The truth is, I started Hyde Bark for myself. I was a dog walker for the amazing Chicago Dog Walkers all through college and I always maintained it was "the best job I ever had." As a late diagnosed autistic person, I spent most of my childhood not really understanding people, and instead choosing the genuine and warm companionship of animals. Dogs, cats, hamsters, hermit crabs, we had them all growing up, and I dearly loved each one of them.

 

When our child started school in 2015, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to get back to the one job I could never forget and truly the one thing I felt I excelled at - pet care! I always maintained, if I ever got to that point, I would hire people at a good wage, and offer benefits. I never imagined we would grow as much, or as quickly, as we did. Within 6 months, my husband, Brandon, quit his full-time office job to help me run Hyde Bark!

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Everything we have learned we have learned organically, through experience and the teaching and care of other pet owners and even staff. It has not always been easy, compassion fatigue is a real thing, but there is nothing else in the world I can imagine doing with my life. 

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I love not only caring for and meeting all the pets myself, but also finding and training great staff that have that same passionate glow for animals. It is extremely rewarding to see bonds being made between pets and staff. 

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As of 2026, we have weathered all the small business growing pains, COVID, Trump presidencies, and the economic upheavals that have unfolded and continue to unfold. We are happy to still be the caretakers of 100+ pets per day in our Hyde Park community, accompanied by a local staff of around 25 lovely local people. To many more years of Hyde Bark being the Hyde Park community's animal caretakers :) 

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Sincerely,

Le