Michelle A.
Michelle A.
Highlights
Pet care experience
Solo Dog Walks/Pet Sitting/Visits
I offer solo dog walks, drop-in visits for cats and dogs, and pet sitting for both cats and dogs in their own home, including puppies and kittens. Drop-in visits can be tailored to your pet and can include feeding, toilet breaks, medication where required, playtime, company and plenty of fuss. I’m also happy to stay in your home to care for your cat or dog while you’re away. I’ve been looking after pets for around 15 years through private clients and recommendations. I originally got to know several of my pet-care clients through cleaning for them, and from there I also started looking after their pets, walking their dogs and house sitting while they were away. I’m dependable and very attentive to instructions. I’m also naturally observant and safety-conscious, particularly when walking dogs – I’m always aware of traffic, other dogs, what’s around us and anything on the ground they might try to eat or get into. I treat people’s homes and pets as if they were my own and always make sure everything is left clean, tidy and secure. I’m very security-conscious too. I’m the person who checks the door is locked and then checks it again just to make absolutely sure! I’m flexible and can often accommodate last-minute bookings with no short-notice fee. I’m also happy to provide cover if your usual sitter, dog walker or drop-in visitor isn’t available. I don’t charge cancellation fees, even for last-minute changes. I also offer solo dog boarding and doggy day care in my own home. I live alone with no pets in a first-floor flat, so there are stairs involved. If your dog is elderly or struggles with stairs, this may not be the most suitable option for you.
Cat care experience
Michelle also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Ratings and reviews
Michelle has looked after my dog a few times and he absolutely loves seeing her. He gets really excited when she arrives and is always happy to go off with her. She’s reliable, pays attention to what I ask, and I know he’s being properly looked after when he’s with her. She sends cute little updates too.
Michelle looked after my cats for me before when I’ve been away. They have sadly since passed away, but I always knew they were in safe hands with Michelle and that she would remember everything I’d asked her to do. She’s very caring and trustworthy, and you can tell she genuinely loves animals. She has also house sat for me and still checks in on my house when I’m away, so I always feel comfortable knowing everything is being looked after properly.
Michelle looked after our beloved cat Misty, on and off, for well over 12 years, and we honestly couldn’t recommend her highly enough. She was always friendly, kind, reliable and incredibly easy to deal with, which gave us complete peace of mind whenever we had to leave Misty in her care. Michelle would regularly send us photos while we were away and even FaceTimed us so Misty could see us! Although, rather embarrassingly, Misty seemed far more interested in going straight back to Michelle than talking to us… rude! 😂 I think that probably says everything about how comfortable and happy she was in Michelle’s company. Sadly, we lost Misty a few months ago, but we will always be grateful to Michelle for the many years she cared for her and for treating her as one of her own. Knowing that Misty was happy, safe and so well looked after whenever she was with Michelle meant a great deal to us. We would wholeheartedly recommend Michelle to anyone looking for someone caring, trustworthy and genuinely wonderful with animals.
Michelle has house sat for while I’ve been away and looked after my dog and three cats many times. I’ve known her for around 10 years and she has become a great friend. My dog is very protective and can be a bit wary of some people and doesn’t take to everyone, but she’s always been really comfortable with Michelle and is always so happy to see her. I originally used Michelle as last-minute cover when my usual sitter wasn’t available, but she’s now my first choice!
Michelle puppy-sits for me overnight sometimes, and she’s honestly so lovely. She’s patient, never lets me down, and you can tell she genuinely loves animals. Also, she doesn’t charge to cancel which is rare. I’d happily recommend her to anyone looking for someone caring, sensible and completely reliable to look after their pet. Highly recommend.
Michelle is my daughter, and out of my children she is the one I choose if I need someone to look after my home or pets while I am away. She is extremely reliable, very clean and tidy, and I usually come home to the house looking even cleaner than when I left! She is also very particular about remembering the little things. If I tell her which lights I want left on, which switches need turning off, where things need to be kept or any particular routine I want followed, I know it will be done exactly as I've asked. She is very observant, security conscious and takes looking after somebody else's home seriously. She is very caring and brilliant with animals, and I know that if I leave something in her hands I don't need to worry about it.
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
I’m very flexible and can usually fit pet care around my day, including morning, daytime and evening visits. I can often accommodate last-minute bookings too and I’m happy to work around your pet’s usual routine.
Where your pet will stay
Home characteristics
Safety, trust & environment
I’m very respectful of people’s homes and always follow the owner’s instructions carefully. I make sure pets are safe and settled, doors and windows are secure, keys are kept safe, and the home is left clean, tidy and secure. I’m also very happy to follow feeding, medication, exercise and other routines as requested.
A typical day
My pet-care work is quite flexible and often ad hoc, so no two days are exactly the same. Depending on the pet, a typical visit might include a walk, playtime, feeding, medication, toilet breaks, company and plenty of fuss, always following their usual routine and what their owner has asked me to do. For dogs, I’m happy to include plenty of sniffing and exploring on walks, as well as games and play suited to their age, energy levels and personality.
- Cats0 to 7 kg7 to 18 kg18 to 45 kgover 45 kgMichelle can host up to 1 pet per night
- Please let me know about any allergies, medical conditions, medication, food restrictions, anxieties, behavioural issues or anything they particularly like or dislike. For dogs, it’s also helpful to know how they are around other dogs, traffic, children and anything they may react to or try to eat while out walking. The more I know beforehand, the better I can keep them safe, comfortable and settled.