I’m Desi, 34, a PhD student in bioinformatics based in Auckland, currently in the final stretch of writing up my thesis, which mostly means I’ve become very good at finding excuses to leave the desk. I’m active by nature: I love Hyrox and have raced in both Auckland and Sydney, and I’m just as happy hiking, running, or getting outside whenever I get the chance.

I’ve always had animals around. I had two cockatiels growing up, and my grandparents always had dogs, so I grew up around them too. Over the years I’ve done several house sits during holidays while I was living overseas, in New Zealand, Australia, Germany and the UK, looking after dogs, cats and rabbits. I’m comfortable with all three. My longest sit was in Germany, where I regularly walked a dog two to three times a week over a year and a half. He was a bit anxious, so that experience taught me a lot about staying calm and consistent for a nervous animal.

Right now I’m in a shared flat, so I can’t have dogs to stay and the outside space is limited, but I’m happy to have a cat stay over for a weekend or one or two days. For dogs and other pets, I offer visits at your place: walks (usually 30-60 min), playtime, feeding, whatever they need. I’d also consider overnight stays in the area.

As a PhD student my main occupation is my research, so while I do have some flexibility with my hours, I also have regular meetings and a teaching assistant role I need to be present for, so bookings need a bit of planning around that.

Whatever the visit looks like, I keep owners updated with photos and messages throughout, so you can properly switch off knowing your pet, and your home, are in good hands.