Bringing home owners and house sitters together
House, horse and pet sitters required in central Portugal
Portugal, Leiria
Pets
- Dog(s)
- Cat(s)
- Horse/Donkey(s)
- Chicken(s)
2 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 chickens
Dates
- 18 Dec 2024 to 4 Jan 2025 (2 sitters have applied for these dates)
- 4 Apr 2025 to 21 May 2025 (4 sitters have applied for these dates)
About this assignment
I am looking for people who are able to look after my 3 dogs, 4 cats, 2 horses, and 3 chickens. One of the horses is a sensible lady and easy to handle. The other is younger, and can be a bit naughty at times, so she needs someone who is confident and capable around horses. I need someone for about 3 weeks over Christmas 2023 to just after new year 2024
What responsibilities are required of the house sitter
Feeding and mucking out and turning out/bringing in changing rugs etc of the two horses, and checking the fences around the fields. Feeding and exercising my three dogs; which are mixed breeds. Feeding the cats and chickens.
I am in the process of creating a new garden, so a little watering of new plants may be rerquired.
Basic cleaning in the house, watering the pot plants on the terrace and keeping the swimming pool topped up and basic pool care, such as checking chlorine and Ph levels, and adding chemicals if necessary. Rescuing the toads which seem to like falling in overnight and cleaning the pool once a week. Its very easy.
What are the good features of the property and location
The house is a modern 3 bedroomed property, with a large kitchen and a covered outside terrace with seating and dining areas along with a built in BBQ. The accommodation is all on one level with the garage and storage below in the basement.
Outside there is about 2 hectares, mostly divided into paddocks for the horses, with easy access to hose pipes for filling buckets.
My home on the edge of a village which contains a small shop and cafe within walking distance. The village is between 2 towns each about 6km away, where there are markets, supermarkets, chemists etc. and perfectly adequate for all requirements.
In the local area there are lakes and river beaches within easy reach and the city of Coimbra is about 45 minutes away with lots to see and do especially around the university. The World Heritage site at Tomar, the Convento do Cristo is half an hour away.
What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment
There is little or no public transport here, I do have a vehicle that you can use as long as you are over 30 (insurance) , but if you are not from an EU country you may need to arrange an international driving permit. The area is quiet and rural, most of the people who live locally have small holdings, and are older and do not speak English. Although there are an increasing number of foreign residents they are widely spread, so sitters would need to be independent and prepared to learn a bit of Portuguese! The neighbours will be very interested in you, but they are friendly and helpful.
Can I bring my own pets?
No, sorry.
Last updated:
9 October 2024
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Testimonials
Beautiful stay in the Portuguese countryside, with lovely well behaved animals!
Joanna was incredibly helpful when we arrived for an our housesit, she introduced us to neighbours incase we needed anything. Joanna’s communication was great and she was always available if we had any questions, usually about replenishing horse food! The cats were no trouble at all, and were very entertaining! The dogs were incredibly sweet, we are especially missing Ernie, who is such a character. The horses were very easy to manage, and great fun once they got to know us. The local Portuguese neighbours are incredibly friendly, and the local bar is great to visit. If you get the chance to try Joanna’s cooking, don’t turn it down! It’s amazing! The house is beautiful and we loved our time there. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend housesitting for Joanna to anyone, you’ll have a wonderful time.
Caitlin, United Kingdom, 13 Jun 2023
Wonderful 3 weeks near Leiria
Everything was great at Joanna's. Lovely, comfortable, modern, spacious home. Three lovely dogs to keep us company as well as cats and 2 horses. Property is large, but not overwhelming. Joanna introduced us to several neighbors over lovely dinners, so we felt at home and well connected should any need arise, none did. The area is gorgeous and we managed a few good hikes. We liked the area so much it is on our short list of areas to live in Portugal. Mainly the welcoming residents and the beauty of the area attracted us. Joanna is a fabulous host/homeowner. We had all the information we needed and great communication during our stay. We would gladly care for Joanna's menagerie again.
Kim, Portugal, 25 Oct 2022
Fantastic experience.
I feel tempted to leave a bad review so no other person would want to housesit for them and I could keep them for myself. I had such a nice time housesitting for Joanna and Rick! I spent just a little time with them at both ends of the assignment, and they made me feel very comfortable and welcome. They introduced me to several of their friends who repeatedly invited me over for dinner during the time I was there. Their friends are the coolest, funniest people I've met in a long time. Caring for the animals was such a joy! They are all very sweet natured and great companions to hang out with. Being so many they kept me entertained all day, even though the daily chores regarding the animals were easy and not really very time consuming. The house is very comfortable, spacious and quiet, surrounded by nature. The area is beautiful and offers lots of hiking possibilities. I would go back in a heartbeat!
Paula, Spain, 14 Jun 2018
A charming Farm Stay
Joanna and Rick are very accomodating hosts and were organized in their orientation to the farm and the chores. They also introduced us to their friends and local shop owner, all of which were important contacts. They communicated during their vacation, making sure all was going good. They provided the use of their truck, which was very important, since there is really no public transportaion that is viable to use. We enjoyed our time in central Portugal.
Linda, 07 November, 2017