Darcy — A Los Angeles Dog Walker’s Story

If you know anything about Los Angeles, it’s probably that LA’s an expensive place to live. (Near-perfect weather doesn’t come cheap!) The high cost of living forces a lot of folks to work a lot, and hustling that much means you can’t always be there for your four-legged family member.

Enter Darcy, who’s been walking dogs on the Wag! platform since 2016.

“I wanted to help people,” said Darcy. “Angelenos are a notoriously busy group, so it feels amazing to help people out with their pets. It's mutually beneficial.”

Missing the canine connection

In her time on the platform, Darcy has had more than 1,100 walks, and her overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars. She started walking dogs in 2016, partly because there was no dog in her life at the time.

“I hadn't been able to have my own dog for quite a long time,” said Darcy. “So I really missed the connection and the unconditional love that comes with being around dogs. I have always been a lover of all animals, but there is something extra special when it comes to canines.

And it’s not just those that are busy who Darcy’s able to help. In one case, it was a man who simply wasn’t physically able to walk his dog.

“For several months, I walked one dog in particular one or two times a day, nearly every day,” said Darcy. “This is while his pet parent underwent cancer treatment. I saw the pet parent go through all the ups and downs of receiving chemotherapy and radiation, and we had lots of discussions about what's important in life, and how the dog I walked helped him through his illness.

“After the client's treatments ended, he slowly regained his strength and is now almost back to his regular schedule, walking his own dog. It’s bittersweet not to get to spend as much time with this dog, but I couldn’t be happier that the pet parent has regained his health.”

Hitting every mark

Even after more than two years of walking dogs, Darcy says the job continues to “hit every mark” for her.

“Not only do I get out and explore my community,” Darcy said, “but I also get to do it while spending time with the most kind-hearted, genuine animals. While I do this, I can increase my step count while helping out a lot of great people who really care about their pets.”

On top of all these benefits, Darcy says the income she earns walking dogs on the Wag! platform is an important part of the mix. Did we mention Los Angeles is an expensive place to live?

“I save all of my income from Wag! in hopes of eventually having enough for a down payment on a house,” she said. “Having a goal makes me work even harder for all of the pets and pet parents that I’m fortunate enough to help."