A Pet Sitters Blog

So you want to become a Pet Sitter!

Since Nina’s Nannies for Pets was formed in 1998, our business has seen rapid growth.  So much so, that we are now offering our live in pet care service throughout the majority of the South of the England.

We now have an established team of pet and dog sitters in the Cambridgeshire, London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Bristol, West Sussex area and beyond.

We are always keen to welcome fresh faces to our team of self employed, live in pet sitters, especially from the above areas. We are particular interested in recruiting from the Surry area. This type of work is ideally suited to retired people/couples, who have experience of caring for animals, but no longer want the responsibility and expense of owning a pet.

I am often asked what makes a good pet sitter and my answer is often unexpected!  Of course people need to have the relevant experience and those people on our books come from all walks of life, including retired police officers and those from the caring and nursing profession. Each pet sitter shares one important thing in common and that is to keep a level head at all times and to deal with any emergency when they arise.

Pet sitting is most certainly not for the feint hearted and for those people who feel that this type of work is a good excuse to enjoy mini holidays throughout the year, should think again!

A typical service includes, the upkeep of pet’s customary diet and exercise routine, administration of any medications, monitoring health and arranging for medical treatment in case of an emergency.  Managing incontinent cats/dogs and of course clearing up after puppies.  You must also be ready to endure cold winter nights when the client’s heating fails, separating feuding dogs at meal times and all manner of unexpected events, that can occur during the course of your duties.

I should stress however, that there are also many pleasures to be had, such as visiting new areas of the country, making new friends on two legs and four!  Delighting when the shyest of cats take up residence on your knee, when the client has assured you that they will only appear for their meal times and enjoying the company of pets, without the responsibility and cost of owning your own.

We would love to hear from newly retired people, that are interested in becoming a live in pet sitter, so please do not hesitate to call Nina telephone 01525 220732 or email info@ninasnanniesforpets.co.uk

Animal Cruelty

I honestly believe that introducing ‘animal welfare’ into the school curricula will undoubtedly see a decrease in animal cruelty. I would therefore please ask all visitors and clients to sign and share our petition to ‘Introduce Animal Welfare into the School Curriculum’.

Animals have encouraged the moral and personal development of children, bringing social benefits to their communities. Scientific research has also proved the health benefits as well as promoting a general feeling of wellbeing.

Animals also bring out the nurturing instinct of a child and help them to understand the responsibility of owning a pet.

Therapeutic and educational benefits have been identified, especially benefitting those children with special needs. Their calming affect can also help to reduce stress, improve concentration and help to boost self esteem.

There may not be a ‘quick fix’ for animal abuse, but educating our children how to better care for our animals is a start. I would therefore ask EVERY person who reads this article, to PLEASE sign our petition. We can force change and we CAN make a difference. It is easy to tut tut at the horrific images of animal abuse, or feel sickened by the puppy who has just been put to sleep having been thrown from a motorway bridge!

I am therefore asking people to put their pen where their mouth is and to force our government to make animal welfare education part of the school curricula. Together, we can and will make a difference.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38361

Nannies Expand for Dorset Dogs

A pet sitting business, formed after its founders recovered from serious illness, has expanded their workforce to cope with growing demand from their Dorset clients.

Nina Cole set up their enterprise in 1998 after recovering from a brain haemorrhage, which she suffered 6 months after her husband, had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Nina has worked with animals throughout the majority of her life, both as a volunteer fund raiser for animal charities and studying for her diploma in dog psychology, which was postponed indefinitely when her business, Nina’s Nannies for Pets took off.

Today business is flourishing, particularly in Dorset and the surrounding area, where she recently held interviews at The Sandbank Hotel in Poole.

The majority of Nina’s and Doug’s pet nannies are retired people or couples, who have undergone vigorous security checks before being accepted as part of their family team.

“We do occasionally take the odd prank call”.  Nina stated, recalling one potential client who requested care for his one eyed incontinent Anaconda!  “We always try to accommodate our client’s needs, even if it means sharing your bed with a St Bernard, or dealing with a burst pipe”, and we take these oddities in our stride”.

In 1997 the company were proud to reach the semi finals of the Barclays Small Business award, narrowing missing out on a place in the final and their certificate takes pride of place on the office wall.

Their website boasts glowing testimonials and their service is recommended by pet professionals and clients alike.  They are particularly keen to keep the ‘family’ feel to their business and this is reflected in their prices.  Nina states that it is important to offer an affordable service and clients such as the Cinnamon Trust are always given a discount.

Ban Puppy Farms

Puppy farms have long been associated with utter misery. A place where congenital defects are commonplace and thousands of dogs live in the most appalling conditions. 

Bitches are bred every 6 months and kept in conditions that are no more than prisons, where they never see the light of day or feel the touch of a loving hand. They live in extreme conditions, in unbearable heat in the summer and freezing conditions in the winter.

It is impossible to put into words the horror that exists behind these walls. Where dogs are left in their own excrement, alive with fleas, mange and gaping wounds that are left unattended . These poor dogs will readily accept the kick of a boot, since this is commonplace and the majority are too weak from infection to care!

Puppies are torn screaming from their mothers, piled in overcrowded and filthy crates. Their pitiful howls are disregarded by their jailers who are driven by financial reward.

Why is it, that this disgusting and vile trade is allowed to continue. PLEASE take a minute to click on the following link and follow the instructions:

http://www.puppylovecandampaigns.org/whatyoucando.shtml and following the instructions.

These dogs do not have a choice, we DO and we CAN help.

New year

No sooner have we said goodbye to Christmas 2010,  the new year is upon us and and our office is once again a hive of activity.

December saw one of our pet  sitters suffer a bucked front wheel, in their attempt to reach their destination, largely due to the lack of treated roads in the Hemel Hempstead area, but  I feel sure that the horrendous weather conditions left every pet sitter throughout the country struggling and we are extremely pleased to welcome in the New Year!

Since we started our pet sitting service way back in 1998, we could never have anticipated its popularity and due to rapid expansion we are now able to offer our live in service throughout the South of the country. Would you believe, we even had an enquiry on Christmas Day!

Our recruitment drive for live in pet sitters is now in full swing, so if you would like the pleasure of a pet, without the responsibility, please visit our http://www.ninasnanniesforpets.co.uk/recruitment.html page for full details.  This type of work is ideally suited to retired professionals, since the work is largely part time, but each application is judged on merit.

We have received great feedback from our pet insurance comparison page http://www.ninasnanniesforpets.co.uk/compare-pet-insurance.html where you will find some of  the best on line deals.  We have long advocated the importance of pet insurance, having seen both the advancement of veterinary treatment and the escalating expense! 

We are also putting the final touches to our franchise package and already interest has been immense.  So much so that I have three interviews scheduled and it has yet to be formally launched.  It certainly is exciting times for us and this year is set to be the busiest yet.

Cancellation of competition

We feel that the adverse weather conditions, played a large part in the small number of entries that were received and with more snow forecast, we had little reason to believe that position would change.

Obviously it was extremely disappointing for all those concerned, since our previous fund raising efforts have always been a great success.  I would like to thank all those companies who donated prizes and hope to arrange another fund raising event in the Summer months.

We have informed the majority of people who did enter their pets and the donation and photographs have been returned. I have been contacted by the Gazette newspaper however, informing me that a few more entries were received and those people will also have their donation and photographs returned.

Santa Paws photo competition

We are pleased to announce the launch of our ‘Santa Paws’ photograph competition, in aid of Chiltern Dog Rescue in Tring and Cats Protection in Hemel Hempstead. Both charities are extremely close to our heart, since they are both local and of course one of our own cats was adopted from Cats Protection!

For the winner of the cat section we have a four day Butlins break for four people, donated by Bourne Leisure, in Hemel Hempstead. The second prizes are a professional photography session, donated by Ian Waldron photography in Edlesborough. Third prizes are a £100.00 hamper donated by Pets at Home in Hemel Hempstead and another £100.00 hamper donated by ourselves Nina’s Nannies for Pets, also based in Hemel Hempstead. Fourth prizes are dinner for two at the Watermill Restaurant in Berkhamsted and The Red Lion in Berkhamsted. Fifth prize is a signed copy of Gino D’Acampo recipe book, and a limited edition, of the Meerkats ‘A Simple Life’by Aleksander Orlov, donated by one of our pet sitters Adrienne Hasler.

In addition to these wonderful prizes, we also have a Thames River trip which includes lunch and has been donated by The Flight Centre in the Marlowes Mall and will be raffled on the day.

Mic Martin from BBC Dog Borstal has kindly given up his time to present the prizes to the winners of the dog section, and Jonathan Vernon Smith from BBC Three Counties radio, is our judge for the cat section.

The competition is being launched in this weeks Herald/Gazette, with two photographs of our dog Luika and Haricat. Both are the Nina’s Nannies for Pets mascots and delight in helping with our fund raising. They are obviously not included in the actual competition itself!

To enter this wonderful competition you should submit a festive photograph of your cat or dog, and the envelope should be marked ‘Santa Paws’ and addressed to The Herald/Gazette Newspaper, 39 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP1 1LH and please remember to put your dogs name and contact details on the back of your photograph. We also ask that you submit a £5.00 donation with your entry, made payable to either Chiltern Dog Rescue, or Cats Protection.

You should also be available to attend our prize giving, which will take place on Tuesday 21 December outside of The Flight Centre in the Marlowes Mall, in Hemel Hempstead ,at 4.30pm. if you are lucky enough to be chosen as one of our winners. Even if you are not a winner,why not come down to the Mall and meet Mic Martin or Jonathan Vernon-Smith, where we will also be displaying the winning photographs.

Pet Insurance

At Nina’s Nannies for Pets, we have always been keen advocates of pet insurance. Ensuring that your pets medical requirements and veterinary bills are taken care of is of the utmost importance. If your animal becomes ill and requires urgent medical treatment, the last thing you want to be thinking about is the financial implications.

You would not think twice about insuring your vehicle or home and yet there are still many pet owners who fail to insure their pets. You are however, far more likely to claim on your pet insurance compared to the anything else!

There has been huge advances in veterinary treatments over the years and the costs can spiral, running into hundreds if not thousands of pounds!. As well as medical expense, cover will also typically include legal expenses should your pet cause injury to a third party. It can also cover the cost of advertising if your pet is lost and even a reward for their safe return. A more expensive policy can also offer a payout, should you be forced to cancel your holiday if your pet becomes sick.

Although cats and dogs are the easiest pets to find insurance, other animals can be covered – even exotics. However, you may have to search for a specialist provider if your pet is a bearded dragon!

Knowing that you are covered by reliable and affordable insurance offers complete peace of mind and allows your focus to be on their care and recovery.

We have always been dedicated to offering consumers the best possible care for their pets which is why you can now visit our Pet Comparison Directory.

Goodbyes

This year, Nina’s Nannies for Pets have been deeply saddened by the loss of many old friends.  Clients and their pets who have used our pet visiting and live in pet sitting service for many years, have reported the death of their much loved cats, dogs and little furies.

In Hemel Hempstead we said goodbye to a little tortoiseshell cat called Titch.  In Potten End we recently mourned the loss of Penny, also a tortoiseshell aged 20, whom we had just finished a couple of weeks

Remembering old friends

previously.  Jazz, also 20 and another little cat from Eaton Bray, Daisy, a wonderful little Grey rescue cat from Berkhamsted, Phoebe from St Albans and more recently Mr Snuffles a wonderful old Lab from Cambridgeshire.  We really will miss them all dearly.

On a more pleasant note, Luika our two year old German Shepherd Dog has become a massive hit on facebook!  If you would like to follow his antics he can be found under Luika Cole, but more about him in blogs to come.

The volcanic eruptions continue to cause problems for our pet sitters, but we have managed to juggle sitters diaries in order to keep clients continuity and hope that the disruption to our time tables are not too long lasting.

Pet Sitting Update

I would like to say a huge thank you to our new and existing clients, who continue to help Nina’s Nannies for Pets thrive. Our pet visiting/sitting service in the Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and surrounding areas have never been busier and we cannot accept any further dog walks since we are now fully booked for the foreseeable future.

A long lost friend!

We always like to welcome our new pet sitters and our latest couple, Sue and Tom Smith from Cranleigh in Surrey, are no exception. Although, both now retired, Sue worked as a veterinary assistance and Tom also worked as a Police Officer and they are both very much looking forward to building their regular client base.

Our recent additions have really strengthened our pet sitting team in Surrey, London, Bristol and Somerset, but we are still recruiting live in pet sitters in the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas. Anyone who may have an interest should visit our ‘Become a Pet Sitter’ page for further details.

We also have some exciting news to announce, so watch this space for further details.