Personal Information:
I am a 31 year old lady who moved from England, UK to The Netherlands in 2023. I have always had animals throughout my life, and I truly believe that time spent caring for animals is never time wasted.
My husband and I have 4 dogs and 4 cats in our house, and as such we cannot offer boarding services.🐾 

Background:
I have worked with animals in a professional environment since age 12, when I worked at a horse riding facility cleaning stalls and leading horses to and from the fields.
During my teenage years, I helped my grandma to train her Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Some were very easy (simple commands to learn), others had issues on the leash or were "nippy".

At age 18, I rescued a kitten who had been removed from the litter too early, and who suffered abuse in her next home for the first few weeks of her independent life. With the intent to foster her, I took her in and began to work with her to heal her trauma. She was never adopted from me - whilst healing her trauma, she helped me to heal my own as well. The cat became my best friend, and we spent 10 beautiful years together before she sadly became terminally ill with cancer. Her rescue sparked my passion for animal welfare, and made me into the person I am today.

At age 19, I cared for unwanted pet rodents in my own home. At one point, I had mice, gerbils and rats all in my care, alongside my cat. Many of these rodents were either "too old" to sell in pet stores, or were needing to be rehomed due to behavioural issues. With me, they received the care and attention they deserved, and were able to live out their lives in peace and safety.

In 2020 (age 26), I took the leap to change my career and work with animals in a professional environment. I worked for an animal sanctuary as a Team Leader for one year, then became the stand-in Director for 2 subsequent years. I worked both on the administrative side and directly with the animals too. It was in this sanctuary that I had the opportunity to work with a sheep who had neurological issues, causing him to be unbalanced and unable to live in a large flock.

Since 2020, I have cared for many types of animals - everything from Sphynx cats to pigs, turkeys to donkeys, and even a tortoise and a domestic hedgehog! I have obtained qualifications in England for animal welfare and pet first aid (Pet First Aid renewed as of July 8th 2025), as well as holding a British Horse Society qualification for care. I am happy to show you the certification upon request.

I have been living in Gorinchem since 2023, and since living here I have also spent 6 months volunteering to work with animals. 

Availability:
I am available throughout the week and weekends, and during bank holidays/seasonal holidays, providing care in your own home and walking in the nearby areas.

Due to having my own animals, I do not offer boarding or daycare at my house. All services take place at the owner's house.

I offer overnight stays for a maximum of 7 nights per month, and will need to be able to return home around midday to feed them if my husband is at work (this does not apply on weekends or during his booked vacation time). Your pet will never be left alone for longer than 4 hours during an overnight stay, unless specifically agreed with you prior to the booking.

Working Area:
I am able to work throughout Gorinchem Arkel and Dalem, for all services. It is also possible to offer services outside of this area, but it must be accessible by public transportation or bicycle as I do not have a car. Please send me a message if you would like to discuss this!

Important Notice Regarding Dog Walking:
I offer dog walks from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. However, I do not have access to a car. This service is therefore primarily offered to assist with busy workers and those with mobility issues. The walk time is therefore counted from leaving your house to returning there. Due to the restrictions placed in my contract with PawShake, I cannot let your dog off leash - this is because of the insurance offered.

Additional Services:
I am happy to vaccuum/collect the mail/take the bins outside/water the plants whilst I am at your home. Please let me know if this is needed - there is no additional cost for these services!|

I also offer half-day/full-day care (between 08:00 and 18:00) by request only.

I never charge extra at Christmas/New Year, although certain dates throughout the year cost a little more. This is due to the dates being special to me (such as my wedding anniversary or family birthdays).

Other Information:
I am by no means afraid to get my hands dirty - cleaning litter trays, pet cages, horse stalls etc does not bother me!

Although my profile shows mostly cats and small dogs, I am very happy and comfortable with larger breeds too. I grew up with an Irish Wolfhound and used to regularly walk with my Auntie who has always had larger breeds (such as Retrievers, Wolfhounds, Greyhounds) and I occasionally cared for a Bull Mastiff in England.

I will be happy to discuss you and your pet's needs, so please send me a message with any questions you may have, and I am always happy to answer questions relating to my experience to set your mind at ease. 🐾 

Op mijn profiel staat dat ik alleen Engels spreek, maar je kunt mij ook in het Nederlands schrijven. Mijn Nederlands is nog niet zo goed maar ik probeert, en mijn echtgenoot is Nederlandisch, dus ik kan altijd vraag hem voor een vertalen ook! 😇