I started doing pet care through rover in the spring of 2017 but I've been around animals since infancy. My childhood in rural Oregon involved time taking care of dogs, cats, fish, an old bathtub full of tadpoles, parakeets, chickens, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs, regular pigs, sheep, goats, and a sweet dairy cow. I was the go-to for taking care of pets and livestock for my neighbors in middle school and high school and became the favorite pet sitter for my friends in college. I moved to Seattle after college to do a service year program and it seemed natural to use rover as a way to both supplement my stipend and do something I love. I moved to Portland in August of 2019 and have love getting to see the city on long walks with my doggy clients. I legally changed my name a couple years ago to something that fits me better so my earlier reviews refer to me by my birth name, no need to worry - I’m just as dedicated to high quality pet care as I was before the name change! I have a full time remote job in non profit administration, which is generally pretty flexible so I can typically adapt my schedule to the schedule of whatever pets I’m watching. I do like to have at least a few days notice about petsitting and won’t take bookings with less than 48 hours notice from new clients (for repeat clients it will depend on how busy I am). I tend to bond especially well with elderly, anxious and special needs animals. I’m on the autism spectrum so I understand what it’s like to be a little different, this also means that I may come across a little odd to humans during meet and greets - animals seem to understand me well though. In addition to dogs and cats I love taking care of birds, lizards, turtles, livestock, and small furry creatures. I prefer not to watch leash reactive dogs if they’re over 70 lbs or high pitched frequent barkers of any size.