By Paulo Hernandez

The term “supply” doesn’t begin to describe the offerings at Crosbie’s Pet Supply store at Loyola Corners. The shop stocks what most of the larger pet stores can’t - an owner, Lyla Crosbie, who cares for customers’ pets as if they were her own and provides a sense of trust and friendship.

“We’re not a really fancy store, we just supply basic stuff that people need for their pets,” said Crosbie. But she makes sure the basic stuff includes crickets for lizards and mice for snakes as well as pet food for the more common cats, dogs, birds and fish. The store also offers services such as grooming for dogs and cats and finding homes for abandoned animals.

Crosbie has run the store continuously since she purchased it with her husband in 1985. She currently runs it by herself. The relationships developed over her 17 years in business are very important to her.

“I love it when people visit me; there are very few places where people still remember you,” said Crosbie. “We talk about pets and we talk about life.”

The level of trust between Crosbie and her customers goes far beyond merchant and customer. Crosbie housesits for many when they go on vacation. She picks up their mail and feeds their animals.

“People trust me enough to give me the keys to their homes,” said Crosbie.

Crosbie earned the affectionate nickname, “Pet Mother,” from her concern for distressed animals. She is currently taking care of Randy, an iguana whose family was affected by the recent Croy Fire near the Santa Cruz Mountains, along with numerous resident cats: Pumpkin, Patches and Hansel and Gretel.

A Mountain View resident, Crosbie said that the difficulty of running a successful small business is the only negative aspect of her job.

Crosbie’s Pet Supply is located at 941 Fremont Ave. in Los Altos at Loyola Corners.