Kathy & Jon
Kathy & Jon
Canadian Zoo Keeper and Fisheries Manager available
About Kathy & Jon
We are Jon and Kathy, non-smokers, retired, in our early sixties. We're travelers, capable home owners and guardians of creatures from hamsters to horses, looking to care for your pets and house as if they were our own. We relish the opportunity to pamper pets!
Jon's the walker. I'm happy to read about the local area and pet the cat while J...
We are Jon and Kathy, non-smokers, retired, in our early sixties. We're travelers, capable home owners and guardians of creatures from hamsters to horses, looking to care for your pets and house as if they were our own. We relish the opportunity to pamper pets!
Jon's the walker. I'm happy to read about the local area and pet the cat while Jon goes off over hill and dale.
If we use your car, we're quite used to left-hand driving (as well as right-hand...). If you're in a condo, we're familiar with "Rules and Regulations".
We're computer literate so while you're away, we would be happy to send photos of your “loved ones” and can Skype if you wish. Please see our video!
Why we want to house sit
We're retired and like to travel. We also miss having pets of our own and would cherish yours completely.
Our experience
We've lived in and renovated many different houses, some isolated in the country or mountains. We've also been landlords and know the importance of keeping things in order. Jon can handle almost any problem regarding electricity, plumbing or even soldering and light welding in a house or a hobby farm. Having worked in the inland fishery, he knows all about aquariums, pools, filters, and pumps. He has a boat operator's certificate and an enhanced driver's license.
Jon is a strong, physically fit mountain hiker, cross-country skier and swimmer who likes his daily walkies. His favourite reading material is science related and his computer time is spent on world news. He enjoys repairing and making things work again using resources at hand. His managerial skills continue as the bill payer and accountant.
As for me, I've always been devoted to animals and mindful of their well being. I've had hamsters, rabbits, fish, birds, cats and dogs and had riding lessons for many years. My training was in animal health and care, including equine, large and small animal care, plus some veterinary training. I've worked at zoos and a game farm. We've had horses on our acreage and enjoy feeding, grooming and handling them. We only ride gentle horses now but can deal with spirited ones on the ground as well as mischievous ponies!
My other passions are fine furniture, home decor and design, architecture and landscaping, plus I take pride in a clean house. I enjoy caring for plants, indoors and out and I landscaped in my younger years.
Jon and I have had a cat, a Labrador Retreiver, two Airedales and fostered another for half a year. I'm interested in animal behavior. One of the dogs had behavioural problems and we changed her from a “reactive dog” to a passive one.
Our lovely pets were doted on and we went out of our way to accommodate them. People have said that if they die and come back as an animal, they want to be one of our pets.
Reviews (2)
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Janet - Plymstock, United Kingdom
18 September - 06 October 2016
Kathy and Jon are a super couple and five star house sitters. They made an excellent job of looking after our siamese cat and our house, while we were away on holiday. We felt fully confident in leaving our cat and house in their hands. They were very friendly, kind and efficient and kept in cont...
Kathy and Jon are a super couple and five star house sitters. They made an excellent job of looking after our siamese cat and our house, while we were away on holiday. We felt fully confident in leaving our cat and house in their hands. They were very friendly, kind and efficient and kept in contact and sent photos and messages about our cat while we were away. The cat loved them and had plenty of lap time. We came back to a very happy cat and a very tasty meal in the fridge, so that we did not have to cook that night. The house was immaculate and they had done almost all of their laundry.
I would thoroughly recommend Kathy and Jon and feel that we were very lucky to have them to come and sit for us.- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Cliff - Porirua, New Zealand
20 January 2015
When Jon and Kathy responded to our advertisement for housesitters over the Christmas period, we didn't have any hesitation although this would be their first housesitting assignment. Their background in animal care and strong character references was enough to convince us that they would be perf...
When Jon and Kathy responded to our advertisement for housesitters over the Christmas period, we didn't have any hesitation although this would be their first housesitting assignment. Their background in animal care and strong character references was enough to convince us that they would be perfect to care for our miniature schnauzer while we were on a long trip away. we were not wrong!
Jon and Kathy are organised, honest and were fantastic carers for Daisy, so much so that she was missing them for a few days after they left. We came home to a healthy,clean, happy and more muscular dog due to the long walks she was having with Jon.
House was kept tidy and Jon even attended to a problem at one of our rental properties which was much appreciated.
Updates were regular through emails providing peace of mind during our holidays.
I strongly recommend Jon and Kathy for any housesitting assignments. We have had housesitters before through this site and Jon and Kathy in our books are one of the best!- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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External references (4)
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Daryl And Ina - Character Reference
16 July 2014
Having known Jon and Kathy Underwood for almost 30 years, I feel very confident in recommending them to you as house sitters. I can attest that they are honest, caring and competent people who will do a superb job of looking after any property in their trust.
When we were evacuated from our hom...Having known Jon and Kathy Underwood for almost 30 years, I feel very confident in recommending them to you as house sitters. I can attest that they are honest, caring and competent people who will do a superb job of looking after any property in their trust.
When we were evacuated from our home due to an encroaching forest fire, my wife was invited to stay with the Underwoods (while I was out working at the fire). There she got to see how well managed their home was, and how well their animals were cared for. In addition to their own home, Jon and Kathy have lived in and looked after government housing associated with Jons work, and have owned and maintained rental property.
As a colleague of Jons at Alberta Fish and Wildlife, I admired his ability to manage multi-million dollar fish hatcheries. These are complex systems where failure could mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of fish. I am sure that the competence Jon showed in dealing with the complications of these systems serves him well in managing any of the issues that may arise in looking after a home.
If you have animals to be looked after, be assured that they couldnt be in better hands. As well as the millions of fish that Jon has cared for through his work, the Underwoods have at various times had a number of animals, including dogs, cats and horses. I have seen for myself that these animals have been well loved and cared for. They had an Airedale dog at one time, and later looked after another for a friend. It is my understanding that these are dogs that require a good deal of attention, and it was evident that they got it in the Underwood home.
In summary, I wish to assure you that you can do no better than to have Jon and Kathy Underwood looking after your home, including any animals that you may have- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Kathleen And Jim - House / Pet sitting Reference
04 July 2014
We have been so very fortunate to list Kathy and Jon as two of our dearest friends. They have always maintained a clean, tidy home and yard and, as they have renovated several homes, maintenance and minor repairs would be promptly and professionally handled.
Jim and I have trusted them to look...We have been so very fortunate to list Kathy and Jon as two of our dearest friends. They have always maintained a clean, tidy home and yard and, as they have renovated several homes, maintenance and minor repairs would be promptly and professionally handled.
Jim and I have trusted them to look after our house on several occasions which included the care of our cantankerous, old cat, Mike. We never once worried. We knew that our home and pet would receive the same care and attention that they afforded their own. Kathy and Jon can list dogs, cats and even horses amongst the pets they have owned and loved over the years.
Kathy and Jon Underwood are both thoughtful, considerate, resourceful people who will respect your propertytruly care about your home and pets. Thats who they are.- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Shirley - Character Reference
26 June 2014
I have known Jon and Kathy Underwood for over 40 yrs. I have visited their home many times. They are honest, reliable people and I can attest to their good character in all respects. They look after their home and belongings in an excellent manner and have many skills. For house rental they wo...
I have known Jon and Kathy Underwood for over 40 yrs. I have visited their home many times. They are honest, reliable people and I can attest to their good character in all respects. They look after their home and belongings in an excellent manner and have many skills. For house rental they would be at the top of my list . My career in management has given me experience in judging character, honestly and reliability. I have no hesitation in recommending Jon and Kathy Underwood for home exchange.
- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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Laine & Patricia - House / Pet sitting Reference
25 June 2014
We have never been more delighted to write a reference for anyone - a very simple in this case as Jon & Kathy have proven over and over to be extremely reliable and trustworthy.
We have known this couple personally for approximately 20 years, both in the capacity of the men working together an...We have never been more delighted to write a reference for anyone - a very simple in this case as Jon & Kathy have proven over and over to be extremely reliable and trustworthy.
We have known this couple personally for approximately 20 years, both in the capacity of the men working together and our families living as rural neighbors for many years. They are homeowners themselves, and we can assure you that your homes would be well looked after and kept immaculately clean. Jon & Kathy are honest, caring, clean living people. They like adventure and greet every situation with positive attitudes. They know how to make educated decisions, and make a point of researching anything they have questions about.
As well, Kathy & Jon have an extensive love of pets of all sorts, and we can assure anyone needing them to provide pet care that they would have no worries leaving their animals for short or extended periods with Kathy & Jon. They have always owned a cat and dog that were extremely well looked after and in the past have adopted one dog in their home for an extended period while the owners were overseas they absolutely loved that dog as their own. Over the years, they have also cared for our animals (cats, dogs, horses and even chickens) while we were away on numerous occasions. They can independently make decisions, but also have the ability to judge when owners need to be notified should the need arise.
We cannot recommend this couple highly enough for anyone needing them to house or pet sit. If you entrust them to look after your precious homes and/or pets, we know YOU will be writing the next reference for them!- Organised
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- Reliable
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- Self-sufficient
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- Tidy
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- Pet care
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About Kathy & Jon
We are Jon and Kathy, non-smokers, retired, in our early sixties. We're travelers, capable home owners and guardians of creatures from hamsters to horses, looking to care for your pets and house as if they were our own. We relish the opportunity to pamper pets!
Jon's the walker. I'm happy to read about the local area and pet the cat while Jon goes off over hill and dale.
If we use your car, we're quite used to left-hand driving (as well as right-hand...). If you're in a condo, we're familiar with "Rules and Regulations".
We're computer literate so while you're away, we would be happy to send photos of your “loved ones” and can Skype if you wish. Please see our video!
We are Jon and Kathy, non-smokers, retired, in our early sixties. We're travelers, capable home owners and guardians of creatures from hamsters to horses, looking to care for your pets and house as if they were our own. We relish the opportunity to pamper pets!
Jon's the walker. I'm happy to read about the local area and pet the cat while Jon goes off over hill and dale.
If we use your car, we're quite used to left-hand driving (as well as right-hand...). If you're in a condo, we're familiar with "Rules and Regulations".
We're computer literate so while you're away, we would be happy to send photos of your “loved ones” and can Skype if you wish. Please see our video!
Why we want to house sit
We're retired and like to travel. We also miss having pets of our own and would cherish yours completely.
Our experience
We've lived in and renovated many different houses, some isolated in the country or mountains. We've also been landlords and know the importance of keeping things in order. Jon can handle almost any problem regarding electricity, plumbing or even soldering and light welding in a house or a hobby farm. Having worked in the inland fishery, he knows all about aquariums, pools, filters, and pumps. He has a boat operator's certificate and an enhanced driver's license.
Jon is a strong, physically fit mountain hiker, cross-country skier and swimmer who likes his daily walkies. His favourite reading material is science related and his computer time is spent on world news. He enjoys repairing and making things work again using resources at hand. His managerial skills continue as the bill payer and accountant.
As for me, I've always been devoted to animals and mindful of their well being. I've had hamsters, rabbits, fish, birds, cats and dogs and had riding lessons for many years. My training was in animal health and care, including equine, large and small animal care, plus some veterinary training. I've worked at zoos and a game farm. We've had horses on our acreage and enjoy feeding, grooming and handling them. We only ride gentle horses now but can deal with spirited ones on the ground as well as mischievous ponies!
My other passions are fine furniture, home decor and design, architecture and landscaping, plus I take pride in a clean house. I enjoy caring for plants, indoors and out and I landscaped in my younger years.
Jon and I have had a cat, a Labrador Retreiver, two Airedales and fostered another for half a year. I'm interested in animal behavior. One of the dogs had behavioural problems and we changed her from a “reactive dog” to a passive one.
Our lovely pets were doted on and we went out of our way to accommodate them. People have said that if they die and come back as an animal, they want to be one of our pets.
Verifications
Verification level
Basic level
Animal Care Experience
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Dogs
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Cats
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Horses
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Fish
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Poultry
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Farm animals
Availability
Preferred Countries
- Australia
- Canada
- American Samoa
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Cocos Islands
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Maldives
- Martinique
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- New Caledonia
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sint Maarten
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
Profile Details
Age
Occupation
Travelling as a
Previous house sitting experience
Member benefits
Member since
House & pet sitting timeline
Kathy and Jon have done 3 house sits since 2014
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PlymstockUnited KingdomSep - Oct 2016 -
North SaanichCanadaNov 2015 -
PoriruaNew ZealandJan 2015
