House Sitter in Mill Valley, California

Hi there! Thanks for visiting my profile and considering my application if I have applied for a house/pet sitting opportunity with you. I am a very conscious individual who believes in personal responsibility, dependability and accountability. Everything I choose to do in life is very deliberate and thus I do with pride. If you allow me to house/pet sit you'll find your house better than you left it and your animals sorry to see me go. I am an outdoor enthusiast, which is good for your pet(s) if they need/want daily exercise. I eat healthy, live mindfully & love life. Whether, I am house-sitting or at home, I cook most meals at home and spend the majority of my hours in a day at home, ensuring that your furry friends are in good company. I'd love to hear from you if you're in need of house or pet sitting. I love to house/pet sit because it gives me opportunity to travel, live and work in various locales while giving back. My goal in life is to chase money less, give back more, which traveling keeps in perspective and house/pet sitting allows. As a house/pet sitter, I have the skills, ability and passion to solve issues that arise with experience I have gained as a pet owner, business owner and landlord. I have been a pet owner for my entire life and believe that animals are the ultimate example and teacher of unconditional love. I've had and cared for cats, dogs (of all sizes), iguana's, birds, chickens, goats, ferrets, fish and a crow (yes, it's true). I've tended to all age levels and am versed in geriatric love and care. My last dog, Hank, who I recently said goodbye to (saddest.day.ever), was treated with homemade dog food for the last 5 years of his life. He was very dear to me and I understand the very special place in our hearts that our pet(s) dwell in. As an small business owner and multiple property owner/manager, I've gained the experience of problem solving, property renovation and management and am knowledgeable in most things house upkeep & maintenance. If there are things to be managed or taken care of while away, I'm happy to help. Additionally, I have created & maintain many "Lost Pets" Facebook pages to help reunite lost pets with their owners. References: Rachel - Marrickville, NSW, Australia 28 January - 05 February 2017 Tara was the perfect sitter. I instantly felt assured as she walked through the door. She was very helpful around the home and gave me updates about Kitten while I was away. Thank you again Tara for a 5 star job! Nicola - Mona Vale, NSW, Australia 21 December - 28 January 2017 We had Tara staying at our home and looking after our dog Henry while we were in U.K. visiting family for just over 5 weeks. We cannot speak highly enough of Tara, she was absolutely fantastic. The house was absolutely immaculate when we got back, and most importantly Henry was healthy, happy and had obviously been well looked after. We gave Tara access to one of our cars while she was here, and that was also well maintained (and even washed!). Tara was great at keeping us updated while we were away, and sent us lots of photos of Henry. She also proactively resolved a couple of minor household issues in our absence. We had the pleasure of meeting Tara before we left (she had arrived in the country the day before we left, and we offered for her to stay the night with us, even though she was happy to stay elsewhere), and she is genuinely a lovely person as well. We knew Henry would have lots of fun with her. Hopefully the stars will align next time we go way - we would absolutely love to have Tara come and look after our house and Henry again! Paul - Bodega Bay, CA, United States 02 December - 16 December 2016 Tara was simply the best! She did a two week stay at our house watching our 8 year old dog. She gave us periodic updates, often funny and with pictures of our dog enjoying himself. Both our dog and the house were in better shape than when we left. She was even able to add an extra day which helped us tremendously. She asked great questions about the house and the dog. We highly recommend her and look forward to using her services again because it is so nice to be able to travel without worrying about your pet or house. Kelly - San Francisco, CA, United States 03 November - 08 November 2016 Tara was an excellent cat and apartment sitter. She was super responsive and is clearly an animal lover. The apartment was in great condition when I got back from my trip. I'd highly recommend Tara as a sitter. Brian - Oakland, CA, United States 22 September - 02 October 2016 5 stars for Tara in every way! My wife and I were extremely fortunate to have her stay at our home and care for our Boston Terrier son, Hercules, for 10 days while we were traveling. Hercules has occasional eye issues that Tara vigilantly inspected him for. She sent us photos and videos, and texted us with updates and any questions she had. I can't imagine that anyone could take better care of him. In terms of caring for our home, it was probably neater and cleaner when she left than before she got there. Don't hesitate in booking Tara if she is available. Elise - San Francisco, CA, United States 21 August 2016 Tara looked after our home, garden and a family of critters... Frenchie, Kitty, and four hens this summer while we were away on our annual family holidays. She took the time to come over one evening the week before our departure to meet with me, and we were comfortable with one another immediately. She and I shared some various travel stories and talked through how our house and garden thrives--all the while she had either our cat or dog in her lap. Tara was very personable, easy going and communicative from the start of our correspondence. Tara took time to make sure our house was clean and tidy when we arrived home from our trip and was respectful. We came home to happy animals that did not seem at all stressed by our prolonged absence. We would definitely have Tara return to help out with house sitting again next time we take a vacation! Andrea - San Francisco, CA, United States 05 August - 24 August 2016 Tara was really wonderful while I was out of the country traveling for several weeks. She sent us regular updates on the animals and pictures of them as well. Tara also took the time to come out and meet our dog and cat and us as well which was great. She is very flexible and easy to communicate with throughout. When we returned from such an extended absence both the cat and the dog were in a great mood and were clearly well taken care of. Julie - San Francisco, CA, United States 17 June - 09 July 2016 Tara stayed at our home last summer for 3 weeks, and then again on a long weekend this fall. Each time she has taken fabulous care both of our 2 dogs and of our home, helping out with a leaky faucet, and giving the pooches lots of TLC. Highest marks for Tara! Bill - San Francisco, CA, United States 13 June 2016 Wow!!! What a wonderful first experience with Tara. She was really great and took care of the garden (no plants died) and the cat, the parrot, the chickens and birds were all alive and healthy. It was such a pleasure to come home to a very clean house. She even vacuumed and the house was in better shape than when I left. Cassie - Kentfield, CA, United States 04 June 2016 Tara really helped us out at the last minute recently for an overnight with our three dogs. She is super easy to arrange things with, comes in quietly and leaves quietly - no fuss, no muss! We have a coded gate and hide-a-key and she figures things out without a problem. And our dogs were happy and our home was spotless! Thank you, Tara! Heather - Mill Valley, CA, United States 18 April 2016 Tara was fantastic. We asked her to care for our four pets (2 dogs, cat, guinea pig) while we traveled internationally. Our sitter had fallen through at the last minute, and we didn't know where to turn. We'd just moved to a big house in an upscale area that we hadn't yet gotten used to, and when we met her, we were full of chaos and worry--worry about pets and the property. We didn't know the neighborhood well or exactly where to walk dogs or the rules of the trails around us. She handled all of it so well. She was beyond professional. Her every communication was clear and kind. When we walked her through the house, telling her about a faucet that didn't turn off and a door that sticks, she remembered every tiny thing. She guided us to share a Google doc. She started it for us remembering and entering everything we mentioned. Then, while she watched the house she proceeded to follow through on every detail she promised, taking our dogs on long walks, letting in gardeners and sending us photos daily. Tara communicated so well, and our house was just as we left it. Best yet, when she came by to let us know how it went, the dogs bounded at her. It was clear that the dogs really love her. I think she takes care of animals because she has a really special relationship with them. I highly recommend her for house and pet sitting. It seems she can deal with a lot of complexity with upbeat professionalism. Caroline - Berkeley, CA, United States 25 March 2016 We were so grateful to have Tara in our home to take care of our pets. She is wonderful with dogs, she connected easily with both of ours, and then formed a deeper bond with them thru the long rambling walks thru the hills. She is thoughtful, clean, responsible , pleasant and easy to communicate with. She kept us posted with texts and photos about the dogs. Our house was in perfect condition and the dogs were calm and happy when we returned home. It was great to be able to travel and feel that everything was in order back home. She was fabulous really!