I've known Mellina their *entire* life, so I can attest to the fact that they have loved and lived with rodents, cats, and dogs. They have definitely turned out to be a cat person, but at one point a German Shepherd was their best friend! I have never seen them be anything but gentle with animals, even when they need to be stern, as with my dog. I have had Mellina house-sit for me several times now, and I still prefer them pet-sitting over anyone else we know. Even before we found out why our dog, Saaya, had been having GI issues, the "no human food" rule was respected, and I've seen them go out of their way to make sure she can't get into human food that may have been dropped. I've never seen them try to push Saaya's limits, and has shown they care about the details necessary to care for her properly. If you give them a list of rules, they will respect it. And they will be nothing but kind to your little friends. Don't let the length of time I've known Mellina fool you at all. I wouldn't entrust Saaya to anyone I wouldn't trust with my own life; I also love animals so much that I would never advocate for someone as a pet-sitter if I didn't believe they couldn't do it with true care.