A pet sitting company is seeking new homesitters to take care of people’s homes and pets when they go on holiday.
Holiday demand has surged following a relaxation in international travel rules, with EasyJet reporting last week that bookings rose almost 200 per cent compared to the week before.
And pet ownership has also soared in the UK, with The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association now claiming 3.2 million households have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic.
UK home and pet sitting company, Homesitters, says the ideal home and pet sitters are active retired people who love pets, as well those with a portfolio career who can fit in home and pet sitting around other work commitments.
Successful candidates will have the opportunity to stay for free in homes across the UK, spend time with pets and meet new people. They can also boost their income or savings, as homesitters are paid a modest remuneration, including a food allowance and make savings on their own energy bills when they are on assignments.
Director of business operations at Homesitters Ltd, Benjamin Irvine, said: “We are looking for new homesitters to join our friendly team as we’re already seeing many new enquiries as people start booking their holidays. It’s a fantastic role that suits retired people in their 50s, 60s and 70s or those not working.
“One of the main benefits of working through us is that all our homesitters are employees, and it’s a flexible job that can fit around other commitments. It’s a fun way to visit new places and the chance for animal lovers to look after all, kinds of different pets.”
Homesitters carefully match their workers with clients, considering their preferences, personalities, skills and experiences. Homesitters can pick and choose their assignments and will almost always visit their client’s home and pets before starting.
Retired couple Peter and Julie Barnes from Gloucestershire have been home and pet sitting since they retired. During his career, Peter spent many years in the Armed Forces, including the Royal Marines, before working in the printing industry. Julie was a swimming coach and a manager at a large leisure centre.
When they retired, they wanted to experience some new adventures. Peter was keen to get a dog, but the couple also wanted to travel, and thought it would be too difficult with a pet.
Julie said: “We do a lot of homesits around the Cotswolds near where we live. Even if we’re only going thirty miles or so from home, it is often to somewhere we haven’t heard of before.
“There’s a limited amount of exploring you can do while you’re working and we’re really enjoying discovering new places.”
The couple also love to spend time with pets. Peter is a dog lover, while Julie likes spending time with cats and looking after chickens. They both enjoy walking the dogs together, combining a long dog walk in the country with a pub lunch.
Peter added: “We can’t help but fall in love with the pets who all have different characters. We looked after two black Labradors who loved to play in the snow and a beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback who would sit and watch us read.
“We even looked after a parrot who would mimic Julie’s voice so I would think she was talking to me when it was the parrot.
“We’ve had several customers contact us after a homesit to tell us how relaxed their pets are after their time with us and to thank us for looking after them - that’s reward in itself.”
Anyone interested in becoming a homesitter can apply by clicking here . For more information about Homesitters Ltd visit www.homesitters.co.uk
