Pet sitters: just the job for animal lovers
By Jayne Warren - 18/04/2007
Have you ever thought how nice it would be to go away for a few days - but decide you can't because it means leaving your beloved pets in a kennel or in the care of a busy neighbour? And if your pet is old or sick, and you have a garden or houseplants to maintain as well, the odds against taking a well-deserved break become overwhelming.
But not anymore, thanks to an innovative new service called "Nannies For Pets". Their dedicated pet sitters will take care of it all for you: pets, house, plants - and will even help solve your pet's medical problems.
The story behind Nannies For Pets is as unique as the service itself, because founders Douglas and Nina Cole not only battled serious illnesses to launch their business, but have had to make some major life-style changes to accommodate their unforeseen success. And they are currently appealing for more pet-sitters - ideally mature or retired people.
In 1998 Douglas Cole was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Five months later his wife, Nina Cole, suffered a brain haemorrhage, and during her recovery, she decided to realise her dream of working with animals. She had always been a dedicated champion of animal welfare and had spent a year studying wolves at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. She started out humbly: walking dogs while their owners were at work, or popping in to feed the cat and water the plants whilst her clients were on holiday. But it wasn't long before the service was in big demand, so Douglas left Hertfordshire University where he was studying for a microbiology degree, and a partnership was formed.
Nina is now fully recovered and Nannies For Pets have a steady workforce offering services throughout the Midlands and the South of England. She told the Mature Times: "It's so good to offer people the chance to go on holiday - sometimes for the first time in years. Our service has gained a really good reputation, and so people know they can trust us. We have Pet Nannies for all situations - from one-parent families and palaces to celebrities. And I always do follow -up calls to check the standard of care each person has received.
"Our last Christmas party for all the sitters had some hilarious moments. One of my team mentioned how uncomfortable it was to have to share your bed with a St. Bernard! But it is essential that we adhere to our clients exact requirements - so we have learned to take these little oddities in our stride."
Nina is now appealing for more mature people to join her roll call of Sitters. "Being a Pet Nanny is a very responsible job and it is always difficult to find the right calibre of people. All of our Nannies are mostly retired, and must undergo vigorous security checks, but once on board they remain valuable members of our team".
Becoming a Pet Sitter is an ideal job for animal lovers, as it offers the chance to take break from your usual routine, earn some money and visit other parts of the country at no cost. Nina added: "Sitters also save on utility bills and we offer excellent rates of pay for the right people. The basic rate is £25.00 per day, plus travelling expenses. This is based on one dog per household, but it increases according to the number of pets you are caring for. There is also a bank holiday supplement of £10, rising to £15 per day over the Christmas period."
Prospective sitters must be non smokers, have their own transport, and be able to work approximately three to six months of each year. There are breaks in between each sit, but if someone wants to work more frequently, this can easily be arranged as demand is high throughout the year.
Unsurprisingly, experience of domestic pets is essential, and each sitter must be trustworthy and responsible animal lovers, be prepared to walk, groom and care for the clients pets, generally keeping their daily routine and eating habits.
Said Nina: "Being a pet sitter is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and revisit old friends, and you will be ready for your first assignment once your application process is complete. This type of work is ideally suited to people or couples who want to work during retirement, but all applications will be considered on merit. We are especially keen to recruit pet sitters from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Devon, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, and Surrey."
For further information call 08450 5311 52, email info@ninasnanniesforpets.co.uk or visit the weblink below.
www.ninasnanniesforpets.co.uk