Meeting June in October (Oct. 2024)

The last two months have gifted me with new friendships, and have shown that sometimes petsitting apps can really lead to amazing encounters that you didn’t expect.

In the first part of October, I had the pleasure of meeting Molly, a tiny rescue dog from Bosnia. It is a country that has massive problems with abandoned street dogs in terrible conditions; in the capital Sarajevo alone, estimated figures say there are around 6.000 street dogs (!). Molly had come to Belgium a few years ago quite traumatized and often sick in the beginning, but now she is luckily doing great and has settled in well in her cozy apartment in Brussels city. She loves sitting in a backpack, and I loved it too because like that she could come with me absolutely everywhere. I have never seen a dog that as soon as the backpack stands on the floor, will immediately crawl into it! She is a unique mix of Chihuahua, Pomeranian and probably other breeds as well. She was so comfortable in that bag, just sleeping, and most often no one even noticed that I had a dog with me. I wish there were many more of exactly her kind, but she is the only one I have come across of that size and mix. It is very rare finding a shelter dog that is so small! 

In the second part of October, I got a job via the Pawshake app in Belgium quite last minute. You can find a lot of scams online today, but I must say this app works really well and this time it connected me to the sweetest people, the best dog and the most beautiful area in the outskirts of Brussels. June is a Husky, also a rescue dog, from the U.S., and her family had only very recently arrived in Europe. Huskies are famous for being great escape artists, and June was no exception. She had already before found a hole in the garden fence and wandered off, so I had to be extremely careful. Huskies are also famous for being very sporty and literally impossible to exhaust, and June was definitely a good example of this. We were the perfect match since I love getting up early in the morning being active, so we went running in the mornings just before dawn through the forest. The autumn colors of nature in Belgium at this time of year are just stunning! June was also very cuddly, affectionate and always lying close to me at night. It was hard leaving her as we developed a special bond, and her owners were the kindest people. 

With regards to using petsitting apps, it is recommendable for both petowners and petsitters as it gives more security. It works with reviews and the petowner pays the full agreed amount straight away, which gives the petsitter more reassurance that the agreement is actually confirmed. Having heard a lot of bad stories about petowners cancelling last minute or refusing to pay the agreed amount in the end, this definitely makes me feel safer all together when dealing with people I have never met before. Furthermore, it includes all types of insurances in case of accidents involving the dog or the sitter. 

These two new furry friendships once again show how diverse my job is and how I must be able to adapt quickly to dogs that are as different from one another as day and night. From one that is only 2,5 kg. and being carried around in a bag to one that is 10 times bigger and that I can run a marathon with! After these deeply rewarding experiences, I will now take a short holiday for myself with no doggies, before continuing with several new jobs in Spain.

MOLLY, Belgium October 2024