As a pet owner, I know that you want the best possible care for your furry friends, and that’s why I’m introducing myself, Elton, your trusted pet sitter and livestock caretaker to you in this post. I understand that it can be stressful leaving your pets behind while you’re away on holiday or business, which is why I’m here to provide a range of pet-sitting services that ensure your pets are well looked after in the comfort of their own home.
Why choose me as your pet sitter?
In a nutshell, I am an animal lover.
Yes, but all pet sitters and most people say that they are animal lovers Elton!
I hear you! So let me give you a little bit of background.
I was born, raised and spent the first 28 years of my life in Durban, South Africa. My very earliest memory includes a German Sheppard.
I have always had at least one dog in my life. I think the longest period I didn’t have a dog for was about 3 months after immigrating to England and finding a place to rent.
Anyway, I digress. Back in South Africa, besides the constant presence of a dog in my life, I also had pretty much every animal it was legal to have as a pet. This included several species of snakes, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, a variety of birds including parrots and both tropical and marine fish tank setups. The largest fish tank I had was 10ft x 3ft x 3ft and was home to a variety of marine fish, coral, a moray eel and some seahorses.
Besides being responsible for our own household pets, I started looking after pets for friends, family and neighbours in my early teens.
Move to England
In January 1999, I landed at Heathrow airport in jeans and a T-shirt! The internet wasn’t what it was today and clearly, it didn’t occur to me at the time that the Northern hemisphere would be in Winter. So the first stop was the duty-free shops to purchase a coat!
Within a few months of arriving, having secured a rental property that permitted pets, I acquired my first dog in the UK. For the past 24 years of being in England, I have continued to have at least one dog in my household.
Shaka the Staffordshire Terrier
For the past 13 years, I have had the pleasure of having Shaka, a white, spotted Staffordshire terrier in my life. I got him as a puppy at 8 weeks old and we have been inseparable ever since. He now travels with me in my motorhome as I undertake my long-term photography project.
He suffers from severe arthritis for which he is on two medications and also has epilepsy for which he also takes medication to control. Due to arthritis, his mobility is very limited. He is still able to walk however the length and duration of the walks have significantly reduced. A walk of half a mile is pushing his limits these days. He is quite content to just laze around in the motorhome on his bed all day.
The Photography Project
In June 2021 I sold my house in Haverhill, Suffolk and embarked on a long-term photography project to document as much of the UK in images and video as I can before then heading to Europe and Northern Africa (and hopefully further abroad) to do the same.
I purchased a 1996 Hymer A class motorhome in which to undertake this project. A motorhome that has truly held up well given its age and as of writing this blog, I and Shaka have been living in it for some 19 months.
The video below is an initial walk-through of ‘Star’ our motorhome. This was taken just after I purchased her.
The video below is of the internal fabric being recovered which as I pointed out in the video above, was in terrible condition as it was the original fabric and therefore was some 26 years old! I hope you agree that it looks far better now 🙂
Star measures 6m in length (although I do also tow a motorcycle on a trailer which makes her length 7.5m) x 2.3m wide by 2.8m high. Therefore, I can only consider and accept sits at properties where there is sufficient space on the property for me to park her off-road, either on a driveway or somewhere appropriate on the property that is fairly level.
Why I choose to be a pet sitter
As mentioned already, I absolutely love animals. So much so that I am primarily plant-based these days, eating the occasional fish sourced responsibly.
Pet sitting provides me with several benefits including:
Access to animals of various types, sizes and characters. I love meeting the new pets I sit for and am very proud and thankful for the fact that every homeowner I have sat for has invited me back to sit for them again even going so far as arranging their holidays around my availability.
As I do my sits, I’m getting to explore areas of the UK I wouldn’t have necessarily visited. The homeowners, as locals are able to suggest places I should visit which is always very helpful.
I earn a small income to keep the photography project going.
My pet sitter references
I have been providing pet-sitting and dog-walking services since my teens. Since my immigration to the UK this has been primarily for friends and family. In January 2023 I decided to offer my experience to the general public and have already completed 14 assignments as of July 2023.
You can see my pet sitter specific reviews in the following blog post which is constantly updated as I receive new reviews.
In addition to my pet-sitting services, I also provide other services including photography services, website design and SEO consultancy services and Social media management services.
You can find more recommendations about me and the services I supply on my LinkedIn profile. These should reassure you that you are working with an absolute professional who strongly believes in the power of ‘word of mouth’.
Book me as your pet sitter!
Ready to get peace of mind that your pet/s will be well looked after and loved as if they were my own in your absence from them?
Then use the contact form below to get in touch stating your required dates, location and number of pets including a brief description of their requirements and any medical conditions they require treatment for and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can with my availability and quote.
I hope to meet you and your pet/s in the future!
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