Meet the Staff
Marty Vice President of Customer Service
Marty the beagle joined the Lovable Pets team in 2014 at the age of six. His story is quite remarkable given his rocky past. He spent the first six years of his life in a pharmaceutical research laboratory in Colorado where he was used to test drugs. As a result of this terrible life, he was quite traumatized when he was finally released from the research facility. Imagine living in a cage your whole life, never seeing the sunshine, or being outside? Marty had to learn how to start his life all over again in a whole new world. With the help of an amazing rescue organization called Kindness Ranch located in Wyoming, and his new family (Ellie & Jeremy Hansen-Lovable Pets Owners), Marty emerged from his past tail wagging high, proud, forgiving and kind. Marty has also become quite a celebrity. He was featured in articles in Animal Wellness Magazine (2015), Yellowstone Valley Woman (2016), and All Animals (2016). Marty has big plans to help end animal testing one day!
Tyee
2004-2018
With Us Forever in Spirit
Kylee FLUFFER OF DOGGOS
Kylee joined the Lovable Pets team in 2015 as a bather and has since earned her grooming certification. She absolutely loves getting to make pets feel good each day at work. With a toddler at home, free time is scarce but she fills it with gaming, knitting, playing and listening to music, drawing, and Dungeons and Dragons. Some of her favorite shows and books are My Hero Academia, Doctor Who, That Time I was Reincarnated as a Slime, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, He Who Fights With Monsters, & Harry Potter (she’s a proud Ravenclaw!)
Britney, CFMG Feline Fur Stylist & Fluffer of Doggos
Britney is our Certified Feline Master Groomer. She has a way with cats and always sends them home feeling fabulous! She has two cats of her own and three dogs. She enjoys working at Lovable Pets not only because of the animals, but also for the understanding co-workers and flexible schedule that allows her to raise her beautiful family and foster animals for Rimrock Humane Society.
With a baby in the house, free time can be scarce, but she loves to travel with the family and spend time outdoors whenever she can.
Jessica Fluffer of Doggos
Jess has been grooming dogs since 2008, and she has been part of the Lovable Pets grooming salon for nine years. She says “I still can’t imagine a better job!” Jess loves grooming older dogs and making sure that they are pretty, clean and comfortable. Her favorite breed of dog is the miniature Schnauzer. “I can relate to their sassy attitudes…mostly all bark but just enough sass,” Jess says. She owns her own precious mini Schnauzers: Finn, whom she fondly calls “Gremlin” and Grimes. They’re great doorbells that she still does not know how to turn off after a few minutes of barking. Jess also loves taking the dogs out most mornings for an off-leash walk before work, and enjoys hiking in the summer and fall.
Rae , NCMG Chief Choreographer of Wet Dogs & Fur Styling
Rae helped build Lovable Pets’ first grooming salon over ten years ago, and she has been grooming here ever since. Rae has been grooming since 2002 and has had the opportunity to learn techniques at five salons across the Northwest. She originally learned the trade at the Alaska SPCA, in her home state, and migrated to Montana to get a degree in Equestrian Studies from Rocky Mountain College. She enjoys spending huge amounts of time perfecting her art through continued education and has had the opportunity to compete, earning a third in the poodle class. She is currently a Certified Master Groomer through the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NADGAA). She competes in a variety of dog sports including conformation, nosework, agility, obedience, dock diving, and herding with her dogs, Kenai, Brekka and Psyche, all of whom can be seen gracing the big armchair in grooming while working hard at their advertising jobs (a.k.a. looking beautiful). She also has an Appaloosa, Azure, who is currently helping teach young riders.
Max
2006 – 2020
With us forever in spirit.
Aubree HAPPY, HEALTHY PETS ASSOCIATE
Aubree’s originally from Camano Island, Washington but moved over to Billings, Montana summer of 2022 with her husband. She’s always had a soft spot for animals and has loved working with them. She has her veterinary assistant certification, she was the manager at a doggy daycare and boarding facility where she also did grooming. Aubree came to Lovable pets to share some of her knowledge but also get the chance to learn more. Plus, she gets to bring Bert to work. ( He’s a goofy American Bully who thinks he’s part cat). On Aubree’s free time she enjoy’s going to the gym, reading books, music, watching movies, going to the beach and going on walks with Bert.
Eddie Supervisor of Sales
Eddie is a beagle mix and he joined the Lovable Pets staff in 2014. His story is also quite amazing given his tough history. Eddie spent the first eight years of his life in a research laboratory. As a result of this torturous life, Eddie was not the most trusting guy when we met him. But with the love of his family (Ellie & Jeremy Hansen-Lovable Pets Owners), Eddie has learned to love being a dog. What else can we say about Eddie…well, he is one unique and awesome dude! Besides being a gentle soul, he is very intelligent and is always thinking and observing. He may look quiet and reserved at work, but at home he is quite a goof ball with tons of personality. On his days off, Eddie loves going for walks, and he likes showing how fast he can run. Rolling in the grass is one of his favorite things in the whole world, so we make sure he gets to do that a lot.
-Our dearest Eddie crossed the rainbow bridge March 10th 2023-
Haley Bather of Doggos
Haley has wanted to work with animals since the age of five so she’s happy to finally have the chance to do it with awesome co-workers. Getting to bring her adorable labradoodle Velma to work is a big bonus as well. Haley played softball at MSU-B and still plays slow pitch when she gets a chance. In her free time she hikes, fishes, reads books, and watches The Simpsons. When asked what kind of dog she would be, Haley admits she never thought about it. “But me and Velma are two peas in a pod, so I would say Labradoodle!”
Rachel Bather of Doggos
Rachel has been dog crazy since she was ten years old when her family got their first dog. From that day on, it was all about the dogs! She enjoyed training her dog Shadow to do obstacle courses, tricks, and to swim. She’s a Montana native and graduate of University of Montana Western. While in college, Rachel worked at the local animal shelter cleaning kennels, training, helping with vet procedures, and grooming. She also worked part time in a grooming salon. Rachel has lived in Billings for nine years, where she enjoys being a part of the local dog community. She continues to offer training services and some dog walking, while competing in dog sports with her own dogs.
Bodhi is a five-year-old McNab who came from a rescue in southwest Montana. Bodhi is up for any adventure offered and loves to show off his skills. He is actively competing in agility, dock diving, rally, obedience, frisbee, barnhunt, nosework, fastCAT, and dabbles in herding. In his free time, Bodhi loves herding his Jolly Ball. Hype is the newest addition, a border collie puppy. She loves to come to work in the salon, and loves playing with her friends. Hype is training to compete in agility, rally, dock diving, and to be a show dog. She is also learning herding. Hype loves to play with toys and lives for frisbee.
Rachel has worked in the store and salon for a little over a year. She’s currently working as a bather and feels that Lovable Pets is one of the most supportive and fun work environments she has ever been in.
Ellie Founder and CEO
Ellie Hansen is the founder and CEO of Lovable Pets. She is a District Leader for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and a member of the HSUS Animal Rescue Team.
Ellie is also an award-winning author. Her books include Fly to Me: Extraordinary Lessons of Life and Death from a Little Dog and Not Forgotten: Saving Laboratory Research Dogs (2021).
Native to New Jersey, Ellie moved to Montana after a brief vacation made her realize that “Montana was home.” She lives on a micro urban farm in Billings with her husband and is unabashedly owned by three dogs, one horse, and three chickens.
When Ellie is not working, writing or herding chickens, she enjoys the practice of yoga, exploring the Montana countryside on foot or cross-country skis, and sailing.
Kristin Fluffer of Doggos
Kristin absolutely adores animals. She has 2 cats–Johnny age 15, and Aslan age 12 . Kristin has been grooming since 2002. In 2009 she took a break to raise her three children. Kristin is so happy to get back into grooming with Lovable Pets, where she started grooming again in 2017. She says “I absolutely adore my job at Lovable Pets!” Kristin finds grooming very therapeutic and artistic. She loves the transformation that takes place in each groom. She always tries to make pets as happy as she can. Occasionally you will hear her singing to calm the nervous pups on her table, always trying to make it fun for them as well. Her goal is to help each animal feel it’s best and to help them become so fresh and so clean. When not at work, she loves spending her spare time with her 3 children. Kenna age 13, Nickolas age 19 , and Arik age 26.
Wren HAPPY, HEALTHY PETS ASSOCIATE
Wren joined the lovable pets team summer 2022. Wren is our toy expert, she loves helping customer and their furry family members find the perfect toy for a great play! Wren loves hanging out with dogs and learning how their brains work, Wren is owned by her pup Arlo he is a 2 year old Corgie mix. She loves making jokes and laughing with others, She would describe her self as lighthearted, Spiritual, empathetic, and nature loving! In Wren’s free time she loves art and doing botanical paintings, her one of her great passions. If Wren was a dog she said she would probably be a Chihuahua she said because she might be small but has a big personality.
Beccah Happy, Healthy Pets Associate
Beccah has an Associates Degree in Applied Science with a focus on Biology. This shows through when you talk to her about pets. Beccah is very knowledgeable about pet health and her favorite part of the job is getting to share that knowledge. It helps to build relationships with customers through a shared love for pets. It doesn’t hurt that she gets to pet dogs all day and watch them grow up and learn new things. Beccah has 3 cats (Jasper, Kitty, and Kovu.) All three have their quirks and issues, but she loves them all the more because of those quirks. In her free time Beccah gardens, forages, collects cool rocks, talks about pets, listens to true crime podcasts, and shares weird animal facts that no one really asked for. (Did you know that rhinos can only see 30 meters in front of them, but they can run over 30 miles an hour? Talk about an accident waiting to happen.) She’s a Sagittarius who loves NCIS, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Joan Miro, burritos, and the Okapi “because it has zebra stripes on its back legs like it’s wearing printed pants.” (We’ll wait while you Google that.)
Saige Happy, Healthy Pets Associate
When asked what she likes best about working at Lovable Pets, Saige says “What don’t I enjoy?” Saige is fantastic at helping customers give their furry friends their best lives. She loves that our customers are so knowledgeable as well. “Sometimes they teach me just as much as I teach them.” Saige enjoys her coworkers and her bosses. She also loves getting to bring Pixie, her tiny Chihuahua, to work. She describes the two of them as being attached at the hip.In her free time, Saige likes hiking with Pixie, going on outdoor adventures, and relaxing at home cooking & reading. If Saige were a dog, she thinks she would be a Poodle “because I’m high maintenance but not afraid to have fun and get my hands dirty when i need to.”
Chris PET Herbalist
Chris is our Certified Herbalist and is continuing education to obtain his C.P.N (Clinical Pet Nutritionist) certificate. Chris is originally from Daytona Beach, Florida, but moved to Montana in 2013. Chris enjoys running, hiking really anything outdoors that his dogs can tag along with. Chris has two dogs Mally a black Lab and Quinn an Aussie/ Collie mix. Chris has worked for Lovable Pets since spring of 2021, and has always had a passion for alternative medicines. When he realized that he could combined alternative medicines and nutrition with working with animals he was sold! If you see Chris in either location and you have supplement questions he is always willing to answer and help any way he can.
Elease Fluffer of Doggos
Elease has a Bachelor’s Degree in Art. She likes to joke, “I have chosen my medium and it is dog hair—so I guess I’m technically still using my degree.” Elease has been grooming since 2010 and has a special place in her heart for grooming puppies, helping them learn to like it and not be afraid. Elease loves Lovable Pets because she can bring her dogs along and all the staff are her friends. Elease spends her free time watching Disney and Pixar movies with her kids, hiking with her family, and loving and caring for her animals including dogs Wicket (super mutt extraordinaire) and Appa (Basset Hound,) cats Kimchi and Zuko, a bearded dragon named Delta, lots of fish, and backyard chickens. She also loves listening to books and music. Her favorite band is Shinedown and her favorite books are the Eve Dallas series by J.D. Robb.
Kendra FLUFFER OF DOGGOS
Kendra has 3 dogs: Rocky (Bichon mix), Smooch (shepherd Mix), Cedar (Golden Retriever).
Megan Healthy, Happy Pets Associate (a.k.a Papillon Purist)
Megan has always had a love of animals, and even worked at Zoo Montana for a while, where she learned just how important daily enrichment is for all of our animals. She came to Lovable Pets to share her love of animal enrichment with everyone who visits. Megan has two show papillons, Simon and Ditto, as well as her mutt Payton and a household of other pets. In her free time she competes in a variety of dog sports, creates art of different animals, and gives her pets the best care she can.
Jeremy Chief Bone Counter
Since Jeremy was a kid he has always been an entrepreneur. He started his business career mowing lawns and shoveling sidewalks as a boy. Knowing that he always wanted to own a business, he obtained his degree in Business Finance and co-owns Lovable Pets with his loving, great business partner, and wife Ellie. Lovable Pets has been his biggest life challenge, but the most rewarding. His favorite part of Lovable Pets is working with very talented, hard-working, creative and fun people that love being at work with each other. So if you come in and see Jeremy smiling it’s because life doesn’t get any better than working with great people, great customers and great pets on a daily basis. When Jeremy is not busy being our resident handy-man extraordinaire, Excel mastermind and number cruncher, he is avidly enjoying the outdoors of Montana including fishing, hunting and camping.