We're Sebastien and Tasha, a caring, responsible and adaptable couple who’ve been together 30 years and have 26 years of experience in house and pet-sitting across the U.S, U.K, France, Spain, and Finland.

About this sitter

We're thrilled to offer our services as sitters/caretakers, bringing a wealth of hands-on experience, both in caring for animals and maintaining properties. We're passionate about animals, love to travel, and embrace the opportunity to live sustainably, so house and pet-sitting is the perfect way for us to enjoy new places while contributing positively to each home we care for.
We are taking our third year-long sabbatical from our life and jobs in Philadelphia and are looking for short as well as extended caretaking/pet-sitting opportunities.
Fun Facts About Us:
• Sebastien is bilingual (French-English) and extremely handy around the house.
• Tasha has intermediate Spanish language skills and has been on the Chicken Committee at a local urban farm for the last three years.
• We're both artists who embrace a minimalist and sustainable lifestyle

Why they want to house sit

We are both artists and time away from our professional lives not only affords us the mental space to create artwork but also allows us to round out the skills we will need to manage our own off-grid, remote homestead in the future.
We have traveled extensively, including living aboard our small motorboat for a year and completing the 6,000-mile Great American Loop. Our longest caretaking engagement was 7 months looking after a small-holding in rural Spain. We’re familiar with the joys and challenges of remote and off-grid living. We are well-acquainted with maintaining various types of properties in diverse environments.

Their experience

Our Experience:
• Animal Care: We both grew up with cats and dogs, have owned cats and as pet-sitters we have cared for a wide variety of pets and livestock, including cats, dogs, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, and a donkey! We both have experience administering medications and dealing with any challenges that arise with animals. We’ve spent 10 years fostering cats from our local animal shelter in Philadelphia and have a 5-star rating on Rover, a dog-sitting/boarding app. Tasha has been taking care of the chickens at our local urban farm for the last 3 years. We truly understand the needs of pets and livestock, from feeding and watering, emotional support to health monitoring and emergency care when needed.
• Gardening & Plant Care: Tasha has professional gardening experience meaning she has a green thumb! We've cared for everything from fruit trees (orange, lemon, almonds, olives) to vegetable gardens, and we’re familiar with tending to plants including fertilization, pest management and pruning. We’ve also managed irrigation systems and greenhouses.
• House & Property Maintenance: Sebastien is a seasoned handyman with years of experience in carpentry, construction, plumbing, electricity, and more. He’s renovated our own 1890s row-house in Philadelphia and has experience with off-grid, solar systems and fresh-water wells. He can handle repairs around the house, whether it's fixing plumbing issues or maintaining pools and yards. He also has basic skills in engine repair for cars and small/marine engines, and has experience with handling small boats.
• Security & Care: We understand the importance of keeping properties secure. We've managed livestock enclosures, ensuring animals are kept safe and the premises remain secure from unauthorized access. We also provide clear communication about daily events and any potential issues, always acting on instructions to maintain the integrity of the property.

What can they bring to the assignment

Why Choose Us?
• Caring & Adaptable: Our deep love for animals is at the core of everything we do. We’re both adaptable to the unique needs of each pet and household and take our responsibilities seriously, providing a calm and capable presence that can handle unexpected challenges.
• Experienced & Versatile: We have a vast array of skills that make us well-rounded sitters, able to tackle everything from animal care to unexpected home repairs. We can provide peace of mind that all your needs—whether it's your pets or your property—are in safe hands.
• Trustworthy & Organized: We're a non-smoking, financially independent couple who value respect, responsibility, and organization. We always follow instructions carefully and communicate effectively with homeowners. As artists and photographers, we love taking pictures of your animals and sharing them with you.
• Professional Backgrounds: In addition to our practical life skills, we also have professional experience in various fields, including wild-land firefighting, archaeology, art-handling, museum logistics, photography, language teaching and gardening, adding a well-rounded skillset to our approach.
Sebastien speaks French and English fluently and has both French and US citizenship and Tasha has intermediate Spanish speaking skills and has both UK and US citizenship.