Have you been LET DOWN at the last minute by another sitter? Is your holiday in jeopardy because no-one has replied to your ad? Have you been called to a family crisis away from home or need to go for urgent hospital treatment yourself? Can my SUPERHERO SERVICE - 'Catman & Robins' - come to your rescue?
I specialise in the care of GERIATRIC, FRAIL, ELDERLY and INJURED pets who are in need of TLC. I have experience in dealing with DEAFNESS, BLINDNESS, AMPUTEES, and DOUBLE INCONTINENCE. I have cooked meals for pets on SPECIAL DIETS and can deal with RAW FOOD FEEDING and giving MEDICATIONS.
I can take active dogs for long walks or simply be attentive to pets who can't walk far but need to be let out into the garden several times a day for the loo. I have gotten up in the night to pets crying in pain to attend them as best I can, and always investigate barking, day or night, and will have your pet sleep on the bed with me if that would provide them with reassurance.
I can help with the following pets: cats, dogs, birds (including birds of prey), fish, reptiles, horses, farm animals (chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, cows). I have some experience with wild animals from helping at a wildlife rescue centre. I have spent many years doing 'wwoofing' - helping people with their earth-friendly and eco-projects all over the country. I am kind-minded, compassionate, and enjoy reading and gardening. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs of any sort.
I have developed a particular interest over the years with providing 'help for hoarders' and I am able to assist families or individuals who find themselves in need of this practical support. I can also help with bereavement situations such as decluttering, deep cleaning, gardening, and making a home look its best for selling. I can help wade through bundles of paperwork/bills/etc and if you can provide a scanner I can scan these things for digital distribution or safe-keeping and make an orderly file of the originals. Similarly, and what siblings have found helpful, especially if they live abroad or long-distance or are simply very busy, I can take photos of items in the property and email same so it is easy to decide who wants to keep which items, or what to give to charity, or sell. If there are family photos that need scanning and burning to disk I can do this, too. Please contact me in confidence if you know of anyone you think I can help in these ways; my rates are affordable and I am here to make a difference not a profit. I can assure you of my acting with integrity, discretion, and in confidence at all times.
If you are reading this and are in need of URGENT assistance, please contact me on my number which apparently can only been seen by subscribers of this website.
The owners of this website have asked all sitters to make it clear if they need payment of any sort and so I would take this opportunity to say that any donation you would make wish to make towards diesel costs is discretionary but appreciated.
Assuring you of my best attention at all times and I look forward to hearing from you soon :-)
Reviews (10)
Alison swooped in like a fairy housesitter, it was extremely last minute and I had next to no hope of actually finding someone to look after our animals but lo and behold Alison was available. She arrived 3hrs before I was due to depart and immediately started entertaining my 6 month old so I could finish getting ready and packing, which was so incredibly helpful! She was very easy to get along with and just slotted in as if I’d always known her. While I was away Alison was very communicative ... MOREAlison swooped in like a fairy housesitter, it was extremely last minute and I had next to no hope of actually finding someone to look after our animals but lo and behold Alison was available. She arrived 3hrs before I was due to depart and immediately started entertaining my 6 month old so I could finish getting ready and packing, which was so incredibly helpful! She was very easy to get along with and just slotted in as if I’d always known her. While I was away Alison was very communicative and gave daily updates on the animals, she even managed to coax one of our more feral cats back into the house, it’s lovely to have him around more now. When I returned the house was spotless and kitchen cupboards had been neatly reorganised, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Alison or have her return!
FLORENCE (Swindon England, Sep 2024 - 5 nights)
Ali stepped up for an emergency care/house sit for Timo and was super with her flexibility and willingness to stay until Emma came home. She also supported Emma on her return from hospital, setting up her bed downstairs.
Ali was great with Timo, patient on his introduction and followed guidance to keep him safe and calm, administering his medication and keeping him entertained. Timo was very stressed when Ali arrived but really chilled by the time she left
Timo clearly loved being with her ... MOREAli stepped up for an emergency care/house sit for Timo and was super with her flexibility and willingness to stay until Emma came home. She also supported Emma on her return from hospital, setting up her bed downstairs.
Ali was great with Timo, patient on his introduction and followed guidance to keep him safe and calm, administering his medication and keeping him entertained. Timo was very stressed when Ali arrived but really chilled by the time she left
Timo clearly loved being with her and Ali also cut the grass and kept the house spotless.
Ali is a free spirit and genuinely kind.
Please note: Her charges are very reasonable and no smartphone.
Note from Emma:
When I returned I found my house to be extremely clean and my dog well cared for, Ali is a lovely lady with a big heart.
NICOLA AND EMMA (Barnton England, Apr 2024 - 3 weeks)
Re: 'charges' - Nic kindly reimbursed all travel costs which included overnight accom and food enroute and also donated food money which was gratefully received. Re: smartphone - as I don't have one, the only way to take pics was with an ordinary camera, which then means manual extraction and ... MORERe: 'charges' - Nic kindly reimbursed all travel costs which included overnight accom and food enroute and also donated food money which was gratefully received. Re: smartphone - as I don't have one, the only way to take pics was with an ordinary camera, which then means manual extraction and upload as attachments to an email. I only managed to send one or two pics of Timo, but Nic and I text'd every day, or emailed, and were in constant communication - but just a bit short on pics for Emma. The important thing is that hosts know what is going on in their home and that all is well - which it was :-)
Alison is an unique and quirky pet sitter who took her duties very seriously during my three-week absence. She provided detailed updates regularly on Milton and Lumi, which warmed my heart knowing they were thriving under her care. especially my deaf white cat, who gets anxious, when I go away usually.
Alison went above and beyond by purchasing a brush for Lumi, addressing her aversion to being brushed, and baby scissors for Milton's knots. I am immensely grateful for the love and ... MOREAlison is an unique and quirky pet sitter who took her duties very seriously during my three-week absence. She provided detailed updates regularly on Milton and Lumi, which warmed my heart knowing they were thriving under her care. especially my deaf white cat, who gets anxious, when I go away usually.
Alison went above and beyond by purchasing a brush for Lumi, addressing her aversion to being brushed, and baby scissors for Milton's knots. I am immensely grateful for the love and attention Alison provided to them. It's evident she has a profound understanding of pets needs and behaviors.
I highly recommend Alison for her exceptional services.
KAT (Round Oak England, Jan 2024 - 3 weeks)
My two dogs seemed happy and content having Alison dog/house sit for us and were very contented having her around. So, all in all a very successful house sit and all well in house and dogs on our return. I would very much reccomend Alison to future searchers.
CAROLINE (Cirencester England, Jan 2020 - 10 days)
Alison and Chris were great. We couldn't organise a sitter in time and they stepped in last minute and enabled us to go ... phew! What would we have done without them? :).
The house was cleaner when we returned than when we left!
They were very careful with our shy cat and spent a lot of time with the animals (cat and poultry) and tried different routines when they thought they could improve.
ANDY (Margaret Marsh England, Jun 2019 - 10 days)
This was an unusual housesit as no house following a fire hence no rating ! Instead we rented a holiday cottage 1 mile away and Alison and Christopher stayed there and came morning and evening to tend to the cat and hens and ducks. The very shy cat warmed to them within a few days so we were very relieved. Hens and ducks well looked after and a project to re-turf a bald patch of grass following digging drains was got underway. Sadly, the terrible rain curtailed that but what is ... MOREThis was an unusual housesit as no house following a fire hence no rating ! Instead we rented a holiday cottage 1 mile away and Alison and Christopher stayed there and came morning and evening to tend to the cat and hens and ducks. The very shy cat warmed to them within a few days so we were very relieved. Hens and ducks well looked after and a project to re-turf a bald patch of grass following digging drains was got underway. Sadly, the terrible rain curtailed that but what is done is well done. We would recommend them as very honest pair to care for your pets, garden and ensure security of your house when away. Alison kept in touch almost daily.
MARGARET (Buxton England, May 2019 - 2 weeks)
Alison's holiday emergency service saved my skiing holiday with my daughter when it turned out that the dog I'd just adopted was pregnant! No kennel would take her and I was fraught for about 24 hours believing we were about to lose our holiday but no sooner had Alison received my distress call than she was on her way and arrived 2 days before our departure. This provided an immediate and huge relief. My eldest son stayed at the end as we were expecting Alison to leave on the same day we ... MOREAlison's holiday emergency service saved my skiing holiday with my daughter when it turned out that the dog I'd just adopted was pregnant! No kennel would take her and I was fraught for about 24 hours believing we were about to lose our holiday but no sooner had Alison received my distress call than she was on her way and arrived 2 days before our departure. This provided an immediate and huge relief. My eldest son stayed at the end as we were expecting Alison to leave on the same day we returned, but she stayed for the puppies to be born and again there was huge relief that it wasn't just down to my son to deal with the unfamiliar and unexpected situation. Alison proved trustworthy and reliable and kept in contact with regular updates. I'm delighted to recommend her and can assure you that you'll be in good, safe hands.
NIKITA (Bracknell England, Jan 2019 - 1 week 3 days)
Ali and her son Chris were excellent sitters for the full period of a month that we were away.
They were very solicitous of our needs and worries, including email updates re the cat, firewood etc etc. House left v tidy, with supper in the fridge.
MELODIE (Checkley England, Dec 2018 - 4 weeks)
I was looking for a house sitter who could do more than just stay in my property. I needed someone who could do some decorating, keep an eye on tradesmen and workmen whilst renovating a rental property 4 hours from where I live. Alison was excellent, she moved in, lived in tough conditions and not only decorated to an extremely high standard but project managed the renovation efficiently. She is a trustworthy person who I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone looking for a reliable ... MOREI was looking for a house sitter who could do more than just stay in my property. I needed someone who could do some decorating, keep an eye on tradesmen and workmen whilst renovating a rental property 4 hours from where I live. Alison was excellent, she moved in, lived in tough conditions and not only decorated to an extremely high standard but project managed the renovation efficiently. She is a trustworthy person who I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone looking for a reliable housesitter
DAVID (Blacon England, Jul 2018 - 1 month 2 weeks)
I'm more than happy to provide a reference for Alison as she was a perfect house sitter.
Even though we didn't have the opportunity to meet up in advance, due to circumstances on my part, I had every confidence that all would be ok and I wasn't wrong.
She's like me a definite cat woman. Our two cats had obviously been well taken care of.
How nice to walk into the house and find it beautifully clean and tidy. Alison had even left us a delicious vegetable curry. Really thoughtful ... MOREI'm more than happy to provide a reference for Alison as she was a perfect house sitter.
Even though we didn't have the opportunity to meet up in advance, due to circumstances on my part, I had every confidence that all would be ok and I wasn't wrong.
She's like me a definite cat woman. Our two cats had obviously been well taken care of.
How nice to walk into the house and find it beautifully clean and tidy. Alison had even left us a delicious vegetable curry. Really thoughtful as we arrived home quite late.
I wouldn't hesitate in having Alison house sit again. I'm more than happy for anyone to contact me if they're considering Alison as a sitter.
Best wishes for the future Alison.
Kath and Pete
KATH (Wakefield England, Jun 2018 - 4 days)
Green garden!
Make sure the garden and pot plants are thriving when you get back - get a house sitter.
Single
Alison swooped in like a fairy housesitter, it was extremely last minute and I had next to no hope of actually finding someone to look after our animals but lo and behold Alison was available. She arrived 3hrs before I was due to depart and immediately started entertaining my 6 month old so I could finish getting ready and packing, which was so incredibly helpful! She was very easy to get along with and just slotted in as if I’d always known her. While I was away Alison was very communicative ... MORE
My two dogs seemed happy and content having Alison dog/house sit for us and were very contented having her around. So, all in all a very successful house sit and all well in house and dogs on our return. I would very much reccomend Alison to future searchers.
Alison and Chris were great. We couldn't organise a sitter in time and they stepped in last minute and enabled us to go ... phew! What would we have done without them? :).
The house was cleaner when we returned than when we left!
They were very careful with our shy cat and spent a lot of time with the animals (cat and poultry) and tried different routines when they thought they could improve.
