We are a non smoking couple in our 50's and are semi retired. We own a property in Dunedin, New Zealand and used to run a luxury B&B. Now we have only permanent tenants looked after by an estate agent and we just love housesitting. We have excellent references both professional and private and can provide a police clearance. We have had dogs and cats ourselves in the past and also a pool, garden etc. We love housesitting as it allowes us to travel internationally long term and in the interim return to New Zealand to carry out maintanance to our 100+ year old restored property. As it took us 2.5 years to transform our own property from a dis-used hospital to a 4.5 star rated B&B we do know what is involved in taking care of a special place. When we were young we thought we would travel the world by renting a house in different places around the world but now we have discovered housesitting, even better.