Shella
Shella
Mature and responsible cat lady and dog lover will care for your home and pets while you travel
About Shella
Hello and thank you for considering me as your TrustedHousesitter. As a homeowner and pet-mom, I know what a big decision this is and can offer a lifetime of personal and professional experiences that qualify me to look after your home and pets while you travel.
FIRST THE BASICS
I was born and raised in New York. While in graduate school I to...
Hello and thank you for considering me as your TrustedHousesitter. As a homeowner and pet-mom, I know what a big decision this is and can offer a lifetime of personal and professional experiences that qualify me to look after your home and pets while you travel.
FIRST THE BASICS
I was born and raised in New York. While in graduate school I took a job in a nonprofit organization just to pay the bills and found a rewarding career that lasted a lifetime--so far anyway. In 2017, after more than 30 years in fundraising for progressive nonprofit organizations, I began working on a consulting basis for several different nonprofit clients. I love my job and I love my new-found liberty to do it from anywhere in the world.
I am a non-smoker and single without children, except for 3 rescued cats. My home since 1999 has been San Francisco and now Oakland, California, just across the bay. I am very lucky to co-own a two-unit house with my brother and his wife. This communal living arrangement makes it possible for me to travel whenever I wish.
When not busy with work, I enjoy reading, hiking, biking and classic film. For fun, I lead a history book club and I guide local staircase walks for an urban walking group. The video attached is a brief intro of me from the top of a favorite staircase walk in Berkeley, California.
EXPERIENCE WITH ANIMAL CARE
I grew up with cats and have been a cat-mom for my entire adult life. My cats are not just pets. They are my loved ones. A friend calls them 4-legged kids.
Years ago when I bought a home in Hawaii I took over the care of a resident feral cat colony, including trapping and neutering 9 cats. After moving from Hawaii to San Francisco, I started volunteering with Toni's Kitty Rescue and San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Through TKR, I've fostered over 200 underage and sick orphaned kittens, plus a few geriatric and fospice (foster & hospice) cats too. In addition to routine feeding and litter box maintenance, I'm experienced with pilling, insulin injections, subcutaneous fluids and more. And, of course, brushing, playing and cuddling!
There are many dogs in my extended family and I am an equal opportunity dog person. A longtime housemate (we lived together for 15 years) was a professional dog walker/sitter/boarder and with him I helped look after several fosters. I love them all--from pugs to pitbulls! Because urban walking and trail hiking are favorite activities, dogs in my care get plenty of exercise, on leash or off--whatever you prefer.
Needless to say, I'm more than happy to share a bed with any furry friend.
Why I want to house sit
I am a lucky person. I have found a way to do my "day job" remotely from anywhere in the world as long as there is reliable internet access. This new freedom--plus my love of animals and interest in travel--have inspired me to go places. I'm open to a busy city, small-town, or secluded retreat. Through house and pet sitting I hope to settle in and "live like a local" in new places while offering you the chance to travel and know that your home and pets are in safe, trustworthy and caring hands.
My experience
CAREER
Over 30 years in nonprofit management and fundraising, including special events management and grantwriting. Recent employers and consulting clients include: Legal Services for Children (San Francisco / 8 years), the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (San Francisco / 6 years ongoing), Open Gate (Oakland / 9 months ongoing) and Strategies for Social Change (New York / 6 months ongoing).
HOUSE SITTING
I will treat your home with the same sense of responsibility and care that I give to my own. I have owned a house in Hawaii and now here in Oakland, California. My current home was built in 1926 and we've had our fair share of big and small problems--leaking water heaters, electrical outages due to inadequate wiring, flooding of ground floor rooms, ongoing ant infestations, and even a car driving into our sun-porch at a high speed. At this point, I think I can handle anything!
As a young professional in New York City (quite awhile ago), I took care of homes and pets for my boss, friends and family. I have also been a tenant for much of my adult life and rented many summer houses on Fire Island, NY over the years--always returning them to their owners in perfect condition.
More recently, I've gathered excellent reviews as a guest in people's homes through Airbnb and equally positive reviews as an airbnb host when I lived in San Francisco. Do you rent out a self-catering holiday home? I can help with hosting duties while your are away.
PET SITTING
Lifelong cat-mom with experience caring for newborn, geriatric, feral and special needs cats. I have fostered orphaned kittens, fospice cats, and dogs of all sizes, and cared for a feral cat colony. Over the years I have handled:
• Pilling cats and dogs
• Anxiety and other behavior problems
• Insulin injections
• Subcutaneous fluids
• Thyroid issues
• Senior dogs unable to walk upstairs
• Ringworm treatment
• Quarantines due to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
• Feline acne
• Fleas (of course)
TRAVEL-RELATED
• Savvy budget traveler who enjoys staying in one place for a while
• Clean driver's license & public transit know-how
• Languages: Working on advanced beginner French; Some basic Italian
• Certified Tour Director, International Tour Management Institute (March 2018)
• Course Leader for WorldStrides, a leader in educational student travel (www.worldstrides.com). This position required finger printing and a criminal background check.
• Experience Designer & Tour Director with Time Travel Adventures, an emerging boutique travel company (www.timetraveladventures.com)
EDUCATION
M.A. City University of New York, Queens College/English Literature, 1989
B.A. Stony Brook University/English Literature & History, 1985
Reviews (5)
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Nicky - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
12 July - 27 July 2018
Shella was a great house sitter and I had no concerns leaving her in charge when we went away. She kept in touch while we were away and we returned to happy pets and a tidy house. What more can you ask?! I would be more than happy to welcome Shella back to house sit another time.
Shella was a great house sitter and I had no concerns leaving her in charge when we went away. She kept in touch while we were away and we returned to happy pets and a tidy house. What more can you ask?! I would be more than happy to welcome Shella back to house sit another time.
- 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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Karen - Llangollen, United Kingdom
21 June - 03 July 2018
Shella looked after my two cats while I was on holiday for 10 days. We spoke by Skype beforehand and exchanged several emails so we could keep each other in touch with travel plans. While I was away, Shella kept in regular contact with updates and pics and was extremely diligent about any concern...
Shella looked after my two cats while I was on holiday for 10 days. We spoke by Skype beforehand and exchanged several emails so we could keep each other in touch with travel plans. While I was away, Shella kept in regular contact with updates and pics and was extremely diligent about any concerns with the cats' health. I felt completely reassured the whole time I was away that my girls were in good hands. When I got home the cats were happy and relaxed and the house was spotless. Shella even left food in the fridge! I would highly recommend Shella and would love to have her back sitting for me again in the future. Thank you!
- Organised
-
- Reliable
-
- Self-sufficient
-
- Tidy
-
- Pet care
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Saundra - Oakland, California, United States
08 May - 10 May 2018
Shella came over for a short stay to care for our cats while we were at a conference with our pup. She was easy to communicate with, updated us while we were gone, sent photos, and left our home as clean as when she arrived. She even cleaned the litter boxes after we had told her she didn't need ...
Shella came over for a short stay to care for our cats while we were at a conference with our pup. She was easy to communicate with, updated us while we were gone, sent photos, and left our home as clean as when she arrived. She even cleaned the litter boxes after we had told her she didn't need to due to the length of the house sit. Shella will go above and beyond and we definitely recommend her. Thanks for taking such good care of our home and our kitties Shella!
- Organised
-
- Reliable
-
- Self-sufficient
-
- Tidy
-
- Pet care
-
About Shella
Hello and thank you for considering me as your TrustedHousesitter. As a homeowner and pet-mom, I know what a big decision this is and can offer a lifetime of personal and professional experiences that qualify me to look after your home and pets while you travel.
FIRST THE BASICS
I was born and raised in New York. While in graduate school I took a job in a nonprofit organization just to pay the bills and found a rewarding career that lasted a lifetime--so far anyway. In 2017, after more than 30 years in fundraising for progressive nonprofit organizations, I began working on a consulting basis for several different nonprofit clients. I love my job and I love my new-found liberty to do it from anywhere in the world.
I am a non-smoker and single without children, except for 3 rescued cats. My home since 1999 has been San Francisco and now Oakland, California, just across the bay. I am......
Hello and thank you for considering me as your TrustedHousesitter. As a homeowner and pet-mom, I know what a big decision this is and can offer a lifetime of personal and professional experiences that qualify me to look after your home and pets while you travel.
FIRST THE BASICS
I was born and raised in New York. While in graduate school I took a job in a nonprofit organization just to pay the bills and found a rewarding career that lasted a lifetime--so far anyway. In 2017, after more than 30 years in fundraising for progressive nonprofit organizations, I began working on a consulting basis for several different nonprofit clients. I love my job and I love my new-found liberty to do it from anywhere in the world.
I am a non-smoker and single without children, except for 3 rescued cats. My home since 1999 has been San Francisco and now Oakland, California, just across the bay. I am very lucky to co-own a two-unit house with my brother and his wife. This communal living arrangement makes it possible for me to travel whenever I wish.
When not busy with work, I enjoy reading, hiking, biking and classic film. For fun, I lead a history book club and I guide local staircase walks for an urban walking group. The video attached is a brief intro of me from the top of a favorite staircase walk in Berkeley, California.
EXPERIENCE WITH ANIMAL CARE
I grew up with cats and have been a cat-mom for my entire adult life. My cats are not just pets. They are my loved ones. A friend calls them 4-legged kids.
Years ago when I bought a home in Hawaii I took over the care of a resident feral cat colony, including trapping and neutering 9 cats. After moving from Hawaii to San Francisco, I started volunteering with Toni's Kitty Rescue and San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Through TKR, I've fostered over 200 underage and sick orphaned kittens, plus a few geriatric and fospice (foster & hospice) cats too. In addition to routine feeding and litter box maintenance, I'm experienced with pilling, insulin injections, subcutaneous fluids and more. And, of course, brushing, playing and cuddling!
There are many dogs in my extended family and I am an equal opportunity dog person. A longtime housemate (we lived together for 15 years) was a professional dog walker/sitter/boarder and with him I helped look after several fosters. I love them all--from pugs to pitbulls! Because urban walking and trail hiking are favorite activities, dogs in my care get plenty of exercise, on leash or off--whatever you prefer.
Needless to say, I'm more than happy to share a bed with any furry friend.
Why I want to house sit
I am a lucky person. I have found a way to do my "day job" remotely from anywhere in the world as long as there is reliable internet access. This new freedom--plus my love of animals and interest in travel--have inspired me to go places. I'm open to a busy city, small-town, or secluded retreat. Through house and pet sitting I hope to settle in and "live like a local" in new places while offering you the chance to travel and know that your home and pets are in safe, trustworthy and caring hands.
My experience
CAREER
Over 30 years in nonprofit management and fundraising, including special events management and grantwriting. Recent employers and consulting clients include: Legal Services for Children (San Francisco / 8 years), the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (San Francisco / 6 years ongoing), Open Gate (Oakland / 9 months ongoing) and Strategies for Social Change (New York / 6 months ongoing).
HOUSE SITTING
I will treat your home with the same sense of responsibility and care that I give to my own. I have owned a house in Hawaii and now here in Oakland, California. My current home was built in 1926 and we've had our fair share of big and small problems--leaking water heaters, electrical outages due to inadequate wiring, flooding of ground floor rooms, ongoing ant infestations, and even a car driving into our sun-porch at a high speed. At this point, I think I can handle anything!
As a young professional in New York City (quite awhile ago), I took care of homes and pets for my boss, friends and family. I have also been a tenant for much of my adult life and rented many summer houses on Fire Island, NY over the years--always returning them to their owners in perfect condition.
More recently, I've gathered excellent reviews as a guest in people's homes through Airbnb and equally positive reviews as an airbnb host when I lived in San Francisco. Do you rent out a self-catering holiday home? I can help with hosting duties while your are away.
PET SITTING
Lifelong cat-mom with experience caring for newborn, geriatric, feral and special needs cats. I have fostered orphaned kittens, fospice cats, and dogs of all sizes, and cared for a feral cat colony. Over the years I have handled:
• Pilling cats and dogs
• Anxiety and other behavior problems
• Insulin injections
• Subcutaneous fluids
• Thyroid issues
• Senior dogs unable to walk upstairs
• Ringworm treatment
• Quarantines due to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
• Feline acne
• Fleas (of course)
TRAVEL-RELATED
• Savvy budget traveler who enjoys staying in one place for a while
• Clean driver's license & public transit know-how
• Languages: Working on advanced beginner French; Some basic Italian
• Certified Tour Director, International Tour Management Institute (March 2018)
• Course Leader for WorldStrides, a leader in educational student travel (www.worldstrides.com). This position required finger printing and a criminal background check.
• Experience Designer & Tour Director with Time Travel Adventures, an emerging boutique travel company (www.timetraveladventures.com)
EDUCATION
M.A. City University of New York, Queens College/English Literature, 1989
B.A. Stony Brook University/English Literature & History, 1985
Verifications
Verification level
Basic level
Email Address, Phone Number, External references (1)
Animal Care Experience
-
Dogs
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Cats
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Horses
Availability
Preferred Countries
Profile Details
Age
Occupation
Travelling as a
Previous house sitting experience
Member benefits
Member since
House & pet sitting timeline
Shella has done 5 house sits since 2017
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EdinburghUnited KingdomJul 2018 -
LlangollenUnited KingdomJun - Jul 2018 -
OaklandUnited StatesMay 2018 -
San FranciscoUnited StatesMay 2018 -
San FranciscoUnited StatesApr 2018
