Who we are

Unleash the power of expert advice by reaching out to our team. Your questions are just a message away from solutions that elevate your pet's care to the next level.

Close-up of a person wearing glasses, a large wide-brimmed hat, a scarf, and a denim jacket, with autumn trees and parked cars in the background.

A man with glasses and a hat happily hugging two brown dogs in front of a blue door.

Jayden Toulouse (he/they)

CEO, Head Dog Trainer & Shareholder

Jayden is the founder of Visiting Animal Friends. Jayden has a B.S. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley. Their major was Society and Environment with a concentration in Justice and Sustainability. They grew up in rural Monterey County and rural Oregon where they raised companion animals and grew food. Jayden is a globe trotter and has had their passport since they were 11 years old. During the covid19 pandemic Jayden joined a meditation, writing, and art making group online and there with very good friends for company asked themselves deep questions on a daily basis. One of them was what job will bring me joy? The answer if it had to be one word was ‘animals’. They applied for more than 100 jobs, quit tech, and started working as an Interim Development Director for a Farm Sanctuary in Sonoma Co. Shortly after this experience they founded VAF and in the 1st year received more than 600 booking requests. Jayden is a cat parent to Musicali, Alice, Mercury, Fomoffu, and Pounce.

Close-up of a smiling person with short, dark hair, multiple earrings, and a nose ring, standing outdoors with green leaves and a blue sky in the background.

A man with tattoos on his leg and arm, wearing a black cap and gray sleeveless shirt, smiles while interacting with a black puppy on a sidewalk in a neighborhood with parked cars, houses, trees, and colorful flowers.

Raquel Daniel (they/them)

Lead of Dog Adventures & Shareholder

I’m Raquel Daniel. I have been working with animals for 12 years. As I was attending CSUEB for my Bachelors in Psychology, I was working at a dog daycare. I realized how much I loved working with animals and rather than become a therapist I went the four legged care route. I was at dog daycares for 4 years, then moved to an animal care coordinator at the East Bay SPCA for a year. Meanwhile, pet sitting for cats & dogs and working for wag! as a dog walker on the side. I then decided to look at the deeper medical aspect of the animal field. I moved to Grand Lake Vet hospital for 7 years, as a Vet Tech & Behavior Coordinator, before I found Visiting Animal Friends. The services provided at VAF are right up my alley of expertise and care. The team has been warm and welcoming from the start. I wanted to get outside again and enjoy nature as I do on my spare time. Besides hanging with my two cats, Mowgli & Gigi, I enjoy hikes throughout the Bay Area, beach days, live music and spending time with my people.

A park scene during sunset with a large tree in the foreground and a grassy field in the background. There are two dogs and a person with two dogs on a leash walking on a paved path. The person is drinking from a water fountain, and the scene is illuminated by warm sunlight.

A young woman with dark, wavy hair taking a selfie indoors against a beige wall. She is wearing a black shirt with white stripes on the sleeves and smiling softly.

A bulldog puppy wearing an Elizabethan collar, standing on the pavement in a parking lot.

Kassandra Toruno (she/her)
& Lilo (she/her)

Office Manager & Shareholder

Kassandra brings four years of office management experience to VAF from the food justice field. She is an asset and we are so happy to have her. This is more about her in her own words:

I’ve loved working with animals for as long as I can remember. I grew up around them especially dogs and cats, so caring for them has always just felt natural to me. I’m someone who loves being spontaneous, learning new things, and spending time outdoors in nature whenever I can. I also really enjoy learning about different cultures and languages. I speak Spanish and English fluently, and I’m currently learning Portuguese and Japanese. Lately, I’ve also been getting into musical theater, thanks to my best friend who studies it, and it’s been really fun exploring that world. I genuinely love being in service to others and caring for both animals and people. Whether it’s trying something new or staying in with a good book, I try to stay curious and open to life. I wanted to get involved with VAF because I really admire their vision, as well as their love, care, and devotion for both pets and their pet parents. I love where they’re headed for the future and am excited to be part of that journey.

A man with shoulder-length dark hair standing next to a black car at night in a parking lot illuminated by streetlights.

Close-up of two smiling people, a man with dark curly hair, a beard, and wearing a black zip-up jacket, and a woman with short light brown hair, glasses, and a patterned brown jacket, sitting together in a vehicle.

Jorin Antero-Towle (he/they)

CFO, Accounting Specialist & Shareholder

Jorin is Jayden’s wonderful and talented spouse and the one of the best brains behind the VAF operation including the inspiration for our name. One day Jorin called Jayden when Jayden was working late with pets and asked what they were doing, to which they responded ‘Visiting Animal Friends’ which became the answer to that question often and then it struck them that is the name of the company. When Jorin is not behind a computer for Visiting Animal Friends, he can be found on a radio show, in a viral music video, playing a role in a local theater production, instructing elementary school students, dancing, cooking vegetarian meals, spending time with J&J’s 5 cat babies or playing games. Jorin’s new to the Bay Area from the Redding CA region and is excited to grow their community here.