David Gaberman plays with Dillon and Franklin, bearded collies owned by Deborah and Ron Rader.

41 -year-old gives up law for the leas

D

EDITH BROIDA

Special to the Jewish News

avid Gaberman has an enviable list of
clients.
They eagerly await his arrival,
attend his every word and offer him
- unconditional love. Their names, admittedly, are
unusual: Mensch, Aliya, Hoover, Hogan, Vanna,
Biryani and Kahn; all are beloved pets of residents
in Orchard Lake, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield
Hills, Franklin, Birmingham and Commerce
Township. Their owners are mostly successful,
busy professionals who, thanks to Gaberman, can
spend long hours at the office or travel abroad,
confident their animals will receive exemplary
care and kindness.
On Jan. 1, Gaberman, 41, officially opened
DIAL 891-DOGS Inc., doing business as Pet
Sitters Bloomfield. He calls it a pet-minding ser-
vice dedicated to maintaining "healthy, happy
pets in the comfort of their own homes.
Gaberman finds this new business to be personal-
ly rewarding, even though, he says, it may not prove
to be as lucrative as the law practice he owned and
operated for the past 12 years.
The new venture allows more time for family
and also for reflection on "the meaning of life."
Gaberman planned this career change method-

ically. He read professional literature about pet
sitting; researched the industry on the Internet
and joined Pet Sitters International, an education-
al organization that mandates a rigid set of stan-
dards for professional pet sitters.
"It took six months to get this up and run-
ning," he says. There were insurance and liability
issues; the need for a company name and an
assumed name, which would identify both the
service and territory; business cards and brochures
to design; and a significant investment in pet
paraphernalia.
He wanted a definitive logo and found Phil
Tan, a talented local graphic artist. Tan created a
contented puppy sitting in a highchair with bib,
pacifier and bottle. The logo suggests Gaberman
believes in babying his clients.
Which Gaberman tries ro do. During a typical
visit, Gaberman follows a checklist that extends
well beyond obvious feeding and watering
requirements. He greets his charges with hugs and
a warm, "Hello, sweetheart." Their greetings are
equally warm. "I might be the only person they
see all day," he explains.
Moving into the kitchen, he washes out the
animals' bowls, banishes an itinerant ant, and
reviews his notes to see that he has satisfied
dietary and medical needs. He inspects the house
as well, checking that there is no dog hair or

6/4
1999

Detroit Jewish News

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