopted homes by providing behavioral training to both the dogs and their humans.

Lisa and her family own several local businesses, including Valley Floor Service, LLC and VP Printing, both based in Ansonia. However, Lisa's passion lies with her furred and feathered friends. She is extremely excited to begin a career in pet-sitting and cannot wait to share her compassion for animals with others.

DanaThere has never been a time in Dana Skawinski's life where she hasn't shared her life and home with pets. Dana's love of animals was influenced by her mother, her grandmother, and her cousin Lisa (who is also a Paws & Kisses staff member).

Dana has experience caring for dogs, cats, rabbits, small mammals and more. At age nine, she even tended to an abandoned squirrel! As a teenager, Dana worked at a local pet store helping to raise the baby hamsters and guinea pigs.

Currently, Dana is a proud pet parent to Shadow, a Lab-Chow mix (pictured), Petey, a Silky Terrier, and Toby, a Holland Lop rabbit.