I’m a 56-year-old single mother of an adult son and a middle-aged cat, and have been many things in my life; artist, journalist, mentor, doctor of eastern medicine and acupuncture, and college professor. On my 2-year midlife pilgrimage through the rural mountains of the Carolinas and other parts of the south, I started picking up a few pet and farm sitting jobs in Atlanta and North Carolina, and realized that not only do I absolutely love doing it, I’m also really good at it. So here I am, this time in Los Angeles. Growing up in the Germany countryside, I spent most my time on farms where I tended to chickens, groomed, rode, and later trained horses, milked cows and goats, cuddled with the few barn cats that were friendly, and the farm dogs of course. We had our own pets growing up as well, and I was known in my circle of friends as the “animal whisperer”, because I always had a knack for healing. Once I moved to Los Angeles in 1992, I immediately got involved in animal rescue, and ended up with 4 rescue dogs of my own. All of them had been labeled as aggressive and problematic (hint: they were not). After they passed, I ended up taking in my best friend’s 4 senior cats after her death, and now own a grumpy, sweet little runt/lemon named Nigel. I’m very easy-going and Zen (Taoist style), punctual (German style) yet flexible, reliable, and I get along with people just as well as with pets. My approach with animals is simple. I generally wait for the animal to approach me, and just observe their behaviors so I can get an idea about their personality and character. I love taking dogs on walks or hikes, engaging them with toys and play, as well as helping them settle into routines. Thanks to my medical training, and the many pets I have owned or worked with over my lifetime, I’m also very competent when it comes to sick care and emergencies. In my previous pet sitting jobs, I cared for elderly animals, sick animals, and animals post surgery. I can administer medications and monitor for side effects or interactions, and also do therapeutic massage and acupressure. In case of emergencies, I am capable of assessing the animal to recommend next steps, and act as a liason between owner and veterinarian, so especially for older or chronically ill pets, you can rest assured they are in the best of hands. Plus, I can explain any complicated medical information in simple terms, and I’m always eager to share eastern medicine dietary and herbal approaches to pet care with those around me. Since I am currently working on setting up a website for my new business, I spend most of my time at home, or in this case, your home, so your pet will get a lot of attention, and will not be alone for any long stretches of time during the day.