Leash4Lease, a locally owned and operated pet sitting business serving most of Kitsap County, has received the honor of Pet Sitter of the Year by Pet Sitters International. The award coincides with the business also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Amy Munns started Leash4Lease in 2001 when she decided to shift away from her long daily commute to Seattle from the Kitsap Peninsula and use her educational background to start her own business. It was that very commute to and from Seattle that inspired the idea for Leash4Lease. Munns noted that she was often having to rely on friends and neighbors to care for her dogs when she was away for long periods of time, and knew that there were others in the community who were doing the same. The idea was to create a team of reliable and well-trained in-home pet sitters and caregivers who can assist with the care of client pets. These services include dog walking, specialized cat care, and vacation pet sitting. All of these services are in-home and are handled with professionalism and respect for the clients’ private spaces.

On Jan. 5, Pet Sitters International named Amy Munns and her Leash4Lease team as the Pet Sitter of the Year for 2026. As such, Munns will serve as an ambassador for the pet sitting industry and will be formally recognized at PSI’s 2026 Pet Sitter World Educational Conference this November in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Munn’s and Leash4Lease have been members of Pet Sitters International since the business opened in 2001.

As Pet Sitter of the Year, Munns plans to continue to focus on supporting and uplifting her local community and other locally owned businesses, as well as giving the highest level of care to her clients and their pets. “We’re not looking to grow big; we want to stay personal. I don’t want to be the Amazon of pet sitting,” Munn explained. “It makes me feel good to be at the level I’m at.”

Some of the ways in which Leash4Lease intends to do that are by continuing to focus on ongoing training for each of its employees, as well as personalized care. Leash4Lease accomplishes this personalized care by ensuring that all of the caregivers are only assigned a certain number of clients and are consistent caregivers for the animals. This allows them to build trusting relationships with the animals in their care and allows them to give the animals the attention and time they need. “It’s really personal. We are in their homes taking care of their pets. I do not take that lightly,” said Munn.

Munns also encourages people to do their due diligence when selecting a pet sitter. “Even the most predictable animal can do something unpredictable when faced with an unfamiliar person or situation.”

She shared that she is deeply honored to receive this award and plans to use her platform in the coming year to encourage and connect with other pet-care professionals. “I’m just grateful to do what I do and the area and people I do it for.”