A Decade of Dogwalking in One of the Country's Best City's to Own a Dog
Back in 2014, the website NerdWallet ranked JC as the No. 3 best place in the country to own a dog, based on walkability, social options, and affordability. Hamilton Park resident Marujo Bastos has been in the local dog walking business since 2004, a year after moving here from the East Village.
You have been here since 2003. Things have changed!
It was a very, very different place. At that time, I was catering in the City and would come home at 2 or 3 in the morning and be the only one in the street. And Hamilton Park was completely different. It was not maintained like it is today. Almost all of the people who used the park had dogs. Dogs ran off leash and so in one way it was a kind of dog paradise. And it was a real community. People who could no longer care for their dogs would bring them to the park and abandon them because I guess they knew the dogs would be instantly adopted and given a home. It was an unwritten rule.
But now dog owners have so many options with grooming salons, doggy day care, all that fancy stuff.
Yes, JC is now very dog-centric but in a very different way. Now it is much more like New York City with all of the services. And it’s very good that now everyone gets to make use of Hamilton Park and enjoy it.
Do you have a grooming recommendation?
Downtown Woody’s always does a great job and they are very reasonable.
How did you become a dog-walker?
In 2003 I was catering at night and also working at Stevens’ Institute in Hoboken cooking during the day. I hired a dog walker for my dog Nino and started to wonder if I would like to do that myself. When I stopped working at Stevens’ I started working for a small dog walking company in New York for a year and I loved it and I decided to try it here on my own since it is such a super dog friendly city and it is very common for people here to have 2 or 3 dogs.
Do you still love it?
By far it is the best job I have ever had and being a dog walker is the best thing that has ever happened for me, as a career. Even if you have a stressful day, being around dogs all day is stress free. You get to know them very well and likewise and it’s a very loving relationship. They never hold grudges when you have to discipline, they are forgiving and loving creatures. I love to be around them and they really trust you. It is a perfect dance.
Are JC dog walkers a close bunch?
Yes, in general most of us work for ourselves and can fill in for each other. But that is changing somewhat. Now there are a lot of dog walking companies coming in that cover JC and Hoboken.
What’s your favorite place to walk?
I like Enos Jones Park. Less busy, less drama.
Do you have favorite animal charity in JC?
I walk a lot of dogs from See Spot Rescue and many of my clients volunteer there. I also walk many dogs who were rescued from Liberty Humane Society. They are both wonderful organizations.
Need dog walking services? Contact Marujo at 917 741 8457.