Ursula
About Ursula
I was always a cat person (and very much still am). However, while in Bali I was lucky enough to discover that I also had an inner dog woman. This dog woman appeared one day as I met a starving street dog in the pre-dawn light as I made my morning walk to the beach. From there, as one friend described it, it "escalated quickly" and I found mysel...
I was always a cat person (and very much still am). However, while in Bali I was lucky enough to discover that I also had an inner dog woman. This dog woman appeared one day as I met a starving street dog in the pre-dawn light as I made my morning walk to the beach. From there, as one friend described it, it "escalated quickly" and I found myself housesitting a pack of eight dogs for two and a half months. Each of the dogs (and the resident cat) will always be in my heart, as we spent our time together walking twice a day, sitting quietly at food prep time, grooming and playing.
That was my longest sit, and while the short sits back in NZ don't allow me to get the know the animals as well, it does allow me to get to know more cats and dogs than I could otherwise. I love the feeling of a cat that is known to be shy, making its first tentative approach - as when it comes to making friends, I believe "the cat always decides".
Dogs and cats are where most of my experience lies. However, chickens, mice, and guinea pigs are all animals I have looked after at some point in my life.
A previous client described me this way:
"Ursula just completed a house sit at my place for the past 3 weeks and it was the best arrangement. My cats are happy (and better behaved), house is clean, plants are alive, I still have water and I got nice updates while I was away. My only concern is that she will be booked solid if I ever want to go away again :-)"
If you are going away and would like your animals cared for in your own home, then please get in touch.
Why I want to house sit
I am a remote worker. This makes me lucky enough to be able to work from anywhere in the world with good wifi access. I take the opportunity to travel, see the world and meet the most interesting cats and dogs.
My experience
My longest sit is two and a half months where I had sole care of a pack of eight rescue dogs. We walked the beach twice daily, off-leash. During my time there two of them required medical aftercare (for sterilization, and hip surgery). So I am experienced at post-operative care and giving oral medications.
I have been house-sitting on and off for over 11 years now and am experienced at coming into a sit for a short period of time and ensuring that the pets feel secure and looked after.
Reviews (2)
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Anouska - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
14 July - 29 July 2018
Ursula was a fantastic house sitter & I am sure both of our kitties are going to miss her. We were lucky enough to get to meet Ursula ahead of time in Bali where she was pet sitting & it's clear that she is a natural around animals. Ursula is calm, friendly & caring. She arrived in a very chaotic...
Ursula was a fantastic house sitter & I am sure both of our kitties are going to miss her. We were lucky enough to get to meet Ursula ahead of time in Bali where she was pet sitting & it's clear that she is a natural around animals. Ursula is calm, friendly & caring. She arrived in a very chaotic time for us, & we were a bit concerned about her being there but there was no need & it was great that she could meet the cats before we left. She had read all of the information we left & followed our feeding instructions rigidly which is really tricky with our two & their pleading faces. Our cats were happy & affectionate when we came back & the house was tidier than we left it. A pleasure - thank you! We are looking forward to following Ursula's adventures :)
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Justin - Canggu, Indonesia
16 March - 20 March 2018
Ursula was a terrific Housesitter. The dogs were walked twice a day and were very happy and healthy when we returned. We also received lots of message updates during our trip and Ursula was always instant to reply to any messages.
The house was just as we left it and we felt confident that Ursul...Ursula was a terrific Housesitter. The dogs were walked twice a day and were very happy and healthy when we returned. We also received lots of message updates during our trip and Ursula was always instant to reply to any messages.
The house was just as we left it and we felt confident that Ursula was able to handle any situation that may have arisen.
Definitely highly recommend Ursula!!- Organised
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External references (10)
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Narelle - House / Pet sitting Reference
05 December 2018
This was our first time using a house/pet sitting service and I have to say that Ursula was amazing!! We live rural on Waiheke so our vehicle was part of the deal which she took extremely good care of. We have 2 dogs, one large and one small, and it was obvious that when we arrived home Indy and ...
This was our first time using a house/pet sitting service and I have to say that Ursula was amazing!! We live rural on Waiheke so our vehicle was part of the deal which she took extremely good care of. We have 2 dogs, one large and one small, and it was obvious that when we arrived home Indy and Mr Gust absolutely adored her. They were happy, clean and well-loved and were very sad to see there new human friend leave. The house was immaculate. Ursula sent us lovely pictures of the dogs throughout our time away and I can't recommend her enough. Ursula is extremely honest, clean and reliable. We will definitely be using Ursula's services again without a doubt. Just brilliant brilliant brilliant. Thanks Ursula
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Marie - House / Pet sitting Reference
02 November 2018
Ursula found instant rapport with our old and quite nervous little dog. She emailed daily updates and photos of their adventures for our reassurance. I felt utterly confident with Ursula in our home which was clean and tidy on our return. I appreciated her maturity and good sense and especially ...
Ursula found instant rapport with our old and quite nervous little dog. She emailed daily updates and photos of their adventures for our reassurance. I felt utterly confident with Ursula in our home which was clean and tidy on our return. I appreciated her maturity and good sense and especially her kindness and care towards animals.
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Alanah (Mama), Sari The Bali Dog, And Lara - House / Pet sitting Reference
10 July 2018
Ursula looked after us for nearly three months and we could not have asked for a better 2nd Mama. Mama always stresses when she isn't with us and worries lots. But with Ursula she didn't have to! Ursula looked after us just like we were her own dogs!
We went for amazing beach walks and I went ou...Ursula looked after us for nearly three months and we could not have asked for a better 2nd Mama. Mama always stresses when she isn't with us and worries lots. But with Ursula she didn't have to! Ursula looked after us just like we were her own dogs!
We went for amazing beach walks and I went out to cafes and lots of places with her! Mama has us on a strict diet of supplements, raw meat and vegetables (gross) and Ursula followed all the rules purrrrrfectly (sometimes I wish she had forgotten about the vegetable rules!) When Mama came home she couldn't believe how amazing we looked. I usually stress and lose weight, but this time I didn't because I was so happy! In fact our fur was so luscious and healthy! I have daily medication and Ursula always gave it to me like mama asked.
Ursula went above and beyond with us. At one time I was a bit sick and she spent half the day taking me to the vet (I was fine! Mama just panicks!) She sent updates to Mama all the time! When It was Mama's birthday Ursula even sent mama a special birthday message and photos from us!
My foster sister Lara requires extra special attention. She has been shot in her leg and hit by a car and is very nervous. Ursula did the most amazing job with her. She is some sort of dog whisperer. Lara really loved her and would come to her for cuddles and love. Ursula even rectified one of my bad dog behaviours.
I have an Instagram account and Ursula sent mama photos and updates of what I was doing all the time.
We were really sad when Ursula left us and miss her very much.
She left the house amazingly lovely and clean. We hope she will come back and look after us again soon.
Signed Sari the Bali Dog and Lara
PS now I am wondering if this reference is too good. I hope Ursula doesn't get too many clients as that may mean she can't come back and we love her! We cannot recommend her highly enough and whoever she cares for in the future are very lucky animals!- Organised
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Deb - House / Pet sitting Reference
16 March 2018
Ursula looked after my home and dog Max for 3 weeks recently. It was a very positive experience for me whilst traveling overseas as Ursula is a trustworthy and caring person with incredibly high standards. I had a weight loss goal for Max for health reasons and Ursula managed his diet and ensured...
Ursula looked after my home and dog Max for 3 weeks recently. It was a very positive experience for me whilst traveling overseas as Ursula is a trustworthy and caring person with incredibly high standards. I had a weight loss goal for Max for health reasons and Ursula managed his diet and ensured he was well exercised everyday. She also improved his behavior on the leash and at home - absolute bonus! Ursula is passionate and knowledgeable about animals and this shows in special relationship she built with Max in a short period of time. It was great to come home to a content dog and a house in order. Thanks so much Ursula!
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Eliane - House / Pet sitting Reference
25 January 2018
I was extremely fortunate to find Ursula as house sitter for my 8 rescue dogs and 1 cat.
She has been looking after my pets in Bali for 2.5 months. It involved 2 beach walks with 7 dogs (off leash), feeding and paying salary to the two staff on a weekly base. Rescue dogs can be quite challenging ...I was extremely fortunate to find Ursula as house sitter for my 8 rescue dogs and 1 cat.
She has been looking after my pets in Bali for 2.5 months. It involved 2 beach walks with 7 dogs (off leash), feeding and paying salary to the two staff on a weekly base. Rescue dogs can be quite challenging at times. But Ursula is totally in a position to manage even the more difficult dog personalities.
Not only is she a genuinely nice person, but highly organized and proficient as well.
During my time away, Ursula sent many photos and news of their well being. She also had to face some challenges, such as one dog needed emergency surgery on one knee and it involved 2 months of treating, care and cooperation with the vets for that dog. And another dog has just been rescued when she started the sit and she cared amazingly good for her. This dog also has been sterilized when she was on the sit. Ursula managed the care and medicating very well. Both dogs are fully recovered and happy pups today. Thank you so much Ursula!!! I am super grateful for this.
The house was left spotless and tidy. I definitely count Ursula to one of my best sitters ever. I have nothing but praise for Ursula.- Organised
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Beatle - House / Pet sitting Reference
17 January 2018
Ursula has stayed in our house three times. She has looked after the house perfectly but more importantly our dog and our cat love her. We have a highly strung Yorkshire Terrier who is easily scared and he adores Ursula. As Ursula said last time she came "it is like meeting up with an old frie...
Ursula has stayed in our house three times. She has looked after the house perfectly but more importantly our dog and our cat love her. We have a highly strung Yorkshire Terrier who is easily scared and he adores Ursula. As Ursula said last time she came "it is like meeting up with an old friend". I wholeheartedly recommend her as a house and pet sitter. You can leave her with your beloved animals and no concerns at all.
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Mads - House / Pet sitting Reference
17 January 2018
Ursula is a fabulous house sitter! My main criteria in a sitter is trust and animal lover and she ticks both boxes perfectly. Not only does she water the garden, take good care with my car and keep the house ticking along, she's very popular with my cats. I really appreciated the message update...
Ursula is a fabulous house sitter! My main criteria in a sitter is trust and animal lover and she ticks both boxes perfectly. Not only does she water the garden, take good care with my car and keep the house ticking along, she's very popular with my cats. I really appreciated the message updates from her with photos of my happy cats just chilling out or eating happily at meal times. I could tell she really took the time to get to know their personalities by the comments she made about them. I think the best evidence was a photo of cats sleeping on the bed with her. Can't ask for better than that. You can rely on Ursula as a house sitter 100%. Your pets won't miss you a bit!
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Rob - House / Pet sitting Reference
17 January 2018
Ursula was great. Looked after our house and two cats really well. Would recommend for any house or pet sitting.
Ursula was great. Looked after our house and two cats really well. Would recommend for any house or pet sitting.
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Merran - House / Pet sitting Reference
17 January 2018
Ursula is a dream pet and house-sitter. She is very reliable and trust-worthy and was very respectful of our property, leaving our home sparkling clean! Our two dogs and three cats adored Ursula and she quickly made a lovely connection with each of them (even our cats which can be quite shy arou...
Ursula is a dream pet and house-sitter. She is very reliable and trust-worthy and was very respectful of our property, leaving our home sparkling clean! Our two dogs and three cats adored Ursula and she quickly made a lovely connection with each of them (even our cats which can be quite shy around new people). We love that she kept us entertained with photos of our pets while we were away - it certainly added to our peace of mind, allowing us to relax and enjoy our time away.
We can not recommend Ursula too highly - she is certain our preferred pet and home-sitter.- Organised
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Harriet - House / Pet sitting Reference
17 January 2018
Ursula was a great house sitter. Our little cat, Lily, loved her, and she doesn’t usually like anyone, and both cats and the chickens were very well looked after. We got regular photos and updates and we felt very much kept in the loop. We came home to happy pets and Ursula even picked us up from...
Ursula was a great house sitter. Our little cat, Lily, loved her, and she doesn’t usually like anyone, and both cats and the chickens were very well looked after. We got regular photos and updates and we felt very much kept in the loop. We came home to happy pets and Ursula even picked us up from the wharf which was fabulous.
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