I don’t just look after peoples pets when they go away on holidays. Sometimes a client has to go to hospital, or maybe they have to go out of town for a funeral. Maybe they have an important business trip, or maybe they just work long hours away from home.
Whatever the reason, I’m happy to help.
It depends on the pet, but usually keeping them at home is the cheapest and most convenient option. Kennels and catteries can be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and they can also cost a fortune.
I accept bookings from all suburbs of Geelong. My rates are affordable and great value for money. I do however charge an extra $10 for public holidays, and extra fees may be charged if a job requires more work than what is usually expected. Below is a list of the main pet sitting services that I provide and how much they cost.
Meet & Greet – Free
A quick little catch up to get to know each other and to discuss all the details regarding the job. It is also an opportunity for your pet to have a bit of a sniff of me before I start the job. Sometimes clients are confident to get everything organised with me there and then, and sometime clients need a bit of time to think about it and to consider all their options. There’s no obligation. You can change your mind at any time.
One Home Visit – $12
I come to your place. Home visits usually consist of feeding and checking on pets, providing fresh water, attending to the kitty litter, and cleaning up any wees or poos that might be in the wrong place (e.g. kitchen floor). If a dog has outside access, I usually don’t clean up back yard poos unless specifically asked too. A home visit is pretty quick. I do what needs to be done then leave. If your pet needs more than 10 – 15 minutes of attention, then this might not be the option for you. I am happy to collect your mail and put your bins out if needed. Sometimes people request two home visits per day if their pet requires two feeds per day, or maybe their pet gets let out in the morning and brought back inside in the evening. For two visits per day the fee is $12 per visit, therefore $24 per day.
Dog Walking – $16/walk
I will walk your dog for 30 minutes. I’m from Geelong, so I like to think I know all the good walking tracks around town. I don’t combine different client’s dogs together into one walk, it’s just me and your dog(s). Sometimes an opportunity comes up when I have different clients both happy for their dogs to go on walks together for whatever reason. I always have a spare leash and doggy bags in my car, but it is appreciated when a client provides them. An additional fee may be charged for extra dogs.
House/Pet Sitting – $25/night
I will stay at your place overnight. Usually people get in quick for this service, at least a few months in advance. As well as pet duties, I am happy to do small jobs that might need doing during my stay, such as watering a veggie garden. I will leave your home as tidy as I found it. I completely understand that this service requires a bit more trust than the others, especially if you are a new client, so just get in touch and I can give you all the information you might need. Obviously I can only do one house/pet sitting job at a time as it involves staying overnight and there is only one of me, but all other services are always still available regardless of what suburb I am currency house sitting in.
Contact Me
After you decide what service you need for your pet, just shoot me an email with a little bit of information regarding the job and/or any questions you might have. Try to keep in mind when making a booking that it’s hard for me to stick to exact times for pet visits due to the unpredictability of this work. I work best with a window of time, for example: dinner is to be given between 4pm and 6pm. If it’s a job I can do, or if it’s a job I can’t do, I’ll let you know either way. I usually get back to enquiries within 24 hours. I can be contacted by email at jerryzoumis@gmail.com
Payment
Payment can be made via online bank transfer, Paypal, or cash. If paying with online banking please put your name or the pets name in the description so I know who it’s from. If you need a receipt just let me know. Payment must be made before the first day of the booking. If the booking is for a few weeks or more, I’m happy to break it down and we can take it week by week.
What’s Next?
Once the booking is all locked in and payment has been received, I am good to go. I usually ask for a list of instructions: it’s easy to forget which pet needs 2 scoops of food at 1pm and which pet needs 1 scoop at 2pm. Emergency contact numbers and your preferred vet are also good for me to have. Sometimes I am given a house key if the pets are indoor pets, sometimes I don’t need it. Sometimes clients want heaps of update photos, sometimes they don’t want many. Sometimes clients want their pets fed at the same time every day, sometimes clients aren’t too fussed. Each client does things a bit differently, and I will do my best to accommodate your needs.