I'm a Kiwi who loves animals, and now I have none of my own I enjoy helping yours have a happy holiday while you are away, taking them for walks or training them. Good references, quiet, bookish, daily yoga makes me fit and calm enough to exercise animals. I am honest, kind, clean and reliable. I am a work-from-home-part-time, mature woman who has time to care for and exercise your animals.

My style with animals is gentle and quiet.
I love going for good walks, giving dogs plenty of time to sniff all their mail. Feeding is of course to your instructions. I won't spoil (ruin) animals by giving them table snacks! I'm OK with feeding raw meat (though I do not eat meat myself). Grooming and bathing as needed; I had a Persian cat as a teen, so daily brushing her.

Dogs respond well to me as a friendly leader, and while petsitting I have taught many dogs to go for part of their walks off lead; puppies and adults. I teach slack lead walking, whisper barking, sit, lie down, come back, and improved road manners. I am gentle, patient and consistent and calm and find they respond well to this. Even when clients tell me I may need to growl at their dogs, I find I do not need to. I am not a smacker and I find inviting dogs to step up for a good time and gently holding them to a good standard is very successful. Many shy cats unfurl to me and become relaxed and happy.

Experience includes cats, dogs, birds, chickens, rodents mice, rats, guinea pigs), rabbits, amphibians, topical fish, cows, calves, bulls, sheep, lambs, horses, foals, goats, kids, reptiles, bees, I can even milk a goat (or cows). We had a lot of pets when I was growing up in both town and country, so I love them all and their different personalities. With none of my own now, I enjoy helping your animals have a happy holiday while you are away. Unusual animals I have cared for include axolotl, terrapins, frogs, geckos, skinks, wild birds being rehabilitated or raised. I have hand reared kittens from a week old (twice with rescued litters) Tadpoles to froglets, and Monarch Butterfly hatching to release were childhood summers. I have had friends with Chinchillas. I have also lived on farms and milked cows and hand milked our goat, and have no problem moving stock.

Clean full driver's license, and a very reliable car. I might still bring my lovely road e bike with me.
Clean Ministry of Justice check (i.e. no criminal record)

I like to live a healthy lifestyle, so am only offering to housesit for people who have pretty organic homes and gardens, where there are no pesticides like fly sprays, insect plug ins, insecticide misters or weedkillers etc. I do understand that pets have flea and worm treatments and that is something they need for their health. Mould and dust free homes are necessary for me, so I do not get an asthmatic cough. I have short showers, ventilate bathrooms, dry the shower glass and let the washing machine dry open, so no mould moves in while you are out!

Having owned interior design stores, I know how to look after precious interior pieces and artworks. I won't 'wear out the welcome mat' by using up your spices, sugar or oil or depleting your pantry, While it is sensible to share the remaining fresh foods, I do not expect them. An organic vege patch I would love; to water, mulch, weed and share from. I used to be a weed scientist as well, so I can identify which of the emergent plants need dispatching, and which are good to stay,

Sometimes I plant sit for people with special plant collections but no pets. Have recently managed to get 2 wilted moth orchids to recover, even their flowers!

Look forward to hearing about your pets and garden and meeting you if you have a chemical and mould free home and garden. I'm available for a video chat before that if you like.

Lise Denize