Hi, I’m Will! I’m a lifelong animal lover based in Romsey, and within my family and circle of friends I’ve somehow become “the person to ask” when someone needs their dog looking after. That might be having them stay with me, popping in to keep them company and a walk or staying at their home while they’re away.

I’ve regularly looked after my parents Jack Russell for many years, and we’ve probably covered a fair chunk of Hampshire together! I love getting out for a proper walk, and the New Forest is a particular favourite. She won’t be at my home when I have boarding or day care bookings (which is fine as she's a bit of an old girl now!), so visiting dogs can have the place to be themselves.

I live with my partner in a lovely gatehouse belonging to the Broadlands Estate, with a large garden and some fantastic countryside walks right on our doorstep. I love a very good walk with a doggo, so if you want more substantial walks that's something I can usually accommodate.

Dogs staying with me are treated as part of the household. I’m very happy to follow their normal feeding, walking and sleeping routines, accommodate their individual quirks and generally make their stay feel as much at home as possible.

One thing I do need to mention is that one side of our garden has a fairly low fence. For most dogs this is absolutely fine, but if yours is an enthusiastic jumper or escape artist, they would be taken into the garden on a lead. As beautiful as Broadlands is, I don’t particularly fancy spending my evening chasing your Labrador around the estate! 😂

Alongside pet sitting, I work a four-days-on, four-days-off pattern, which actually gives me four consecutive days where I can be particularly flexible with bookings.

During my working days I sometimes work from home and sometimes need to go out. I can also arrange for someone trusted to pop in and let a dog out when necessary. I completely appreciate that this arrangement won’t suit every dog/owner. Some are perfectly content snoozing for a few hours and others need almost constant company. I would much rather be upfront about that than take a booking that isn’t right for you.

That’s why open and honest communication is really important to me. I’d always prefer to have a proper conversation about your pet, their routine and what you expect from me, and equally explain exactly what I can offer before deciding together whether we’re a good fit.

As well as overnight boarding and doggy day care in my home, I can offer dog walking, home visits and occasional house sitting. I’m also very happy caring for cats through home visits in their own home, although unfortunately I can’t accommodate cats at my house.

And my experience isn’t limited to dogs and cats. Over the years I’ve been entrusted with all sorts of family and friends animals, including chickens and even a tortoise on one occasion, so I’m always happy to discuss care for other pets too. 🐢

Ultimately, I know how much trust is involved in handing your pet over to somebody else. I want you to feel completely comfortable with the arrangement before you book. Tell me about your pet, what makes them happy, their routine, their peculiar little habits and what you’re looking for from a pet carer, and we can have a chat about whether me and my home are the right fit for them. And likewise, I'd rather be upfront and honest if the week you've asked for isn't good for me for whatever reason than make commitments I will fall short on.

Please feel free to get in touch if you think I might be able to help you out, and even if you're not sure, it's worth a chat at least!