Pet Sitting

Whispered

Mods, feel free to remove if this is not appropriate.

I have been looking for a pet sitter in Kildare for almost a week now and have not found one. Not a single one!! Yes there are websites offering all kinds of wonderful services but you get no answer when you ring and emails are ignored. One woman answered, sounding pretty annoyed and said she does not do that and she has no idea how her name got onto the website!! So I was thinking, in my area at least, the vast majority of people are commuting daily and out of the home a lot. Do you think there might be a market for pet sitting/ dog walking etc in Kildare?

Thanks

fits

Yes there could well be. I'm sure you'd have to do some more research on it. A lot of these companies seem to be getting established these days in commuterland.

Arcadian

helena.ryan wrote: »

I have been looking for a pet sitter in Kildare for almost a week now and have not found one. Not a single one!!

I've been trying to find a Dublin 15 dogwalker with similar results:o

Zorba

What would be involved in pet sitting, is it just a case of bringing the dog out for a walk once a day and making sure they've enough food and water ? And how much would someone be willing to pay for this service ?

By the way Helena i'm nowhere near Kildare so don't worry i'm not gonna rob your idea from u !!;)

Arcadian

For me, I'd want a petsitter to move into my house for the period that i'm away.

Whispered

Thats a pretty good idea arcadian, but i doubt many people would want that. A stranger staying in their house. Although I'm sure if you were walking their dogs for long ebough they would trust you.

If I was to think of doing it I would be leaving a pretty good job to do something I dont have much experience in. I have had dogs all my life but no actual animal qualifications.

I suppose all I could offer would be a personal dog walking service (as in one dog, or one customers dogs) at a time, as opposed to many dogs.

An animal taxi (to and from vets, groomers etc) and somewhere to hold them if the customer cannot take them for a few hours, like post op animals etc that shouldn't be left alone.

Animal reiki

basic training, although again I have no qualifications in this, just experience

sitting with younger/olders or ill animals who cannot be walked

feeding

cleaning after them

Just everyday pet care really.

I would be mad to consider trying to do something like this!

MsFifers

I'm not in Kildare but I would be interested in a service like this for the odd time I would be away overnight - to check on cats' water and food, clean their litter trays.

The only thing that puts me off is giving a stranger access to my house. I'm not sure how you would overcome this? References would help - but anyone could give a family member to be a reference provider, so, for me, I'd still have reservations.

If you were thinking of doing it, it would probably be something that would have to be built up slowly through recommendations etc. Maybe you could start off as an evening dog walker (keeping your job) and then once you had a client base you could make a decision about going the full time route.

BTW - the local VEC here in Carlow is running an evening class in pet care. Maybe check your local one to see if something similar is on offer?

Arcadian

helena.ryan wrote: »

Thats a pretty good idea arcadian, but i doubt many people would want that.

Which is why I can't take a holiday:eek: I'll find somebody eventually

Seriously though for me kennels, or even homeboarding, isn't an option. One bad experience with a kennel (where I left them for two days!!!!!) has turned me off for life.

Annika30

I'd definitely think there's a market for a dog walking service.:D
I personally wouldn't not be interested in a pet sitting service as I wouldn't want a stranger in my house looking after my dogs....
If you are looking to get into dog training I'd recommend that you'd get qualifications and at the moment there's nowhere in Ireland that you can do that.
Good luck!

MsFifers

:D I'm just remembering the one (and only) time I pet-sitted for someone I worked with! It was dreadful! The dog was pining and cried and whined non-stop for his owner the whole weekend, the cat dug up all the potted plants and pooed on the carpet - TWICE!, and the chinchillas (yes chinchillas!) kept trying to escape from their cage - little devils! When I found the cat had pooed for the second time I shouted at it and it disappeared for the rest of the weekend - I was so scared she had gone forever! (She turned up when the owners came back.)

STRESS!!

Maybe its not surprising its hard to find a pet sitter when you need one!

Puddleduck

Ive been thinking of setting up a dog walking service in my area in kildare but im not sure anyone would pay me 8 euro an hour for walking their dog, which is the going rate in other areas. Similar prices for dog/animal sitting.

Whispered

Arcadian wrote: »

Which is why I can't take a holiday:eek: I'll find somebody eventually

Seriously though for me kennels, or even homeboarding, isn't an option. One bad experience with a kennel (where I left them for two days!!!!!) has turned me off for life.

Would you want someone there 24/7 or would maybe 3-4 hours a day then night time too be sufficient?

There is nowhere in Ireland, I've checked. And at the moment I'm working, fostering, working from home and trying to get another reiki qualification!! I'm so busy!

Annika30

I thought the going rate was about €15 per hours walk?

Whispered

MsFifers wrote: »

:D I'm just remembering the one (and only) time I pet-sitted for someone I worked with! It was dreadful! The dog was pining and cried and whined non-stop for his owner the whole weekend, the cat dug up all the potted plants and pooed on the carpet - TWICE!, and the chinchillas (yes chinchillas!) kept trying to escape from their cage - little devils! When I found the cat had pooed for the second time I shouted at it and it disappeared for the rest of the weekend - I was so scared she had gone forever! (She turned up when the owners came back.)

STRESS!!

Maybe its not surprising its hard to find a pet sitter when you need one!

LOL thats hilarious!! You're right about the pet care course though, I just have so little time as it is.

Puddleduck, where in Kildare are you and do you work at the moment? I was looking for someone but it wont be an ideal situation. What I was looking for was this: I dont own a dog, but I do foster dogs, so this week I have 3 pups (well 2 now as one left one sat) next week I might have one, the week after nothing, then after that I could have another pup, a litter of tinies or a large breed. So there is no guarantee of work from one day to the next

If you had experience with dogs it would be great because as fosters you can never be too sure of their temperment. Oh and someone who recognises they are charity dogs and maybe spend a bit of extra time with them as they would have had very little love in their lives

Maybe if we are in different parts of Kildare we could both do a bit of research and see what comes up!

Oh and I would charge €15 per hour for anything except reiki which would be charged a seperate rates.

EdgarAllenPoo

I always have to dog sit for my brother, never knew you could make money from it though. Hmm maybe I'll charge the going rate next time.

Whispered

I dont charge family for any favours I do for them but you can get paid for dog sitting yes. If I had family living in the area who could accommodate me every week day I wouldn't have a problem. Your lucky brother!

peasant

This being Ireland, my guess would be that if you were to set this up as a business, insurance would probably kill you.

The car/van that you use to cart the dogs around (after all, it's now used commercially), personal liability (what if one of the dogs bites somebody or gets injured while in your care), business liability, etc etc ...


I don't think (but I've never inquired) that as a one-man band you could make enough money for the business to actually sustain you.

Whispered

Good point, oh why oh why did you have to be so practical and kill my dream

Puddleduck

helena.ryan wrote: »

LOL thats hilarious!! You're right about the pet care course though, I just have so little time as it is.

Puddleduck, where in Kildare are you and do you work at the moment? I was looking for someone but it wont be an ideal situation. What I was looking for was this: I dont own a dog, but I do foster dogs, so this week I have 3 pups (well 2 now as one left one sat) next week I might have one, the week after nothing, then after that I could have another pup, a litter of tinies or a large breed. So there is no guarantee of work from one day to the next

If you had experience with dogs it would be great because as fosters you can never be too sure of their temperment. Oh and someone who recognises they are charity dogs and maybe spend a bit of extra time with them as they would have had very little love in their lives

Maybe if we are in different parts of Kildare we could both do a bit of research and see what comes up!

Oh and I would charge €15 per hour for anything except reiki which would be charged a seperate rates.

Hi helena,

Im in celbridge, Im doing an animal care course in bray and I own two dogs of my own, one of them a rescue case.

Ive seen people charge 15 euro an hour an offer scenic walks and the like, Im a student so I dont have a car to be takinng dogs to fancy parks, hense I said 8 euro

TKD SC

Puddleduck wrote: »

Hi helena,

Im in celbridge, Im doing an animal care course in bray and I own two dogs of my own, one of them a rescue case.

Ive seen people charge 15 euro an hour an offer scenic walks and the like, Im a student so I dont have a car to be takinng dogs to fancy parks, hense I said 8 euro

Hello,

I work in Bray - would you have details / web address of this animal care course?
Or, if anyone else does of other ones around Dublin? Wouldnt mind doing one at some stage...

Helena: lol at killing your dream! I've tried many times in my head to come up with a way of walking dogs etc etc and to give up "real" work, but the numbers just never add up

Puddleduck

TKD SC wrote: »

Hello,

I work in Bray - would you have details / web address of this animal care course?
Or, if anyone else does of other ones around Dublin? Wouldnt mind doing one at some stage...

Helena: lol at killing your dream! I've tried many times in my head to come up with a way of walking dogs etc etc and to give up "real" work, but the numbers just never add up

http://www.bife.ie/courses/h7/

the web address and phone number is on that page. Its a full time course from monday to friday, theres also a similar course in killester college in dublin.

Lil' Smiler

Bray Senior College which is in St Thomas's (Novara Avenue, down the road that Budget Travel Corners) does an Animal Care course as far as I know.

http://www.bife.ie/courses/h7/

Although that course is only full time!

And coming from Celbridge to Bray - ahh crazy!! go you though!!

Lil' Smiler

ahh.. yes so i should have clicked on the second page of that thread...ooops!!:rolleyes:

TKD SC

Thanks for the links guys.

Any part time / evening courses anywhere that anyone knows of? Not really in a position to do a full time one!

tks

Simon

Puddleduck

Lil' Smiler wrote: »

Bray Senior College which is in St Thomas's (Novara Avenue, down the road that Budget Travel Corners) does an Animal Care course as far as I know.

http://www.bife.ie/courses/h7/

Although that course is only full time!

And coming from Celbridge to Bray - ahh crazy!! go you though!!

Lol, thanks. Its not too bad actually. Lookin at getting a bike to cycle into maynooth then its pretty straightforward.

Sorry simon, I dont think that there is any part time animal care courses, but maybe you could look into doing work experience in an area your interested once a week, or look up distance learning courses? Be careful though, many english courses may not be recognised over here, look for city and guilds or fetac diplomas.

dizzydub

Arcadian I know what you mean. We've a rescue dog with seperation anxiety and I'm dreading boarding him as he won't even eat when we're out of the house. I'd pay a fair whack for a responsible person to come and stay in the house with him when we're away

Lauragoesmad

I started minding dogs when I was living in Liverpool last year. I'm going to get myself a garda reference so that people will feel more at ease if they want me to stay in their house. I'm minding a beagle for a week in March. I can't wait!!! He's gorgeous and I'll have him for a whole week!!!

kaabecko

Hello! I have a little problem and I think this is the web site that could help me. I´d like to spend my summer holiday (at least 1 month) in such a nice country as Maynooth is. So I´m searching for some full time job for this period. Pet sitting/ dog walking+light household duties would be the most appropriate "job" for me. I´m a little bit sceptic while thinking about this my "dream", but I´d really loved to spend my holiday in such way.
I can speak Italian fluently, English-pre-intermediate, I have much experience with pets, horses and also with children, I use to work in a bar during weekends. I have 2 tomcats and 1 dog. I´m an energetic person, hadr working, reliable and truthful.
Is there somebody that needs my help? I´m available from the end of June to the end of September 2008.
Thanks
Katarina Benovska, Slovakia
please, contact me on: k.benovska@centrum.sk

suraheg

Hey guys,

I currently am training as a vet nurse. going to college and working in a clinic six days a week. But as I only work half days mostly I have time in the evenings for other jobs. I walk a clients dog three times a week and get 40euro for it. I'm currently trying to find another dog walking job or pet sitting job.. I also look after the clients dogs if she goes away. If any of you know anyone in the Navan area, or north dublin area looking for a dog walker/pet sitter could you let me know? I have a reference from my current job in my clinic.

Thanks
Sarah

fabi

Hi

I am an experienced dog walker available in the Dublin 15 area. I charge €10 - €15 per hour. PM message me for contact details.

anniehoo

helena.ryan wrote: »

Thats a pretty good idea arcadian, but i doubt many people would want that. A stranger staying in their house.

You'd be very surprised at how willing alot of people are to hand over the keys to their houses. Ive petsitted for 3 years and it always amazed me that some people wouldnt even check my references.

wrote:

I suppose all I could offer would be a personal dog walking service (as in one dog, or one customers dogs) at a time, as opposed to many dogs.

Helena it really wouldnt be worth your while only walking one dog at a time to be honest. Ive tried this one dog/3 dogs/more than 3..and for me 3 seems to be the most manageable number. You will find that your clients will be spread out over an area so again you collect and walk each one individually it will make for a very long day. Bulk walking is the way to go as long as theyre well behaved.:D

Puddleduck wrote: »

im not sure anyone would pay me 8 euro an hour for walking their dog, which is the going rate in other areas. Similar prices for dog/animal sitting.

Id charge €10/30 min walk and €15 for one hour. To me that is a fair price.

peasant wrote: »

insurance would probably kill you.
.

This was my reservation when i initially started. I vaguely recollect that it was a few hundred a mth for a public liabilty type insurance. If working full time then it may be worth your while but as i was part time i couldnt justify as i wasnt earning enough. I made sure that all my clients new the state of play and explained that i didnt have insurance if anything happened to their house or their pet and if they werent comfortable with that then to say straightaway. Not one person was bothered by it.

Ive recently given up pet sitting (well am winding down at the minute) but there definitely is a market for it. I enjoyed it but it is not at all as easy as it sounds. Theres alot of travelling and packing and unpacking of suitcases (if you move into their house), pets do and will become sick at some stage, owners ring you whenever they feel like it even if you're not minding their pets at that time,it becomes tiring ensuring their house is clean and exactly the way they left it and a live in job doesnt pay enough to sustain you fulltime unless you have other jobs booked too.

Dont get me wrong it is a very fun job to do but it has drawbacks like most things.