About Us
Hello All!
We are Jarrett and Daniel – partners and co-owners of Duck & Turtle Pet and Home Care here in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. We are here to provide you with care for your beloved pets while you are away from home. We offer Day Visits — feedings, walks, and caring, loving company to dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other exotics/pocket pets. Jarrett maintains Professional Pet Sitter Certification and continues his education on the many aspects and requirements of pet care and pet-sitting, as well as changes and best practices in the industry. As a Registered Veterinary Technician, Daniel has a wealth of knowledge on animals, their biology, and their varying needs. He has worked in the field since 2008, and his years of professional experience and continued education are what guide our professional pet-sitting business.
We started this business because we both have a deep love and respect for animals and their welfare. Providing services of this nature drew us in because we know what it means to be homeowners and pet parents and how important it is, when we must leave them, to leave them in the right hands. We love and enjoy making sure our pets have all the proper care and attention they need and deserve, and we take great pride in bringing that very same love, enjoyment, care, and attention to your pets and home. We are here to provide you the peace of mind of knowing your pets will be cared for and loved, as well as happy and healthy while you are away!
And now, we’d like you to…
Meet Our Family!
Daniel (pictured above, right) is originally from Malawi, and was raised on the beautiful island of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. As a kid, Daniel loved everything about animals! He grew up with multiple cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents, and birds and spent much time building chicken coops and raising his own chickens. Upon graduating high school, Daniel moved off-island to attend college here in Albuquerque — a place he had visited only twice in his life! He earned his Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology from CNM in 2009 and passed the National and State Board exams to obtain his vet tech license. Through both his clinical rotations and employment, Daniel has experience working in several veterinary clinics in and around Albuquerque.
Jarrett (pictured above, left), is a longtime New Mexico resident originally from Roswell, New Mexico. He grew up with pets as part of his family since the time he was born, owning several dogs throughout his childhood, as well as cats, hamsters, birds, and a rabbit. After graduating high school, Jarrett moved to Albuquerque to attend UNM on academic scholarship. He studied Music, Theatre and Dance, Creative Writing, and Media Arts and graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a Bachelor of University Studies. While studying and working at UNM, he took on regular pet-sitting jobs, which he found to be fun and rewarding!
Meet Our Pack ~ Present & Passed ♥
Matilda Squeeks
Matilda Squeeks (above, guarding the Christmas tree 🙂 ) is our female muted calico. We adopted her from Animal Humane New Mexico when our previous female cat (Olivia) wandered away from our new and unfamiliar home, and Murphy Lee got lonely without a pal. Squeeks (for short) is quite sassy and independent as well as very loving and playful. She’s never shy around strangers and loves a good massage!
Ruca (left), Kourry (center), and Sangoma (right) enjoying Abiquiu Lake.
Kourry (passed) (above, center) was our original Cruzan pup! He was a dachshund/terrier mix who hailed from Daniel’s home in the Caribbean, the island of St. Croix! We met and fell in love with him during one of our trips home. He was a shelter dog on an island inundated with strays. So, we brought him back to New Mexico with us. He was such a good boy on the 14-hour trip back to Albuquerque, and always!
Ruca (passed) (above, left) was our original New Mexican fur princess! Her name is Chicano slang for “girlfriend,” which is fitting since she was from Nuevo México and was Kourry’s first girlfriend. 🙂 She was a shepherd/heeler mix that we adopted from Albuquerque’s Eastside Animal Shelter after she’d been returned a couple times. She fit right in at home with us! She was a gentle soul with lots of energy, always ready to run and play outside. She was very talkative and not shy about telling you what was on her mind!
Ruca (left), Sangoma (center), and Kourry (right) playing in the leaves.
Sangoma aka Sango (above, center) is our most special dog! He is an Australian Shepherd who also happens to be a double merle (possessing two copies of the merle gene). Because of this, Sango was born with vision and hearing impairments. He first came to us as a foster but quickly became part of the pack! His name is a Zulu term referring to the traditional healers of Southern Africa. He has a fun-loving spirit — sweet, friendly, and full of life!
Tuddly Juanita
Tuddly Juanita (above, sunbathing with a smile 🙂 ) ,our first box turtle, was given to us by a friend in 2010. And we adore her! 🙂 She loves munching on strawberries, cooling off under the sprinklers, and morning swims in the pond. She gave us four babies in spring 2025!
Tuddly Deux
Tuddly Deux (above, with escargot cargo 😀 ) is our second box turtle who was given to us by a client who found him. He is a fast, feisty one and will chase Daniel down if he sees him in hopes of a food drop! His favorite meals are snails and crickets.
Tuddly Huge
Tuddly Huge (above, looking skeptical 
) is our third addition to the turtle pen! He has his own unique look, with his red eyes and taupe shell. He loves chowing down on live crickets as well as cherry tomatoes. He is quite the escape artist and loves breaching the turtle pen fence to explore the back yard!
Murphy Lee
Murphy Lee (passed) (above, enjoying the space heater 🙂 ) was our male tabby who loved to be baby-talked. We adopted him from a close friend who needed a good home for him when she could no longer keep him. He was our first, our eldest and most outspoken fur child. He would hide from strangers but would warm up to people once he learned their voice and they had visited our home at least 17 times 😀 .
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Thank you for taking time to read about our family! We look forward to meeting you and yours!
Best Wishes,
~ Duck & Turtle
Our Goal Is Your COMPLETE Peace of Mind.
Duck & Turtle Pet and Home Care 