t h e p e t s i t t e r

Returning from a summer working in Alaska in 2019, I planned a couple of months in Malaysia before I resumed my outdoor adventures down in New Zealand next. I decided to dapple in caring for pets as it has been a lifelong dream to have my own furkids. Not knowing a single thing about pet care, I thought to volunteer with animals and pickup basic pet care jobs to give myself the exposure in handling responsibility for household pets.

Starting off with house-sitting a cat and walking three dogs on the daily, I have been growing my skills with plenty of dogs and cats, and gaining a variety of valuable experience in becoming a pet sitter. This hands-on experience is helping me overcome all the awkward firsts you'd have with new experiences, learning that caring for another is an evolving process with every pet, as well as also giving me useful insight in the kind of pet that I would like to welcome to my own family.

Over the course of these couple of months, apart from learning something new in pet care, I truly enjoy interacting with the pets that have been under my care. Meeting a new pet is like meeting a new friend. A typical day would involve dancing or singing along with these furkids, light banter while we frolic in the park, or engaging with them with their favourite toy. An advantage that came around that did not occur to me before is being connected with a wider pet community outside pet owners. From corresponding with a veterinarian on pet illness, to assisting a stray rescuer in foster care, these connections have opened up the bigger world in animal care for me.

I am hoping to expand my skill set from here on. I have yet to attempt grooming pets. And eventually, I hope to gain enough experience and knowledge to train dogs well too. As a personal challenge in line with my values, I am adopting environmentally-friendly practices as I go.