We're Petra & Milan, a mature married couple who've called New Zealand home for the past 17 years. Animals have been part of our lives since childhood — we both grew up with pets, and more recently we shared 13 wonderful years with our Golden Retriever, Maya, who sadly passed on recently. She left a big gap in our home, and caring for other people's pets has become one of the ways we keep that love and routine alive.

We started house and pet sitting in December 2022, and since then it's become a genuine passion, not just a way to travel. We've looked after dogs, cats, birds, hens and even sheep, across both islands of New Zealand and in Europe, and every single stay has ended in five-star feedback from the owners. We don't hold a formal veterinary qualification, but we bring three-plus years of hands-on, real-world experience — including confidently managing a dog's epilepsy medication and recognising the signs of a seizure before it happened, which one owner specifically praised us for. We've also owned and renovated two homes in New Zealand, so property care — not just pet care — is something we take real pride in.

What we offer

• Dog walks — One-on-one walks, not group pack walks: a proper leash walk with a water break, waste cleanup, and a photo update sent to you afterwards.
• Pet visits — Feeding, fresh water, medication if needed, litter tray/cage cleaning, and quality playtime or company in your own home, with a photo update each visit.
• Multi-day house-and-pet sits — Full daily care of your pets — feeding, walks, medication, play — plus we keep an eye on your home: bringing in mail, watering plants and gardens, and general upkeep, so you come home to everything exactly as you left it. Daily photo or video updates throughout, so you're never left wondering how things are going.

Which pets we care for

We're genuinely comfortable with a wide range of animals — dogs, cats, birds, hens and even sheep have all been in our care. For any pet with an unfamiliar temperament, we always ask for a meet-and-greet first, so both you and your pet feel comfortable before we start.

Good to know before booking

• General availability — every day of the week as Petra works from home. 
• We have our own reliable transport for visits and walks.
• We always offer a video call and, where possible, an in-person meet-and-greet before any booking, so you can ask us anything and see for yourself how we'll be with your pets and home. 

We're steady, communicative and thorough: daily photo updates are standard for us, not an afterthought, and we're always glad to do a video call and an in-person meet-and-greet before booking so you feel completely at ease. We've also cared confidently for pets with additional needs, including a dog with epilepsy, where calm handling and clear communication made all the difference to the owners' peace of mind.

If you're looking for sitters who'll treat your home and your pets like their own — with the experience and references to back it up — we'd love to meet you and your furry family.  

We are new to the Pawshake platform but we can show 5 star feedback from another platform on request.