Experienced sitters - All animals

More information about this house sitter

We’re Ellie and Sam and we’ve recently relocated from Perth to Tasmania and are excited to settle into life here. We’ve been together for over five years and share a huge love of animals, nature and the outdoors.

Between us, we have a lifetime of experience with animals of all kinds, from very large dogs and horses to birds, reptiles and smaller pets.

Sam’s dad is a veterinarian, who owns and operates his own veterinary practice. Growing up their family home was regularly filled with animals needing extra care, including injured or abandoned animals brought in by members of the public. From dogs and cats to snakes, lizards and birds, there was rarely a shortage of animals around! They even had a blue and gold macaw named Riley, among many other pets.

Growing up in this environment gave Sam plenty of hands on experience and a strong understanding of animal behaviour, handling and basic veterinary care. He’s also a qualified zoologist with a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and has worked professionally with wildlife including wombats, possums and snakes.

I grew up in rural England, surrounded by animals, and have experience caring for horses, chickens and ducks, as well as dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs. I’ve always had large dogs in my family, including our 70kg Neapolitan Mastiff, Jules. She could be quite reactive towards unfamiliar dogs and people, so I’m confident handling large, strong dogs and understand the importance of patience and adapting to different temperaments.

We’ve both previously house and pet sat for friends and family, caring for dogs of all sizes, cats, rabbits and other animals, sometimes for several weeks at a time.

We’re a responsible, tidy and considerate couple. Whilst we’re both very sociable, we’re happiest spending time together outdoors, whether that’s going for walks, identifying birds and wildflowers or searching for frogs. We’re equally happy spending a quiet evening at home.

We would absolutely love to have pets of our own, but with plans to travel over the next few years, we feel it wouldn’t be fair to take on that responsibility until we can offer them the long-term stability they deserve. House sitting gives us the opportunity to spend time with animals in the meantime, which is something we both really miss!

As property owners ourselves, we understand how important it is to have someone trustworthy looking after your home. We’re naturally clean and tidy and would treat your property with the same care and respect as our own.

We’re more than happy to follow any specific care instructions, maintain your pets’ usual routines and dietary requirements, administer medications where appropriate and accommodate any individual needs or preferences. We’re also happy to send regular photos and updates while you’re away.

We’d love the opportunity to look after your home and animals and are always happy to arrange a chat or meet in person beforehand.

Ellie & Sam Read more...