ABOUT ME Hi, my name is David.I have always been a pet person. My parents and brother adopted two cats before I was 3 years old. From then until now (I am now 32), I have always been around cats. When the first two passed away when I was around 12, we adopted another two. I grew to love and still love a cat's idiosyncrasy. While I had cats for pets, I was also a big dog person. When I was still in elementary school, my mom and I went to visit the SPCA for my first time so that I could donate my allowance to them. While there we held some adorable kitties. During my early teens I started to walk a neighbor's dog and I have a lot of fun memories of picking the pup up and going outside with him. When I would visit my cousins who had dogs, I would help them with the walks. For the last several months, I have been volunteering at a no kill pet shelter in Ardmore, PA where I clean the cages of the kittens/cats waiting to be adopted, feed them, and in general play with them so that they remain good with people. RELEVANT DETAILS FROM EXPERIENCE and SPECIAL SKILLS Because I have spent so much of my life with cats and also with dogs, I have picked up many skills when dealing with them. + I have become extremely good at giving cats pills. My secret is that I straddle them from behind (because they instinctually will go backwards, this means that they are trapped) and once I have rubbed their throat enough to make them swallow, I reward them with a nice food treat. I am extremely capable of finding where a cat is hiding if it needs to be trapped and contained (I typically look for them in places like behind a sofa or under it or at the very top of a shelf. I know that they like to go for places that are tight and closed off both because it makes them feel secure and because it is harder for humans to reach them). + I understand lots of cat and dog behavior. I know that both hate it when their routines are disrupted and they are very picky about the food that they have and the toys that they play with. I am also good at reading the signs of when an animal is ill and veterinary assistance may be needed. When I was a teenager I spent a week working in a veterinary clinic where I assisted with taking care of sick dogs and cats. I also know from good experience that you can't force a dog or cat to like you; they either will or they won't. As long as the person isn't aggressive, either animal will usually be fine with them. WHAT WILL SET ME APART FROM OTHER SITTERS There were quite a few times when my family and I went away and we entrusted the care and responsibility of our furbabies to another person. As someone who loved these pets can tell you, you want to always know that you have made the right choice. WHAT I WILL NOT/CANNOT DO +I cannot take a pet who has chronic health problems to a vet or an emergency center. I do not have a car at the moment and it would be too risky for the pet's health to rely on a taxi/lyft/uber for it. +I will not go to the store and pick up supplies for the pet. This includes leashes, collars, litter, toys, shampoo, food, etc. I do not think that it is unreasonable to expect that all of the supplies should be adequately stocked up before I arrive. However, this excludes emergency situations that could not have been reasonably anticipated. For example, if we suddenly learn that a brand of pet food has been recalled for safety reasons, I will have no problem with going to the store. +I will not care for a pet that has just entered heat. An animal in that situation can be very unpredictable. +I will not take care of dogs that need to be muzzled. WHAT I WILL DO +Provide food, water, and care to the cat/dog whether it is an at home visit or taking them for a walk. +Stick to a schedule that has been established for the pet so that everything runs smoothly. +If the dog becomes very dirty after a walk, I will of course clean it. +I will take the dog to whatever parks you prefer. +I will send you as many text, picture and or video updates as you would like.