My husband, Errol and I moved to New Zealand from South Africa nearly seven years ago, and dogs have always been part of our family. We immigrated with our two senior dogs, Chez and Oliver. Sadly, our third dog, Jodi, developed epilepsy and couldn’t travel with us, which was devastating. Our wonderful vet, Dr Lucy, welcomed him into her home, and we’re still in touch and receive regular updates.

Over the years, we cared for Chez and Oliver through their senior years and the health challenges that can come with ageing. Chez suffered a stroke and needed extra support (including wearing nappies), and Oliver became blind as he got older. Those experiences taught us patience, gentle handling, and the importance of keeping routines consistent and stress low.

We have limited formal pet-sitting experience so far, but we’re genuinely excited to grow in this space and build trust with pet owners by providing dependable, thoughtful care. We’re also very comfortable taking clear instructions from owners—because you know your pet best—and we’re happy to follow your routines closely.

Now that Chez and Oliver have passed, we’d love the opportunity to look after other people’s dogs or cats—especially senior pets—in their own home, where they feel safe and secure. We’ll provide regular updates (messages and photos if you’d like), because we know what it feels like to be away from your pets. In case of emergencies, if anything seems urgent, we will contact you immediately and follow your instructions. If we can’t reach you and we believe your pet needs prompt care, we will take them to your vet (or the nearest after-hours clinic) and keep you updated every step of the way.  

We’d love the chance to meet you and your pet, and to build a trusting, long-term relationship where you feel completely confident they’re in safe, caring hands.