If travelling the world to look after people’s beloved pets sounds like a dream come true, then Julie and Jonathan Ashworth must be pinching themselves.
The animal-loving couple stay in some wonderful properties without spending a penny in rent thanks to their enviable roles as international pet sitters.
In return for free accommodation they give clients the peace of mind of knowing their furry pals are receiving the best care.
Since Julie and Jonathan sold almost all of their worldly possessions to hit the road in the 2017, they have lived in nine countries including the USA, Australia, Thailand and Spain.
The couple, who are in their 50s, have cared for dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, sheep, ducks and chickens for free.
And according to their calculations, the pair – who run an online holiday rental business – spend just £10,000 a year between them.
Speaking from Sydney, former property manager Jonathan says: “We are living the dream – exploring parts of the world that we could never afford without pet sitting. The pets are such a huge part of the journey for us, too.”
The couple, who have four grown-up children, started looking after pets full-time in 2017.
Former school secretary Julie says it was easy decision as they no longer had any animals of their own and were keen to try something new.
“We wanted to travel,” she explains, “so we gave up our jobs in 2016 and started our online holiday rental company in Spain.
“We also decided to sell the house because it was easier to not have ties.”
It was during a three-month break in Thailand – where they went to formulate a business plan – that they signed up to a firm called Trusted Housesitters.
The couple paid £99 to create a profile on the site, allowing them to combine their love of animals with their dream of travelling full-time.
Julie says: “Realising we could pet sit and travel was like music to our ears.”
Their first job, in February 2018, was to look after a Pyrenean mountain dog called Txuri in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
“It was the best first experience we could have had,” Julie recalls. “We spent five weeks in this beautiful house with
this beautiful dog and we are still friends with the lovely lady now.”
Then came bookings in Norfolk, Cornwall and Wales.
Julie says: “One of our favourite places was in Norfolk – a really big cottage with lots of grounds and a KuneKune pig called Venus who loved belly rubs.
“There was a horse too, Patsy, and some ducks. I would walk down the field and Patsy would be walking beside me and Venus the pig would be waddling on the other side!”
After ticking off 30 different properties in the UK, the couple decided to go global in October 2019. They headed to California for three months to stay in a four-bed home in San Francisco with a “goofy” Samoyed dog called Mookie.
Julie says: “The couple left us their car so we could go all around San Francisco with him to explore the beaches. We were pinching ourselves… we couldn’t believe this was our life.” Next came stays in San Rafael and Lake Tahoe, caring for dogs, cats and chickens, before heading to Venice Beach for Christmas. Julie says: “Venice Beach and Santa Monica were so vibrant.
“We got a tour bus to LA, which was unforgettable and then came back for kitty cuddles in the evening.”
But one of their most challenging jobs was in Santa Monica. Julie recalls: “We had Kai, who was this big pitbull/German shepherd cross and he was just running around everywhere. He was so anxious – and he did go for us once.
“But we took our time and showed him lots of love and by the end of the week, he was so good, it brought tears to our eyes.” The pair then squeezed in stays in San Diego, Palm Springs, Yosemite, Las Vegas and Death Valley before flying to Spain to care for two elderly Ridgebacks for seven weeks.
When the pandemic forced them to return to the UK in March 2020, they borrowed a caravan in Norfolk.
Julie says: “Our website collapsed because it was to do with travel so we got some work in supermarkets, delivering to the vulnerable. “But by the end of July, the UK had opened up a little and we resumed pet sitting in Norfolk and Scotland with some lovely little dogs.”
When restrictions changed again, the couple bought a tent and camped in Scotland for a few months, before getting back to work.
Julie says: “We had a ten-week sit in Wales with this beautiful dog called Blue in a seven-bed home before heading back to the caravan for the rest of lockdown.”
The pair were desperate to start travelling again though and, once restrictions eased, organised pet sits in France and Spain before heading to Australia to meet their first grandson, Frankie.
Julie says: “We stayed with family for two weeks before going to a property with a cavapoo called Charcoal for seven weeks. It saved us £7,000 on rent.”
The couple came back to the UK last year but enjoyed a two-month job in Thailand in November.
“It was incredible,” says Julie. “We cared for a little beagle, who was the sweetest pup and a lovely kitty.”
Julie and Jonathan are now back in Australia visiting family but are already making more plans to pet sit – and they’re not the only ones.
Dr Hayley Stainton, founder of Tourism Teacher, says there has been a steady increase in the number of people travelling to look after animals in the last few years.
She adds: “People are going on trips that they couldn’t otherwise afford because of pet sitting. It gives them a more authentic experience, too.”
Julie admits: “It was scary at first, selling up, but we were determined to make it work. It has been a blast.”
“We advise anyone planning to undertake international petsitting to check the visa requirements of their destination country before agreeing any stays”.
Find out more about Julie and Jonathan at theglobalpetsitters.com
