Cagri Sarigoz ·
Updated July 1, 2024
Today, we are thrilled to shine the spotlight on one of the many incredible drivers at CitizenShipper. This is a story that all dog lovers and travel enthusiasts will truly appreciate. Meet Sarah Banta, a dog lover turned trusted pet transporter, whose journey with us has been nothing short of inspirational and adventurous. Find animal-loving drivers like Sarah on CitizenShipper’s dog transportation marketplace.
Sarah’s Backstory
Sarah loves dogs, and thanks to CitizenShipper, she not only gets to spend time with these adorable furry friends but also gets to see parts of this great country. Over the last two years, she has trekked through all but six states, marking her adventures on her Google Maps. Every trip is a new adventure for Sarah, who transports one family’s dogs at a time, ensuring they are comfortable and secure in harnesses attached to a seat tether.
Finding CitizenShipper
Sarah discovered CitizenShipper through a casual conversation at a dog park. She was unemployed at that juncture and earshot away from the ideal opportunity — transporting pets for a living. It was a perfect blend of passion and necessity that motivated her to join CitizenShipper.
First Experiences and Memorable Moments
Sarah’s first experience with CitizenShipper puts her wide-ranging love for dogs in a brighter spotlight. Her first dog transportation assignment had her picking up a dog from the Spokane Humane Society after its owner had passed away. The owner’s niece had taken ownership of the dog but needed someone to transport the dog to her in the Sacramento area. This assignment was as heartwarming as it was easy for Sarah, establishing a precedent for her future endeavors.
One of Sarah’s most endearing memories is the time she made a comforting journey for a French bulldog named Toast from the Seattle airport to its new home in Kansas. Toast loved to place her head on Sarah’s shoulder, a sweet gesture that made the trip even more joyful.
Safety and Comfort — Paramount Importance
Sarah employs a slew of measures to ensure the safety and comfort of her canine passengers. Her trustworthy Nissan Pathfinder serves as the perfect vehicle for her pet-friendly sojourns. She arranges dog beds or a twin mattress in the back seat area for the dogs to rest comfortably. Safety is also of paramount importance to Sarah, where she ensures all dogs wear a harness attached to seat tethers, secured firmly to the vehicle’s child car seat anchors.
Hitting the Road: Preferred Routes and Regions
Although Sarah has a special preference for the Pacific Northwest, as it is her home, she doesn’t shy away from long, 2-3 day road trips. She is driven by the joy of the journeys she undertakes, covering vast geographical terrains while ensuring the safe transport of her loveable passengers.
Customer Communication: The Pillar of Trust
For Sarah, establishing a strong line of communication with pet owners is essential in her role. She starts a text message chain with the owners once a booking is confirmed. She sends them a link to join her Life360 app to provide constant updates on her location, offering the pet owners peace of mind — they can see where their beloved pet is at all times. She sweetens the deal by sending end-of-day updates along with snapshots of their pets taken during the day, which is a heartwarming touch.
Dealing with Unexpected Situations and Challenges
On-road challenges are a given in Sarah’s line of work. However, one incident that tested her resilience was the time she lost tire grip between border stations on her trip to Alaska. Despite these challenges, she managed to stay calm and sought help from a passing truck, which helped her get out of the sticky situation. Sarah’s tire was damaged during this incident, but a Good Samaritan from a local auto repair business managed to patch it up for her — for free. Sarah believes in always being prepared for emergencies, carrying essential items like a battery jumper, a tire inflator compressor, a small shovel, food, water and plenty of Diet Pepsi!
The Future with CitizenShipper
While Sarah hopes to make a decent profit from her endeavors so she can comfortably pay all her bills, the sheer joy she derives from her job is what keeps her going. She believes the service CitizenShipper provides is crucial, creating a safe and reliable channel for pet transportation, one that she is incredibly proud to be a part of.
Final Thoughts
The joy and satisfaction of her job are reflected in the smile on everyone’s faces when they are reunited with their pets, especially those meeting their new puppies for the first time. Being in a role where you have the opportunity to create such heartwarming moments for people, while at the same time feeding your own passion, is indeed rewarding.
Sarah’s story serves as an inspiration to many, showcasing how a love for animals, a supportive platform like CitizenShipper, and a bit of adventure spirit can combine into a fulfilling and exciting career. We are honored to facilitate these relationships, giving drivers like Sarah the opportunity to turn their love for animals into a rewarding journey. Her experiences on the road, her commitment to her job, and the joy she brings to her clients make Sarah’s CitizenShipper journey indeed a story worth telling.
If you’re interested in transforming your love for animals and travel into an exciting career, consider joining CitizenShipper like Sarah did and start creating your own journey of joy and fulfillment.
Marketing and product leader with over 14 years of experience, proficient in growth marketing, product management, and team development in fast-paced environments. Experienced in establishing and growing marketing functions and teams from the ground up.
Content Writer at CitizenShipper. I’ve also been published on The Penny Hoarder, Mommy Poppins and mxdwn.
