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OUR TEAM

Luke Garbenis Kerry Adams

LUKE & KERRY

Owners

Luke and Kerry both grew up with pets and love keeping dogs at the center of their daily lives. They have four of their own dogs, who range in size from 25lbs to 60lbs. They have also fostered a lot of dogs and tend to foster the hardest to place dogs that need special care. Before purchasing BLDHTX, they gained a lot of knowledge in the pet industry through their other business Boon Pet Care (booncare.com) where they did dog walking and pet sitting. Kerry is also the founder of Houston Cares Animal Rescue, a 501c3 animal rescue in Houston (houstoncaresrescue.org). Kerry and Luke became the owners of The Best Little Dog House in Texas in 2015 and love the small dog boarding and daycare environment, all the dogs, and making a safe and loving place for your little ones.

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JESSICA

Shift Supervisor, Care Staff & Front Desk

Jessica lives with and grew up with German Shepherds. She loves animals and also has snakes and a hedgehog. She has been working in doggie daycares since 2016 and loves having a job where she enjoys going to work each day and can play with dogs. She says that she particularly likes BLDHTX because of the positive teamwork environment and ongoing learning about working with the dogs. When she’s not at work you can find her skateboarding at the park, taking care of her animals, or working on her car- she plans to go to school to become a mechanic.

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ANGEL

Shift Supervisor & Care Staff 

Angel has had all kinds of pets- dogs, rabbits, hamsters, rats, and guinea pigs. She currently has 4 dogs and an aquarium of fish. Her current dogs are a German Shepherd, a Chiweenie, a doodle mix, and a Chihuahua Terrier mix. Angel worked at a dog daycare before BLDHTX and also worked at a shop that did sugar glider retail and breeding. She loves working with animals and says she loves that dogs are always happy to see you and loves how quick they are to trust you even when they don’t know you. When not at BLDHTX, she enjoys reading novels of all genres and watching Criminal Minds.

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KYRSTEN

Shift Supervisor & Care Staff 

Kyrsten grew up with dogs of all sizes and currently lives with her mini schnauzer named Walter. Kyrsten is currently in school for nursing and says that she was drawn to nursing because of the compassion that she feels towards all people and animals and because she loves the science in her studies. She loves working at BLDHTX because she loves the team of people and her time bonding with the dogs and developing those relationships. She says that the BLDHTX environment makes her happy and she misses the dogs the days she is in school. When not at BLDHTX or at school, she enjoys driving around, hiking, playing with her dog, listening to music, and going to art museums. 

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CRISTINA

Groomer

Cristina grew up with all kinds of animals in her home and when she became a mother herself she made sure to raise her children around animals also. She was a stay at home mom when her kids were young but later looked for part time work. In 2010 her love of animals brought her to Petsmart where she started as a bather in their grooming department- a job that she really liked that eventually turned into full time work and which she did for two years. A year into her work there, she continued to pursue her passion at the next level and went to the grooming academy. At BLDHTX, she loves that the dogs are cage free and happier. She loves making the pet parents happy by grooming the dogs so they go home looking beautiful. When not at work, she is a homebody and enjoys relaxing at home with her kids and dogs.

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SABRINA

Groomer

Sabrina found her love of dog grooming through her love of rescue and helping animals. She grew up in a home full of rescue animals- her mom was always bringing stray dogs and cats home and now Sabrina does the same. She currently lives with her pit mix, 5 foster cats, and 3 foster dogs! She started grooming by being self-taught and helping very matted rescue dogs in need. She says she loved seeing how the dogs were transformed and how you could tell they felt better afterwards- this led her to seek a career in grooming. In 2018 she attended PetSmart Grooming Academy and then became a full time groomer at PetSmart. She says she feels like she definitely found her career path- she’s doing something she loves, working with animals, and making a difference for the dogs. She loves the quiet and friendly environment of BLDHTX and says that it is conducive to really focusing on connecting with the dogs and perfecting each groom. When she is not at work she likes to walk her dogs, hike, and help with emergency animal rescue situations.

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ERIC

Marketing & Social Media Manager

Eric has been with us since April 2016. He has 3 little dogs of his own and loves being at BLDHTX where he gets to spend time with more little ones. In his free time Eric enjoys photography- his dogs and the dogs at BLDHTX are some of his favorite models! Eric is also a foster parent for Houston Cares Animal Rescue because he loves making a difference and loves dogs. 

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YESENIA

Front Desk 

Yesenia grew up with a Yorkie and now lives with 4 dogs. Most of the dogs belong to her family but Bonnie, the Rottweiler, is her own. BLDHTX is the first pet care facility that she has worked at but she has previously worked reception. She enjoys working reception because she likes to engage with everyone right when they come in. She is really enjoying being at BLDHTX and says her highlights are learning about different breeds, interacting with the dogs, seeing how happy the dogs are and watching them play with toys. She is currently in school for nursing and wants to be a labor and delivery nurse. When not at work or school, she enjoys spending time with her dog Bonnie- especially going on car rides and going to the dog park.

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PARKER

Shift Supervisor, Care Staff & Front Desk

Although Parker grew up with cats, she always knew she was a dog person. She always wanted a dog and loved spending time with friends’ dogs. As adults, her sister got a dog and Parker was able to spend more time and develop a deeper bond with the dog. This led her to realize she wanted to spend more time with dogs and she joined the BLDHTX team- where her sister’s dog attends daycare. She loves being around dogs every day and says it is impossible to have a bad day when the dogs come in and are so excited to see you. When not at BLDHTX, she enjoys hanging out with friends, family, and her roommate’s dog. She likes going to Galveston, binge watching shows, and going to restaurants.

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KRYSTAL

Front Desk & Care Staff

​Krystal says that her and her family’s rottweiler grew up together. Now, she has one large dog and one small dog (her small dog has just started at BLDHTX and is enjoying it!) Before BLDHTX, she did pet sitting but this is her first job at a daycare facility. She is enjoying working in daycare, front desk, and cuddling the dogs during overnights. At BLDHTX she enjoys spending time with the dogs, learning more about dogs and dog behavior, and the fast-paced environment.  When not at BLDHTX, she enjoys going to movies, concerts, and the gym. It is her dream to one day open a shelter so she can help more dogs in need. 

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JAMIE

Front Desk 

amie grew up with 2 chihuahuas and now lives with a rottweiler, a medium sized mutt, and a pug. She enjoys working at BLDHTX because she gets to see dogs every day and because everyone is friendly. When not at BLDHTX you can find her at her other job at Home Sense, watching true crime and mysteries on Netflix, or studying for the LSAT. She plans to one day go into family law.  

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KE'ANNA

Front Desk 

Ke’Anna has lived with dogs since before she can remember- all sizes and multiple dogs at a time. She is currently in college studying Human Resource Development and can’t have a dog in her dorm so she loves seeing all the dogs at work. She has previously worked in corporate environments and loves the switch to BLDHTX- especially getting to know all of her coworkers, all of the dogs, and forming bonds with them. When not at work or in school, she enjoys doing acrylic painting and sewing to upcycle old clothes.. 

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MATT

Care Staff

Matt grew up around dogs, lots of dogs. His first dog was a large street rescue but his parents also bred labs so there were always a lot of dogs to play with. He loves that being at BLDHTX keeps him on his feet and busy and the fact that every dog is really different and he gets a chance to learn each dog's personality. When he is not at BLDHTX, he enjoys cooking and playing with other people's dogs. Matt has recently started studying to be a dog trainer and looks forward to continuing to work with dogs in daycare while also adding training in the future. 

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NICK

Care Staff

Nick grew up with dogs and currently has 3 big dogs and 1 small dog. Nick has always loved dogs and says that he loves how being with dogs is fun, enjoyable and brings out the kid in people. Besides loving his time with the dogs, Nick likes being at BLDHTX because of the friendly environment where he feels everyone treats each other like family. He is currently in college working on his associates degree and plans to focus on graphic design. When he isn't at BLDHTX or at school, he enjoys watching music videos and youtube, working out, and listening to music.

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MAURICIO

Care Staff

Mauricio first fell in love with dogs at the early age of 4 when his family got a Rottweiler who quickly became his friend. Throughout his life he’s lived with everything from Chihuahuas to 90 lb German Shepherds and usually both at once! He has volunteered in animal rescue and likes to give back to animals because they bring him so much joy. He loves how the dogs each have unique personalities. When not at BLDHTX you can find him as a referee for soccer, bringing the family dogs to the dog park in one big pack, or spending time with his wife and their young son.
 

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MOISES

Care Staff

Moises had dogs from an early age- he started with a Mini Poodle who is still alive and enjoying his senior years with his family. As a kid he would often feed and play with the local stray dogs and throughout his life he and his family would get dogs off the streets and enrolled in rescues. He currently has 8 dogs - both big and small. At BLDHTX, he loves getting to know each dog's unique personality and enjoys building bonds with them. When not at BLDHTX, he enjoys going to the gym, playing soccer, being a ref for soccer games, and playing video games. He plans to go back to school to pursue a career in the medical field- starting with nursing and then maybe becoming a family physician. 

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ANDREW

Janitor

Andrew was born and raised in Houston. He has always had dogs- both big and small. He currently has a little scruffy terrier. Besides caring for his own dogs, he has always loved helping the stray dogs and cats in his neighborhood. Although he doesn't work directly with the dogs at BLDHTX, he loves seeing them around, brief hellos in the hallway, and being in an animal friendly environment. He is currently in school and studying psychology. When he's not at BLDHTX, he enjoys photography, playing guitar, and playing piano. 

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KAT

Care Staff

Kat grew up in Houston and was always with dogs of all sizes- from chihuahuas to a mastiff. Her family also fostered dogs and she says that they are big supporters of rescue. She currently lives with 3 rescue dogs. She says she likes working at BLDHTX because it is a happy job and she loves connecting with the dogs. When she is not at BLDHTX or school, you can find her spending time with her family, painting, or writing poetry. She plans to study architecture.

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EMILIO

Care Staff

Emilio grew up with dogs of all kinds and with a lot of senior dogs. His mom worked as a vet tech at the SPCA and would often bring home senior dogs who needed a foster or a forever home. He currently has three dogs- a pitbull, a yorkie, and a jack russell / chihuahua mix. Before coming to work at BLDHTX he worked as a kennel tech at an animal hospital and at another dog daycare. He enjoys working with animals and says he likes getting to know each dog individually and seeing the funny things they do. When not at BLDHTX he enjoys writing (poetry and rap), playing video games, and going on walks with his dogs.

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MAX

Care Staff

Surprisingly, Max grew up with cats and was afraid of dogs at a young age. After spending time with a friend’s dog, he quickly learned to love them and got one as soon as he was on his own. He currently has a corgi mix. Max has a degree in illustration and pursued this as a career until he decided it was taking the fun out of the work and now he does illustration as a hobby. Max says he likes how busy and engaging BLDHTX is and how there is always something to do or a dog to pay attention to. When he isn’t at BLDHTX you can find him playing video games with friends, watching movies, or drawing. 

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ALEKZ

Care Staff

Alekz has had dogs her whole life and has had dogs of all sizes. Currently she has two Old English Bulldogs and a bearded dragon. She has always loved being with dogs and enjoys coming to BLDHTX because she says the work is fun. She plans to go to school to be an esthetician and is excited to pursue this passion. When not at BLDHTX, she loves to binge watch crime shows.

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COURTLANDT

Care Staff

Courtlandt grew up with a cocker spaniel and now lives with two large dogs. She has always loved dogs and is excited to work with them at BLDHTX. She says that she loves working in such a fun environment and enjoys giving the dogs love and cuddles or watching them have fun. She is currently in school studying graphic design. When not at school or work, she enjoys doing computer art, making emotes, designing websites and logos, spending time with her dogs, or swimming. 

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MIKE

Janitor

Mike grew up in a family of pet professionals- both his mom and dad were groomers. He started working at a young age in a kennel environment and has done multiple kennel jobs and some grooming. He loves being around dogs and says that dogs are just like children- "you've got to pay attention to them and love them all the time, no matter what". When not at BLDHTX, he enjoys spending time with his young daughter (he also has 3 adult children and loves to talk about how proud he is of them!), spending time with his wife, and resting. 

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KOURTNEY

Care Staff

Kourtney grew up with dogs of all sizes and loves them. She isn’t able to currently have a dog at home so loves coming to BLDHTX to see all of her little friends. Kourtney has worked at BLDHTX as front desk staff, daycare staff, and overnight staff. Her favorite thing is cuddling with the dogs during the overnights. When not at BLDHTX, Kourtney keeps herself busy at her day job working at a lighting company in downtown Houston. In her free time she can often be found buried in a book. 

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MARITZA

Care Staff

Maritza grew up around animals and was excited to finally get a small dog (a Maltipoo) of her own when she was in 4th grade. She currently lives with a Jack Russel and a Siamese cat. She loves being at BLDHTX and says she really enjoys getting to know each dog individually- especially getting to know how different the personalities are for dogs who have the same name. She is currently in school for Computer Science but also hopes to study Zoology in the future.  When she is not at work or school, she enjoys crocheting, photography, and going to the movies. She hopes to travel one day and wants to see Spain and Switzerland. 

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NAYELI

Care Staff

Nayeli has grown up with dogs and currently has a boxer and a chihuahua. She loves working with dogs and is currently in school to be a vet tech. She says she chose vet tech as her career because of her love for animals and her desire to help them. At BLDHTX she says she loves spending time with the dogs and says she learns a lot. When she is not at BLDHTX, you can find her spending time with her young daughter, working on school work, or enjoying one of her hobbies- reading, embroidery, painting, and cooking.

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ZA'MARRI

Care Staff

​Za’Marri grew up with animals- she got her first dog (an apple headed chihuahua) when she was 3 years old. She has lived with dogs, a rabbit, and hamsters (her hamsters had babies so she lived with lots of hamsters!) She currently has two dogs- a dachshund and a lab. She loves working at BLDHTX because she loves being around animals and enjoys learning about all the different dog breeds. She is currently in school to get her GED and hopes to go on to get a bachelor’s degree and eventually become a vet or veterinary assistant. When not at work or school, she enjoys doing nails, playing video and card games, and cooking. 

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