Shirley Jackson Southern Vermont Foliage Escape with 2 funny dogs & 1 talkative cat

About this assignment

We require applicants to have a reference in mind my house.
We will not respond to applicants who do not have references on this site … and a police check if possible.

We require someone to care for, play with, feed and clean up after our talkative cat named Geoffrey and our two dogs - Emma & Salvatore (Sal, Sally) . We'll also need this person to water indoor plants (possibly some plants on front porch) and maintain a tidy space within the home. The individual will ensure that the animals do not cause harm to anything inside the house by keeping them entertained with plenty of time outside for the dogs and belly rubs for all. Additionally, no other individuals may enter the home during your stay.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Feeding, cleaning the litter pan and providing love and attention for our talkative cat. Geoffrey is an indoor cat only and though he might seem like he would be interested in going outside, he may not.
Let the dogs outside between 6am-8am, 11am-1pm and 7pm-9pm or as needed for play or bladder relief. Dogs cannot be left alone for longer than 5 hours. The dogs need to be let outside one at a time and have collars that work with our invisible fence to keep them inside the designated area .. which is roughly 1.5 acres. You will need to monitor the dogs when they are outside. Sometimes other dogs may come onto our yard and our dogs will then need to come inside. The dogs may not go outside just to bark at passing dogs. This will happen more often than not. The dogs may not go outside if there are art enthusiasts in our side yard admiring the sculptures that are a part of the North Bennington Outdoor Sculpture Show that lasts June - November.
Water indoor plants and plants near front steps if there are any there upon your arrival.
Keep home tidy & clean.
Take out recycling and trash on assigned day of the week and return bins once emptied to side of house.

What are the good features of the property and location

The home is located in a small Vermont village walkable to Bennington College, four local restaurants, a small general store market, a magical bookshop (tarot cards, etc) and many, many trails for great walks with outstanding vistas. A larger grocery is 3 miles down the road. We will leave a list of recommendations. This housesitting gig is right during a high tourist season for Vermont as it will be right during foliage.

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

Potential house sitters need to love cats & dogs and be able to care for them well. They also need to be an organized and tidy person. Our cat is very vocal and meows for attention, food, his litter, just because. The sitter must be comfortable with a talkative sweet cat that never bites or scratches. We live in an 1860's historic home that is mostly under construction with renovations in many parts of the house. It is cold in the winter and hot in the summer. This is a rural area, so you will need a car. The house attracts tourists for two reasons and you may find people on the porch during the day or taking photos on the sidewalk and this is fine. The house was the last home of a famous mid-century modern writer named, Shirley Jackson. She wrote a story called The Lottery for The New Yorker magazine in the late 1940's that caused quite a stir and was often required reading for high school students in the New England region in previous generations. She also wrote more popular book called - The Haunting of Hill House - which a version may be found on Netflix. The house is also a Vermont licensed & inspected micro-bakery which is usually open on Saturday mornings. A calendar will be posted on the front door alerting patrons that the micro-bakery is closed. No one may enter the home during your housesitting gig.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

Enlarge map