The cost benefits of choosing a house and pet sitter

Knowing the options available to you for pet care and minding is the key to saving money.

Whether you have to travel unexpectedly or if you choose to holiday without your pet, engaging a house and pet sitter while you’re away presents a whole host of benefits for, not only your pet, but your wallet.

According to the Australian Companion Animal Council, Australians spend more than $374 million on boarding and minding for their dogs and around $98 million for their cats each year.

With the average minimum cost for boarding kennels being around $30 per pet, per night and this cost increasing to $80 or more for luxury standard, the bills quickly start to stack up.

For young families, who typically have more than one pet, pet care costs can accumulate to around $100 a day. Continue reading “The cost benefits of choosing a house and pet sitter”

Pet Care Checklist

Things to consider when you’re leaving your pet

Going on holidays can present some worries, especially when you have to leave your treasured family pet behind. To reduce some of your stress, the team Mindahome House and Pet Sitting has put together a simple checklist that you can use to help you prepare your pet’s holiday at home with the house and pet sitter.

Food
Ensure that you have left plenty of food for your pet, especially any special diets, with easy instructions about regularity, quantity and type for the pet sitter. It is better to have more than you would normally to allow for any spillages or spoilage. Also make sure all your food and water dishes are clean and filled. Continue reading “Pet Care Checklist”

House and pet sitting for annual holidays

The chance to stay rent free in the destination of your choice

House and pet sitting is a very rewarding and affordable way to travel Australia. Not only do you get the opportunity to meet new families and pets but you also get the rare opportunity to discover some of the lesser-known attractions of an area.

Increases in utility bills, child care fees and general living expenses all place additional pressure on Australians to work harder and longer hours, meaning holidays away become less frequent or even missed all together.

Holidays are increasingly viewed as a luxury rather than a reward for hard work during the year or the chance to de-stress and relax to take time out for yourself. Continue reading “House and pet sitting for annual holidays”

MY JOURNAL by Geordie

A diary kept by Geordie the Schnauzer of Brunswick Victoria while his owners were away. Jane is his Pet/House Sitter

March 2013

I spent the first night on your bed & Jane couldn’t find me when I left the fan in the lounge ! She came in with a torch in the middle of the night!! I brought an old bone in to the mat & lots of ants followed !!

Some big rain drops in the heat so Jane took me out into it for a refreshing walk. Jane moved the fan in our bedroom & I like to lie under the bed on the wooden floor 🙂

I dug up an old dirt filled pig’s ear & brought it in to share!! I had fun with the broom Jane used!! We had such fun this morning, & Jane seemed upset she couldn’t find the pig’s ear where I’d hidden it, that after our walk & dinner, I presented it to her on the lounge rug !!!! I just could not stop my tail from wagging but Jane picked the ear up & put it up high !!! & then she glared at me till I lay under her legs with the fan.

By the way it got to 37 degrees today so we didn’t go out till after 6. Jane’s a spoil sport as she didn’t use that broom this time but a boring brush & dustpan. Just chilling on Jane’s bed on 34 degree day – in front of fan – & I rolled over to do a big stretch & I fell off !!!! 🙂 I don’t get it …. I have to SIT before food but when I sat this morning I didn’t get any of Jane’s goodies. ( pills !!! ) Continue reading “MY JOURNAL by Geordie”

Wine, Cheese, House Sitting and Old World Charm in the Barossa Valley

About an hour’s drive northeast of Adelaide in Southern Australia lies the Barossa Valley which derives its name from the surrounding Barossa Ranges. With a population of only 20,000 people living mostly in four major towns, the area exudes a quiet, quaint serenity that belies its role as a world-class wine producing region. It is a restful and interesting location to venture out with a spot house sitting or pet sitting and take in a touch of the world!

If Germany and a bit of history interests you, then look no further, you can almost feel the atmosphere when you are house sitting in Tanunda. Continue reading “Wine, Cheese, House Sitting and Old World Charm in the Barossa Valley”

House Sitting in Melbourne’s Beachside

My name is Jo and although I am no longer a house sitter I thought I’d write and share my house sitting experiences with you. My partner and I first learned about house sitting from family and friends and I thought it sounded like an ideal way to save money on accommodation so we decided to give it a go.

We both work full time so are restricted to the southern suburbs of Melbourne within reasonably commuting distance of our jobs. I suppose we house sat and were members of Mindahome for about six months and during that time took on around six positions from Brighton to Edithvale. All jobs included pets, some of whom were hard work while others were great fun. Continue reading “House Sitting in Melbourne’s Beachside”

Darwin Festival – Showcase of the Northern Territory

Perched atop the northern rim of the country, closer to Singapore than it is to Canberra, Darwin has grown from an outpost into one of Australia’s most modern cities with a cultural diversity unseen in any other part of the country. Named after the Charles Darwin who had previously sailed with the HMS Beagle, the city was destroyed by Japanese air raids in WW II and Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Because of both occasions, Darwin has been rebuilt twice, each time making it more and more modern. It has a dry season with blue skies and soft breezes, and a wet season with cyclones, heavy rains and spectacular lightning displays.

Every year, to celebrate its phoenix-like rise from the ashes, the city stages the Darwin Festival, an exciting event that showcases its multicultural population, distinct weather, picturesque outdoors and vibrant arts.

18 Days of Fun

Darwin Festival lasts for 18 days and nights featuring concerts, theatre and dance music, comedy shows and cabaret, exhibitions of film and visual arts as well as workshops all staged by local and touring groups. Scheduled for August 8 – 25, 2013 the event is the first Australian festival to make use of audience impact methodology to help develop productions that engage the audience and deliver deeper experiences. Darwin residents often travel at this time of the year too, making the need for a house carer or pet sitter an attractive and viable option for people looking to immerse themselves into the culture of the Northern Territory. Continue reading “Darwin Festival – Showcase of the Northern Territory”

Cool Cat Sitting Advice

There’s a global population of about 220 million domestic cats making them the most popular pets in the world with Japan ranked as the most cat-friendly country. With so many cats around chances are high that a pet sitting job in Australia might include taking care of a pampered feline. When looking after a treasured puss, here’s some advice on how to keep your cat sitting a cool and enjoyable experience for both you and the cat! Continue reading “Cool Cat Sitting Advice”

House Sitting a Farm – An Outback Adventure!

There are almost 135,000 farm businesses in Australia where more than 400 million hectares – over 50 per cent of the continent – is used for agriculture. These farms raise cattle, sheep, goats and chickens or grow rice, cotton, fruits, grains, sugarcane and a wide range of other produce. 99 per cent of farms in Australia are family-owned and operated. Because of the 24/7 demand of farm work, farmers and their families value their time off and use it to travel to other places in the country or overseas.

So, Who Takes Care of the Farm

When a farmer and his family want to travel on their time-off, finding someone to look after the farm can be a challenge. This brings up a big house sitting opportunity for those who love animals, crops, want a taste of farm life or just an chance escape the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s a different kind of house sitting situation and becomes more of an adventure and learning experience. Continue reading “House Sitting a Farm – An Outback Adventure!”

Kirstie’s on a mission

10 September 2013
I house and pet sit with my pet, for pets

My dog Flee. She’s travelled the country with me and made some great friends on these house and pet sitting adventures.

Flee, running out the gate at sunset in Southern Barossa, SA — Flee

I can’t imagine how I could travel Australia to raise money and awareness for Oscar’s Law without her. She is my inspiration.

The thing that I like most about choosing to house and pet sit is that Flee has a ‘home’ to stay at when I’m out. It’s impractical to have her at a photo shoot so it gives me peace of mind that lovely home owners are willing to share their properties with Flee and I to call home for at least a little while.

This pic is of Flee running out the gate at sunset of our ‘home’ where we’re house and pet sitting in Southern Barossa. Continue reading “Kirstie’s on a mission”

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