Professional, experienced, non-smoking, retired couple to care for your home and pets

About this sitter

Kathy and Patrick are non-smoking, retired professional educators in health and wellness. We love to travel, meet new friends (human and animals) and experience life to the fullest. We are reliable, no drama and sensible. We communicate effectively and want to make sure that when you go away, you feel good knowing your pets and property is being cared for. We are looking for sits that are 2 weeks or longer so we can feel settled in and get to know the pets and community we are living in. We are currently living in Portugal (until the end of March) and have two houses its in the UK coming up.

Why they want to house sit

We are entering a new phase of exploration as we have reduced our careers in health and wellness education. We want to help others to explore what's important to them and give some relief of responsibilities for animals and property. At the same time, we would love to meet new people, see more of the world and experience other lifestyles and culture. We are not tied to our own property right now so this an opportunity to experience different communities while serving others.

Their experience

We have traveled to several countries and states including vacation rentals and house sitting. We have owned two homes and had several pets. We have a philosophy of "leave no trace unless it improves the situation". We are not afraid of doing some work as needed to help in ways that make sense.

We once had a sitting in Arizona caring for a beautiful home and two cats. One had a special diet and needed infusions every week or so at the vet. In 2021, we sat with two dogs and cared for a large house in the Santa Cruz area for 10 days and we became aware of house and pet sitting.

Since Patrick retired from the university in June 2023, we have been traveling the US and Europe. We have been pet and house sitters in Bellingham (WA), Portland (OR), Mesa (AZ – on and off for 12 years), and Steamboat Springs (CO). we have cared for animals that needed extra health procedures or care so our background in healthcare has been helpful.

What can they bring to the assignment

Reliable, non-smokers, experience in traveling, taking care of properties, and loving kindness for other beings. We are open-minded and can meet many challenges head-on. Patrick is a veteran and from a military family. He and his family raised dogs when he was growing up so he's dealt with many issues that way. The two of us can adapt to most situations. We have maintained pools, taken out trash weekly, mowed lawns, trimmed, raked, and shoveled snow our whole lives. We keep a place clean. We are mindful of our pet's needs and comfort. We are level-headed good communicators and problem-solvers.

We have a 5 star rating with over 50 stays at Airbnbs over 12 years.