I started international house sitting and pet sitting around 6 years ago. It has been an amazing experience to be able to travel around the world staying in beautiful homes, feeling like a local for a while in some of the best locations in the world!

Some house sits are just for a few days, some for months. I have done some for up to 3 months! I usually prefer to do house sits for longer stays no less than 2 weeks, as short stays don’t give you the opportunity to really know the area and by the time the animals are familiar with you, it is time to leave again. So the longer, the better!

In longer stays I can really enjoy a slower pace of life and feel like local. I can, for example, join the gym, go to local markets, or just have a lazy day at the local cafe around the corner and bring a happy dog with me! As a temporary local, I can have the chance to meet the neighbors and make new friends! This is definitely one of the best parts of doing longer international pet sits.

Reading guide books, planning day trips or finding places to go sightseeing everyday can also be tiring when you are traveling and just want to have a relaxing time. Visiting expensive cities or countries also makes you want to make most of the your money, as you only have a few days to see everything! Traveling like this can sometimes be exhausting.

International pet sitting allows me to go to the countryside or to remote quiet places, where I can have an amazing view, lots of nature and relax for a few days! Why not relax when you don’t feel like doing much?

Sometimes I just want to have a cup of coffee with the company of a quiet loving cat in my lap with an amazing view! Or have a nice long walk at the beach with the company of a happy dog or two!

In my opinion, the best part of being a pet sitter is to come back home after a day out and be lovingly greeted by a happy dog or a cat! You definitely feel like you are coming home instead of just coming back to another boring hotel room.

One of the bad parts of traveling so often is that I cannot have any of my own pets. As a pet sitter I get to borrow somebody else’s best friend for a while and have their unconditional love in exchange of taking care of them. It is really a joy for me to enjoy the company of happy pets while I travel the world!

I believe that pet sitting is much more enjoyable than traveling and staying in an Airbnb. Sometimes with Airbnb you share a house with the homeowners, which can be fun for a while and a great way to meet people, but, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like to be spoilt by having a whole house or apartment to yourself?

A beautiful fully equipped kitchen can save you a lot of money by cooking at home, and it’s always fun to pick up some nice ingredients at the local market and learn a few new recipes. With a view of the ocean from the living room or the deck. There is nothing better than watching the sunset with a nice glass of the local wine, or an ice-cold local brew, without the worry of driving home afterwards, and of course usually with the company of your new furry friends.

As I love animals, taking care of pets is actually not work at all for me, it’s something fun that I enjoy doing it! I love their company and the unconditional love I receive! Who doesn’t like the company of a happy dog while hiking in the mountains, or during a fun afternoon walk at the beach to watch the sunset? And what could be better than getting “paid” to do something you love?

I have been international pet sitting and house sitting as a member of TrustedHouseSitters. The whole idea of this website is to pay an annual membership fee and then receive free accommodation in return for taking care of the house and animals. It saves the homeowners money on boarding their animals, and saves the sitter money on hotels or Airbnb’s. It’s a win-win situation for all involved. In my case I don’t receive payments (some people actually might charge. You pay for your own flights and transportation to get there, and of course for your own grocery shopping.

If you are a real animal lover and enjoy traveling I definitely recommend international pet sitting! It is an amazing way to discover the world! I am a member of Trusted House Sitters and I recommend their website.