They say that a dog is man’s best friend… and the stats back it up.
Across the US, The number of homes owning a dog have increased by 58% since 2001, whilst homes with cats have seen a more modest jump of 26%.
Of course, THS pet parents offer the chance to sit with more than just cats and dogs. I love the idea of being able to complete a sit with a horse, llama or iguana though I wouldn’t know where to start.
What’s the most interesting pet you’ve sat with?
Do you have a dream animal you’d like the chance to sit with?
I’ve been lucky enough to do two sits with alpacas, one in New Zealand & one in Canterbury, Kent. I also did a sit with Pygmy goats in Gloucestershire which was lovely
They live in a large field near my home in Spain.. next best thing to being mine! They are loved and well looked after.. no excuse to lead them home! Ha ha! The mother bit one of the rivals for my caresses! They were very gentle with me though.. the baby’s ears were so thick and fluffy.. I would gladly give up all my garden potential for a couple of these beauts to eat me out of house and home.
I still feel incomplete without a dog in my life…. They really are the best company for me.
If I ever stop pet sitting it will be because I’ve got a litter of my own!
We would love to sit for donkeys, alpacas or pigs. I’d also like to care for a reptile.
The most unusual animal we have cared for so far is probably geese. Two of them were easy because they thought they were runner ducks and ran around the garden in a little procession following the white runner duck, who was definitely the ring leader!
The Chinese goose was a different matter. Very territorial, guardian of the paddling pool and the poultry house. Anyone coming near to check for eggs needed to be chased away. I soon learnt that I had to “be the bigger goose” by imitating the goose’s body language and not backing down. I was the alpha goose!
It would be fun to sit a llama or a rabbit, but usually people who have them have several or more pets, so I’m unlikely to sit for them as a solo sitter. I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew, especially since I telecommute while sitting.
I’ve long loved dogs, and thanks to THS, I’ve come to adore cats. I had limited exposure to them before.
Yes one thing I love about my THS experiences is you can have a puppy for a week ! Hand back something you wanted to try and it didn’t fit as well as you’d thought.. it’s a bit like a fitting room experience. You’ve not bought it and totally committed to it for life! You can flirt with an idea and have a go with something new, something you’ve always wished you’d had an opportunity of trying.. but in the end you leave the store empty handed but ready to window shop another day. It’s fun. It’s less expensive than taking the fur coat home with you lol!
So llamas, donkeys, maybe snakes and exotic parrots could all be possible pet projects .. I like to think I’m adventurous. It’s not all about the pets though, sometimes I get motivated by the Home Owners, they are such fine humans who I love to help when I can. Happy shopping everyone!
