Penny's Pet-sitting & Dog-walking Services

Trusted for 10 years

Since I was a baby I have been mad about animals. We had a border collie, called Misty, and my face would light up whenever she came into the room. Growing up we mainly had cats, as my father was in the army so we moved around a lot. At boarding-school I had a hamster called Matthew, and spent many hours taking him for walks.  He learned to come to me when I called him - and he would even retrieve things for me! I was appointed 'Head of the Mouse House' (we were only allowed gerbils, mice and hamsters) and made sure it was kept clean and tidy and the animals were properly cared for. From the age of 10 I would knock on people's doors and ask if I could walk their dogs. It meant I got to know many different breeds of dogs and the traits specific to those breeds. At school I walked the Head Gardener's dog, Jess, every day as the school was situated on the outskirts of Bath, in beautiful countryside. When I was 17, I spent the summer holidays working in a quarantine kennels, which I loved, and I also got involved with various animal charities, such as the RSPCA and PDSA, fundraising and campaigning. I avidly read books on animal psychology and behaviour, as well as nature and conservation, and I have completed an Animal Care course with UK Open Learning and a Canine First Responder course (First Aid).
Once I left school, I continued walking people's dogs and also looking after various bosses' pets when they went on holiday. Some of the jobs I've had have involved living in, as a nanny or housekeeper, so I have taken care of various cats, dogs, pigs, chickens, rabbits, sheep and birds. I also enjoyed horse-riding for many years and at one time shared a horse with a friend. For eight years I lived in Bermuda and regularly house-sat for people, looking after their pets while they were away. I no longer house-sit as I have a cat, a tortoiseshell called Tiggy, who came from the RSPCA.