Mature, Caring, Reliable and Respectful Sitter
(Solo/Couple) to Assist with Pets and Home
Hi, I am Kathleen, and my husband is Dan.
I am a recently retired 60-year-old and my husband is a very young 75-year-old. We are both non-smokers, physically fit, financially independent, responsible, reliable and respectful.
Dan is a retired fireman/paramedic who over his lifetime has owned many homes/rentals and has done all the maintenance and remodeling himself.
I owned a residential property management company with a maintenance division for 15 years. I managed 250 homes, 7 employees and worked with 110 property owners. My office was pet friendly and we had dogs and cats hanging out with us as ambassadors for the business. The properties I managed were all pet friendly as well.
We are both calm and competent with the ability to assess and handle situations of all kinds. We will communicate with you as much or as little as you like.
Dan has spent decades traveling in Mexico and I have lived as an expat many times with my last stint being three years in Japan. We are not tourists. We are travelers who love exploring off-beat places, family restaurants, and local markets. The idea of living like a local is what appeals to us.
As a childless couple we have always had pets (dogs, cats, and birds) and of course treat them like our kids. Doggie massages are my specialty. We promise to care for your babies and home with love and respect and follow your instructions to a tee.
What I loved most about my business was the relationships I had with my clients and being able to help them live their lives without the worry of their rental. I look forward to doing the same for my house/pet sitting clients.
I know what is like to not take trips, or scramble to find family or friends to care for your pets, bring in the mail, and water the plants if you unexpectedly need to be away. We would consider it an honor to care for your loved ones and home, to allow you to be away, not worry, and return home to happy fur/feather babies, mail stacked neatly, green plants, and a home just the way you left it.
“I completely trust Kathleen and Dan with pet sitting my doggy, Crunchie. They are responsible, caring and always go above and beyond to ensure she’s happy and safe. I can relax knowing she’s in great hands with them.”
Sabine Hartmann
Santa Cruz, CA
Hi I am Kathleen.
I am recently retired and ready to start traveling the world again. I have had the privledge of living in Sweden, Mexico and Japan and have traveled to 48 countries. I also love being of service which was the key to my success as a property management business owner. I am detailed and organized with a To Do lists at all times.
One of my dreams in retirement is to live internationally again, but without the work as the motivating source I started researching different kinds of travel and stumbled upon house and pet sitting. The idea of being able to care for someone’s fur baby and home is right up my alley. It gives my travel a real purpose and the opportunity to see places that are off the beaten path.
As an adult I have always had pets and as mentioned I incorporated my love for animals into my business. Life is just better with pets. Every day upon returning from work all the neighbood dogs would hear my car and come running…I was the treat lady.
Currently, we are free to travel and have no furry family members. Our home, in Santa Cruz, CA is located at the beach and our daily routine was to walk our labrador, Woody. We loved the opportunity to meet neighbors and the parents of all our doggy friends. Murphy, Lizzy, Woodson, Pickles, etc. (nobody knows the people’s names, but we all know the dog’s names!)
I’m an avid reader, love the cross-cultural experience of food, learning the language and getting to know the people. Prior careers included College Instructor, Consultant/Business Coach, English as a Second Language Teacher and Cross-Cultural Trainer for the US State Department. I also worked in Financial Planning and Software Marketing.
I look forward to meeting you and your family members.
“On the occasions when we can’t take our pups with us and family isn’t available our go-to sitters are Kathleen and Dan. Our dogs love Kathleen’s masterful doggie massages. We do not worry an iota about our pups when they are with Kathleen and Dan. We come home to happy pups and a house as we left it. It is a blessing to know we can trust and count on them to care for our pups in our absence.”
Scott and Linda F
Santa Cruz, CA
Hi I am Kathleen.
I am recently retired and ready to start traveling the world again. I have had the privledge of living in Sweden, Mexico and Japan and have traveled to 48 countries. I also love being of service which was the key to my success as a property management business owner. I am detailed and organized with a To Do lists at all times.
One of my dreams in retirement is to live internationally again, but without the work as the motivating source I started researching different kinds of travel and stumbled upon house and pet sitting. The idea of being able to care for someone’s fur baby and home is right up my alley. It gives my travel a real purpose and the opportunity to see places that are off the beaten path.
As an adult I have always had pets and as mentioned I incorporated my love for animals into my business. Life is just better with pets. Every day upon returning from work all the neighbood dogs would hear my car and come running…I was the treat lady.
Currently, we are free to travel and have no furry family members. Our home, in Santa Cruz, CA is located at the beach and our daily routine was to walk our labrador, Woody. We loved the opportunity to meet neighbors and the parents of all our doggy friends. Murphy, Lizzy, Woodson, Pickles, etc. (nobody knows the people’s names, but we all know the dog’s names!)
I’m an avid reader, love the cross-cultural experience of food, learning the language and getting to know the people. Prior careers included College Instructor, Consultant/Business Coach, English as a Second Language Teacher and Cross-Cultural Trainer for the US State Department. I also worked in Financial Planning and Software Marketing.
I look forward to meeting you and your family members.
Hi I am Dan.
I have been retired for 24 years and have been able to play without adult supervision. Kathleen jokes that our home looks like a sporting goods store and she just might be right. I would describe myself as an avid outdoor sportsman, from mountain climbing, hunting, fishing, to windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking and golf. I have completed 3 bike rides over the Alps which was not only a major accomplishment for me but a stunningly beautiful experience. In recent years I have picked up pickleball. I have a degree in Chemistry which has been put to good use. I had a hobby of making craft beer for years and switched over to making award winning wine for the last 24 years.
I have spent 5 decades traveling to Baja California, Mexico, where I love to surf, fish, and camp. My love for Baja stems from its remoteness and beauty. You must be self-reliant – pack in all your own water, food, necessities and if something goes wrong you have to find a way to fix it.
I bought my first home in my early 20’s and through the years had rentals as well. I have done most of the work myself, which is not only a money saving venture, but the knowledge gained for how things work and the ability to troubleshoot problems is a skill not many have anymore. At this time in my life, I pay someone else to do the work once I have diagnosed the problem.
I grew up with pets from dogs to pigeons. During college I traded my labor for lower rent by caring for a kennel of Bichon Frise’s. I am 6’5” (2 meters) so a pretty funny sight to behold. After college I had labradors that I trained for bird hunting. I have a soft spot for animals of all kinds.
In my career as a fireman/paramedic, and later Deputy Chief, I had to assess emergencies, plan for contingencies, and manage the prevention department. I hope this reassures you of my competency and ability to properly respond to situations which might come up.
I make friends easily and love to cook. Kathleen and I have been together 40 years and caring for your home and pets is a retirement goal we can share together. She is the linguist and culturally inquisitive of the two of us, but I am game for anything which makes me an easy travel companion. We make a great team and look forward to allowing you the opportunity to be away from home without worry.
I look forward to meeting you and your family members.
“I am writing to highly recommend Kathleen Richards and Dan Heiser as responsible and trustworthy pet and house sitters. They took care of our home and beloved pets during their recent stay, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the care and attention they provided.
They demonstrated excellent responsibility in looking after our property. Kathleen and Dan maintained our home in pristine condition, ensuring that all household chores were completed, and our plants were well taken care of. We returned to find our home just as we left it—clean, organized, and secure.
Moreover, Kathleen and Dan were fantastic with our pets. They provided them with the love and attention they needed in our absence. Both followed all care instructions diligently, ensuring that our pets were fed, and received their medications on schedule. Our kitties seemed content and happy upon our return, which is a true testament to provided.
Communication with Kathleen and Dan was seamless. They kept us updated regularly with messages and photos, which gave us great peace of mind while we were away.
In summary, they are excellent pet and house sitters who go above and beyond in their duties. We would not hesitate to entrust them with our home and pets again in the future and highly recommend them to anyone in need of these services.”
Liliane Molda
Santa Cruz, CA
Click Below to download document in pdf format:
1. Homeowner Preparation Checklist2. Home and Pet Manual Template
3. Interview Questions for Homeowners To Ask
4. House Sitting Agreement
5. Automobile Authorization Form English
6. Vet Treatment Authorization English
7. Homeowner Estate Tour Checklist
8. Kathleen’s Red Cross Cat & Dog First Aid Certificate
9. Kathleen’s Criminal Clearance
10. Dan’s Criminal Clearance
“We’ve had the privilege of almost 40 years of friendship with Kathleen and Dan. We’ve always known them to be exceptional pet owners themselves, with a love and compassion for their own dogs and offering a loving home to many stray cats that have come their way.
We would wholeheartedly trust them to care for our pets.
They are very friendly, trustworthy, dependable and have excellent communication skills in all aspects of their life. All the attributes you would want in someone you trust with your pets. We highly recommend them!”
Lisa & Mark Sears
Seaside, CA
