ABOUT ME: I'm a homebody at heart, but I do like experiencing new places. I'll go explore a bit while I’m at your home, but much of the time I'll be writing, cocooning, and hanging out with your beloved furbabies. I love to walk, so if one or more of your animals also enjoys walks, great!
Besides the reviews I have here, I can provide you with multiple links to trust-based sites for dogsitters/travelers staying in someone's home; just ask. Also happy to provide you with links to my and profiles.
YOUR PEACE OF MIND: I keep my dates flexible and will block out time before and after the dates of your sit so that if you have a last-minute change of plan, I can flex with you. If you have an emergency while away, arranging the care of your home and pets is one less thing you'll have to worry about.
Nonsmoker. Police background check available upon request.
WHY I WANT TO HOUSE SIT: We don’t currently have any pets of our own, as we enjoy traveling and always hated leaving them behind, so instead we’ve been fostering cats for a local rescue organization and occasionally dogsitting to keep animals in our lives. When traveling I get sick of hotel rooms, even the most deluxe, after only a few days. I’ve never been the kind of traveler who wanted to go, go, go, filling up every moment with something to see or do and only coming back to a hotel room to drop into bed. I might explore a bit, going out to shop for local ingredients for a homecooked meal or visiting a local marketplace or restaurant, but I prefer to spend much of my time at home base. I would much rather stay in an actual home and live like a local than experience an area like a tourist. And if there's a furbaby I can visit with and enjoy, all the better! It gives me another chance to get some furry cuddles into my life while offering peace of mind to another traveler.
MY EXPERIENCE CARING FOR A HOME: I've owned three homes, all three of which I've endured major renovations on while living in them. I'm very good at recognizing if something is going wrong with a house -- if it's been raining hard for two days, I'm going to be down in the basement looking for leaks. My parents were antiques dealers; I grew up around fragile, valuable furnishings and artwork. I know how much your personal belongings mean to you. I'm very tidy, even cleaning up as I cook, and I know how to recognize what needs to be handwashed and what can go in a dishwasher. I will take very good care of your home.
CARING FOR PETS: I've had companion animals all my life, including dogs, cats, fish, and various rodents. I foster cats for a local rescue group and have raised litters of orphaned newborn kittens who required gavage feeding up to six times a day and daily weighing to the gram. I can pill even a difficult cat. I understand the importance of dietary restrictions. If you have a pet that requires some special medical care, let's talk!
CARING FOR A GARDEN: I enjoy gardening, so if you have plants or beds that need care while you're gone, I'm your girl. I know how often and how much to water, when to deadhead, and what is not a weed. I've had the experience of coming home to dead baskets because someone didn't take me seriously when I said, "Water the baskets until the water runs out the bottom every day, twice if it's been hot." That will not happen to you.