Our Staff
Jean Freeman, Owner
A passion for pets and love of raising and training dogs is what gave me a start in the training and animal care business nearly 12 years ago.
My background and education includes an Animal Science Degree from Purdue University which led to working various veterinary technician jobs working with both large and small animal veterinarians while in high school and after college graduation. From there I spent 7 years in advertising and marketing positions related to companion animal nutrition and pharmaceuticals finally landing in an 18 year career with a local automotive group as their Director of Marketing. In 2019, my job was eliminated unexpectedly. Blazing my own trail, I started the K9 Care Camp, LLC business just prior to the challenges of Covid shut downs in 2020. While I developed a good client base, most people just weren't traveling that year. In 2021, our clients started traveling, the boarding business increased, and we began to build more business through referrals and increased business exposure. We also added Pet CPR and First Aid, Canine Good Citizen, STAR Puppy, Advanced Obedience, Nosework, and Therapy Dog Preparation Courses to our training curriculum.
K9 Care Camp, LLC has grown exponentially the past five years in part because of our wonderful staff who love our clients and have a passion for caring for dogs and cats. Our business has primarily been built on word-of-mouth and referrals from local veterinarians, doggie day care facilities, fellow dog owners, and clients. I'm grateful to my clients, friends and associates who have helped to make my dream a reality. And of course to my dog pack including, Deke, Cedar, Honey, Aspen, Autumn, Wrigley, River, and Abby. They continually help me gain exposure and are always happy to be demo dogs and try out new skills in activities such as Hunt Tests, Nosework, Conformation, Shed Hunting, Rally and Regular Obedience, and Therapy work.
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Meet Paige -Animal Care, Dog Behaviorist, Trainer
My name is Paige and I have been at K9CC since January 2021. I have over 6.5 years experience working at another local dog daycare as well as many more years of dog sitting and walking.
I graduated high school from Plainwell High School in 2015. I went on to study biology/pre-vet for a year at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. I was at a lecture about chimpanzees at the University of Miami when I decided to make the switch to dog behavior and performance sports. I graduated from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in May 2021. I earned my certificate in Dog Emotion & Cognition from Duke University in September 2022.
I own 6 dogs and we actively compete and train in various dog sports. My hobbies include dog sports, traveling, hiking, and homesteading.
Meet Rachel - Animal Care Attendant
My name is Rachel and I have been working at K9 Care Camp since February 2024. I have another job at a dog daycare in Kalamazoo and I have been there since 2019.
I went to Gobles High School and graduated in 2015. After that, I went to Michigan State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in zoology in 2019. I additionally went to the University of Hawaii at Hilo and took classes for 6 weeks.
My love for animals started when I began riding horses at 6 years old and has continued into adulthood. I didn’t discover my passion for dogs until I started working at a dog daycare.
I currently own 2 cats and have a puppy on the way.
When I have free time, I love to do activities outside and I do dog sitting as well.
Meet Rebecca - Animal Care Attendant
Hello, my name is Becca LeRoy. I graduated from Plainwell High school in 2016 from there I went to KVCC to get my pre-requisite classes done in order to transfer Michigan State University. In 2021 I graduated from MSU where I obtained my Bachelors in Animal Science and my Veterinary Technician License. I currently am working at a small animal clinic in Galesburg and I am loving every minute of it.
I own a beagle named KC, a horse named Flynn, two cats named fuzzy and Roxy and a couple chickens! They keep me on my toes and there’s never a dull moment.
In my free time I love to go to horse shows with flynn. Do anything outside: hiking, kayaking, swimming, taking the dog for a walk or riding my horse. I also love finding new adventures whether that be a place I have never been to or a new restaurant.
I have always had a passion for animals since I was a young girl and can’t remember a time when I didn’t own one. My main goal is being an advocate for your furry friends and to be their voice when they don’t have one! I have learned so many extremely valuable lessons in my schooling and career that have helped me become a better animal caregiver/caretaker.
Meet Melissa - Grooming and Animal Care
Hey! My name is Melissa and I've worked with animals and especially dogs for my entire life. I came from a pet-forward family and we had always had some arrangement of dogs, cats, birds, and other small critters.
Around age 10 I started my dog work journey when I joined the Kalamazoo 4H dog club. I was a member for several years before becoming a teacher/mentor for the younger members and their dogs. Around the same time, I also started showing in UKC in several different avenues, but mainly specialized in agility, at one point becoming top junior handler of the year in Michigan.
I graduated Otsego High School in 2013 and initially went to college to become a Veterinary Technician. After about a year of schooling I realized I was much better suited to other animal related fields. That's when I took up dog grooming. I groomed dogs as a full time position for seven years before deciding to take my own path and groom dogs on my own time ever since.
Currently I have a border collie named Athena who is the absolute love of my life and three cats, Pizza Roll, Kuma, and Rider. I could never imagine a life without my fur children and one day I hope to expand the fur family!