Terminal illness of a family member requires that I travel out of the country on short notice for one month. I need help looking after my two active dogs. I also have 4 guest cats (one of them a geriatric cat that takes no medications but needs TLC and lots of compassion).
Last Fall I found the most wonderful sitter through this site. On that occasion the need was only to look after the dogs. This time the situation is a bit extraordinary. My husband and I have been separated for some years and he keeps the cats but due to spinal surgeries at the end of 2013, he and the cats came here during his recovery period. They have been staying in the guest room. He has returned to work but his motor skills are still far from normal so the cats must stay for a bit longer. While the sitter is here, he might visit with the cats occasionally, mainly to spend time with our old cat who is very frail and attached to him. I am looking for a sitter who would stay in the main bedroom (very comfortable, clean, great views, no pets are allowed in there), who is physically fit for the fast paced walk the dogs need in this hilly town.
The house is a 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 story house overlooking the town of Hot Springs, SD. It is a beautiful setting. There is a hot tub overlooking town. Great views from every window of the house. This is a place to relax, meditate, walk, enjoy nature.
The dogs need a brisk walk of about an hour every day. They cannot skip their walks. They have a doggie door from their garage area into their large fenced area of the hill. Their routine is very simple and they are fine spending the day on their own, in and out through the doggie door. They are fed twice a day in the garage and brought into the basement at night. They sleep through the night until they are awaked to go out, earlier every week as the weather gets warmer. They are not allowed into the rest of the house and they are very used to this. They like company throughout the day for grooming and some yard time but they can do without that some days. They also get some petting, belly rub time at bedtime, for minutes.
The cats need their litter boxes cleaned daily (I do it twice a day, once in the morning and before bed time) and their dry food bowls and water refilled. The older frail cat needs wet food to be placed right in front of her when you catch her awake and up. She doesn't make it to the first floor any more so it all has to be brought to her. She spends most of the day sleeping, either in bed or in front of a space heater. She has a hard time getting up and walking. I have been taking care of all their needs for the past few months and by 10 am I am done with pet duties until 5-6pm to walk the dogs. You could arrange your days to have those many hours of free time outside the house if you're inclined to explore the beautiful region. The dogs can be walked early in the am before their breakfast or in the pm before dinner.