About me
My main work is as a voice actor, though I also produce radio commercials, MC events, sing in vocal groups, and try to get some volunteering in whenever I can.
I like to spend the bulk of summer at my house in Winnipeg (and part of August in Barbados, where I got my degree, to sing in an annual fundraiser - The 100 Voice Project), and the rest of the year exploring the rest of the planet, while listing rooms in my house on a short term rental service (the world's most popular one, you know which one I mean).
For the last few years, my elsewhere has been the Yukon Territory in Canada (right beside Alaska), though as of September 2018, that elsewhere has been the Greater Los Angeles area, where I have been honing my craft and "levelling up" as a voice actor. I will be back in Whitehorse in April of 2019.
I don't drink alcohol (which means I won't drink YOUR alcohol), I don't smoke, I don't party, no drugs, so yes I am just the right kind of boring to take care of your house and animals. I DO love to pet and scratch any critters who like that sort of thing (which, I have found, has been ALL dogs, and many but not all cats).
Why I want to house sit
When people have had me look after their critters and houses, upon their return they have consistently been so happy to let others know they finally found "a good one", and always ask for me again for their next planned absences.
For my part, I absolutely love having animals around when I am doing my work. As a freelancer I have some control over my schedule, and working for myself is that much more pleasant in the company of animal friends, and in different settings.
Though some owners have encouraged the use of their space for social activities, I am instead one of those house-and-pet sitters who enjoys the serenity of being with just the animals and the quiet.
My experience
I've been house and pet sitting since the late 90s, for owners mostly in Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg, Whitehorse), Barbados, and more recently in the greater LA area (Lancaster, West LA, West Hollywood, Los Feliz, Venice).
I've looked after simple set ups with one house and one dog, and complex ones with 4 dogs, 3 cats, 2 houses, and 1 hour commute between them (and two of the dogs were on medication). I've done week-long stints, and I've done live-in gigs of 3 years.
When needed I've taken critters to the vet, to the airport, to the parade, to the office, to the countryside, and plenty more. I've worked with wood stoves, with cottages mostly off the grid, and apartments in high density populations.
I'm no stranger to injecting diabetic cats with insulin, administering glucosamine sulfate to more "experienced" dogs, using white bread or cheese or peanut butter to make medicine appealing, and cooking the occasional batch of rice to help doggy tummies feel better.
I like what I do, and the pets and owners do too!