Eboni

Hi, there! My name is Eboni and I’m a bona fide animal lover. From those with fur to those with scales, I am passionate about animal welfare and want to ensure that every individual is receiving quality of life.

I am an archaeologist with a specialisation in zooarchaeology, human skeletal remains and forensics. Currently, I am a PhD candidate at the ANU in zooarchaeology and palaeoanthropology. I also work as a consulting archaeologist within Australia, though my academic research takes me to all regions of the globe. I also conduct tutoring for English, Japanese, German, Bislama, French, Latin and Spanish, and general academic writing and editing.

My household consists of myself, my partner and our adorable cats, Vor and Tyr. Vor is an incredibly loving, placid and social tabby, born in April 2018. Tyr is super affectionate and playful. As he is a rescue cat, his exact age is unknown, but the vet estimates him to be about a year older than Vor.

I became a pet sitter because I love being surrounded by pets. Ever since I was a young girl, I have had an affinity with animals. I mean, which child doesn’t dream of “working with animals” when they grow up? As I grew older I continued to learn as much about all kinds of animals as I possibly could. During my third year of uni, I went to the Cambodian forest for a month to observe the behavioural ecology of monkeys and gibbons. As I progressed in to my masters, I specialised in zooarchaeology, the study of animal remains. I believe that humans and non-humans are connected in so many unfathomable ways and that we can positively influence each other through many different actions.

My job requires me to travel to excavation locations, meaning that I am rarely working when I’m in Canberra. Rather, when I am home, I am generally catching up on report writing and publications, as well as conducting tutorials, which can all be done in my home office. Having pets around, I find, encourages me to get out and explore our beautiful city. More than anything, though, I just adore meeting all the beautiful personalities there are in this world.

Pets have been a part of my life since literally the day I was born. My parents got me a miniature Foxy x mini Jack Russell puppy, Tessa. She was with me until my 10th birthday, when she was devastatingly bitten by a brown snake. A short while after Tessa’s departure, our family adopted a 4-year-old cattle dog x Doberman, Port, and a black Bombay kitten, Jet, from the RSPCA. Port, Jet and I shared a very special bond and they will forever hold a place in my heart. Port was unfortunately put down at 15 years of age, the same week that I moved out of home. My poor Dad’s heart was hurting that week. Jet died of old age, heartbreakingly on my 19th birthday. I adopted my first kitten since moving out of home in mid-2018, Vor.

While not professional experience, I have been pet sitting for my friends and family since I moved to Canberra in 2014. I decided to join Pawshake in August 2018 after one of my employers introduced me to the website. So far, I have had the pleasure of looking after dogs, cats, birds, chickens, fish, rabbits and turtles. I am now expanding my services on to the Mad Paws platform in order to meet more new furry friends.

To support myself through university, I worked as a pharmacy assistant and dispensary technician at Chemist Warehouse. In order to become a dispensary technician, I was required to obtain a Certificate III in Community Pharmacy. This course had several modules pertaining to pet care. I am confident in diagnosing and prescribing minor conditions (hay fever, eczema, superficial cuts and scrapes, etc), as well as administering any oral or topical medications.

One of my majors during my bachelor’s degree was biological anthropology, in which I focused heavily on animal behavioural ecology. While primarily centred around primates and other mammals, a major in biological anthropology has allowed me to confidently assess vocalisations and body language, and the knowledge learned has proved invaluable in many situations with a range of different pet species.

Pet Sitting Services:

Dog walking: Dog walks are generally 30-40mins long, depending on the needs of the dog. As an archaeologist, it is a necessity for me to be physically fit, so I am capable of taking dogs on longer walks in more trying terrain. I know of many off-leash areas, dog parks and safe swimming spots that I am happy to explore with my new furry friends. I also have a car, so I am capable of collecting and returning my four-legged friends.

Doggy day care and Home dog boarding: Due to the conditions of my lease and my having two cats, I am unable to provide this service for dogs. Sorry! However, I am happy to host cats and other small pets (e.g. reptiles, bunnies, other cats) at my house.

House visits: House visits are at least 45mins long and generally run no longer than 1.5 hours, depending on whether or not dog walking is involved. Every home visit includes feeding, ensuring that the pet has water, playing, and cleaning of litter trays, pens, etc. Upon request, I am also happy to do small household tasks, such as watering the garden, putting the bins out and collecting the bins, or anything else that home owners may require.

***Please Note: I cannot accept dogs for home boarding due to my having two cats and the conditions of my lease.***