2 dogs and 2 cats seek friendly sitters at their home near the sea in Basilicata

About this assignment

The dogs are very easy and love having pet sitters. The cats are shy of strangers and need quiet winning over. We are looking for pet sitters who are confident with cats and dogs and are happy to spend time around the house. This is rural Italy and there are no fences so you need to be prepared to expect the unexpected and relaxed to cope with whatever happens. We have a small pool which needs a little daily maintenance and plants in pots that need watering. We think this sit is best suited to a couple (partners or friends). Animal loving responsible children are welcome but our accommodation is not suited to babies or toddlers.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Feeding and walking each dog twice a day (about 20-30 mins each walk). The dogs are very friendly and get on with everyone except each other so we walk them separately. You need to be careful to put one dog in his pen before you let the other one out. Wilf is epileptic and has a daily tablet in his food.
Feeding the cats twice a day (though they might ask for snacks!), giving them cuddles if they let you. The cats like to come with the dogs on their walks. They have a cat-flap and come and go as they wish.
We have a small pool that needs a little daily maintenance to keep the water fresh.
Plants in pots will welcome a daily watering if it is hot.

What are the good features of the property and location

The house is set on the top of a hill in 5 ha of land with stunning views to the sea and the mountains. We have a small swimming pool. Guest accommodation is in a separate building next to the main house (one bedroom, bathroom, kitchen/living room and sofa bed). We are 15 minutes drive from the beach. The old village of Nova Siri is 5 minutes walk away and has a restaurant, bar, pharmacy and 2 minimarkets. Other amenities are found in Nova Siri Scalo on the coast (10 minutes drive). You can walk the dogs straight from the house in the surrounding beautiful countryside. There is good wifi.

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

This is rural Basilicata. Hardly anyone speaks English, although we will ensure that house sitters have the details for a local English teacher who will translate anything and sort problems. There are local buses that run between Nova Siri paese and scalo but overall public transport is poor. A car is an advantage, although it may be possible to have the use of a small car during your stay. Please check that you would be able to get to us before you apply. The nearest airports are Brindisi or Bari, the nearest train station is Metaponto. Long distance buses run to Policoro. A number of the walks are over open uneven ground and all of them involve some steep slopes.
The accommodation has heating air conditioning. It can get really hot here in summer. As we are on the top of a hill there is usually a cooling breeze.
The dogs are used to having us around and like their routine and company. We try not to leave them on their own in their pens for more than a few hours during the day. There are lots of places to visit in the area, from the mountains of the Pollino national park to the Unesco heritage site of Matera and the Greek temple at Metaponto so to compensate for the amount of time you need to be around the house while we are away we are happy for you to stay for a while either side of the pet sit to give you time to explore without pet sitting duties. We plan to be away on holiday for 2 weeks in June but can be flexible about the exact dates. We are offering a stay for the whole month so you can explore some the rest of the time and we can visit friends for the day sometimes.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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