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Retirement from day-to-day formal employment in 2013 was a
dream come true, but as many retirees have found, the dream can fade. My dream
was to concentrate on my writing, which I did for a while, and then I started
getting restless.
But then a writer colleague asked if I knew anyone who might house-sit for them and look after their animals so they could have a family vacation. Who better than moi? With years of property management experience, I thought I was well qualified to look after a house. I’ve had a couple of cats and dogs for most of my life. I've been around horses since age five. In addition, I have several more qualifications, including being a mature, non-smoking individual. So now it’s have laptop, will travel. I have clients in different places, from almost on the doorstep to within a few hour’s drive from home. I enjoy very different scenery, from watching glorious sunrises on an acreage to spotting hummingbirds in an urban garden, all while I get my pet fix.
My house and pet-sitting career started with two
horses, a dog, four cats, and a bearded dragon lizard. Since then, I’ve cared for chickens,
turkeys, rabbits, pigs, fish, sheep, calves, birds and goats in the ten years since
then. Now I’m more mature (IE: older, but I dislike that word), I’m pickier
about caring for the larger animals, goats especially. They may be adorable as
kids, but in my book, they are evil beasts as adults and their horns hurt.
My mandate is to maintain as much of the pets’ routine
as possible. Are pets allowed on the furniture or beds? What is their feeding
routine? Are they afraid of anything? And then there are the practicalities
such as where is the electrical box and main water shut-off? I always ask for
emergency contacts, especially a vet. Before accepting a new client, I like to
meet them and their pets. It’s a two-way street, giving the pet owner a chance
to know me and see how their pets interact with me. I’m not offended if they
are uncomfortable and prefer to make other arrangements, as for me, it is all about the pet(s) and their comfort.
The hardest part of my client interviews, especially
where senior pets are concerned, is the ‘what if’ discussion. However much we
love our pets, the sad part of being a pet parent is that they are likely to
pass on before we do. Of all the seven dogs I’ve had over the years, I’ve had to make end-of-life
decisions for every one of them. My first was the hardest as I had not had him
long, and he wasn’t much more than a pup. The others were between twelve and
nineteen, all living happy, healthy lives until they were no longer happy or
healthy.
Animals give us so much joy, and I often think humans are undeserving of their love and loyalty. I’ve spent hours in the paddock with the horses, watching and talking to them. There is nothing as willing as a horse's ear. Chickens can be charmers, and many enjoy being cuddled. I've had them go to sleep in my arms. I ran a lukewarm bath for the lizard to help her slough her skin and made a mud wallow for the pigs, laughing at their antics as they splashed in and out like children playing. I had a panic attack at the house with six cats when I could only find five. It turned out that the sixth cat was very shy, and I didn’t see her until the fourth day.
My current charge hissed at me every time he saw me for the first couple of days, but now we’re joined at the hip, and I get kisses. I go to the kitchen, and he comes too. I go upstairs, and he follows. I go to the bathroom—you get the picture. I flatter myself that he really likes me, but being a cat, it could just be his way of ensuring the person who feeds him and cleans his litter tray doesn’t stray. He snuggles up to me in bed, although I draw the line at having my ear washed, and sits beside me on the sofa when I’m done writing for the day.
I consider myself fortunate to have such a variety of furry friends. Once I know their routines, I can settle into writing when they curl up in their beds and sleep. Do I have favourites? That would be telling. Life being what it is, I’ve lost some four-legged clients and gained new ones. Retirement? One day I might find out what it’s like, but until then, I’ll continue writing and house and pet sitting.
VICTORIA CHATHAM
NB: images from the author's collection.
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