To call Angela Laws ‘well-travelled’ would be an understatement. From Manhattan to Mumbai, she’s been all over the world. And now that she’s in her 70s, she continues to explore new places, cultures, and communities through house and pet-sitting.
Angela, a mother of two and grandmother of one, also works for TrustedHousesitters as their Social Media and Community Manager. Having been at the company since its early days, she’s helped build and develop it into the dependable international brand it is today.
So, how did Angela get into house and pet sitting in the first place? And what’s made her keep it up?
“Travelling has given me such a broad experience of different lifestyles, it’s such a huge education”
In the 1970s, Angela emigrated from the UK to the prairies of Canada. Living in Alberta and British Columbia, she worked in public relations, sales, and marketing. However, after meeting her husband, John, an executive in the oil business, it wasn’t long before she set off again on an entirely new adventure.
Angela says, “My husband’s work took us all over the world. We lived an ex-pat’s life for 25 years, in places like Italy, India, Africa, and Singapore. Travelling has given me such a broad experience of different lifestyles, experiencing the different challenges of each country – it’s such a huge education.”
But travel isn’t the only passion in Angela’s life. “I have a huge love for animals,” she explains. “It’s the one thing in my life apart from my family that gives me utter joy. I think they’re a great leveller and teach you a lot about yourself.”
Wanting to bring some of this animal magic into her life, one year, Angela took a trip back to the UK and got herself a springer spaniel puppy named Holly. “She was my best friend and companion for 14 years while we lived overseas.”
“It was when we returned to Canada and were living on Vancouver Island that we sadly lost her. It broke my heart. I had a dog sitter on the island who’d come and look after her when we went on holiday. And, after she passed away, the sitter called to ask if she was alright, as she knew she wasn’t well. And when I told her what had happened, I burst into tears.”
Angela continues, “She told me, ‘You have such a love for animals, and I have so many clients, would you consider helping me?’ At first, I said that I didn’t know. But a week later, she called me again and asked if I would look after a cocker spaniel. And that’s what started my 14-year journey as a pet and house sitter.”
Since then, Angela has used pet and house sitting as a way to connect with animals and travel all over the globe.
“I never wanted to accept money for pet sitting. I did it because I loved it”
Angela says, “When I first started pet sitting, there were two or three online platforms that you could use to find sits. You could look through what was available and then find the ones that were right for you – rather than going on the internet and just trying to find random house sits.”
“One day, when I was in the UK on a sit, I noticed that I had an email from a new platform called TrustedHousesitters, asking if I’d like to sign up. The one thing that attracted me to this platform was that it was for sitters who wouldn’t charge; they’d look after the pets and houses out of their love for animals. This was something that resonated with me because I never wanted to accept money for pet sitting. I did it because I loved it.”
After doing some research, Angela contacted Andy Peck, the founder of TrustedHousesitters. And a few hours later, he replied. “I was in Wiltshire and he was in Brighton,” Angela explains. “He drove out to see me and we had a chat that grew into a five-hour conversation. Before he left, he asked me if I’d like to help him build the company, and I said, ‘Absolutely!’”
When Angela returned to Canada, she developed her digital skills and began working remotely for TrustedHousesitters. Since then, she’s worked across almost all departments and is currently the Social Media and Community Manager. Working remotely also allows Angela to continue doing what she loves: pet and house sitting all over the world. She lives, as she describes, as a “digital nomad”.
“People pet sit for free because it’s a fair exchange. The owners, pets, and sitters all win”
The concept of TrustedHousesitters is simple: it’s a platform that connects pet owners with a community of sitters who’ll look after their animals and house for free while they’re away. This allows owners to be safe in the knowledge that their pets are safe and happy at home, and gives sitters the opportunity to travel to new places and make connections with all kinds of animals.
“People pet sit for free because it’s a fair exchange,” Angela tells us. “The owners, pets, and sitters all win. When sitters charge, like they do through other platforms, the dynamic changes. It goes from a value exchange to an employer/employee relationship. The way we do it means the owners know that the sitters are looking after their animals because it’s what they want to do.”
With TrustedHousesitters, the only money that changes hands is an annual membership fee. Both the owners and the sitters pay this, which is just another way to keep the dynamic fair and beneficial for both sides.
“If there are any extra payments made by owners – for instance, there are some owners that might want to pay for a sitter’s travel or groceries – that’s entirely up to them. It’s not something that we tell sitters will happen.”
TrustedHousesitters works like a community. Each sitter is verified, reviewed, and rated by owners, and both parties can get in touch beforehand to work out each other’s needs, and to see if they’re a good fit for one another.
Angela says, “There are other pet care and house sitting options out there, but the fact that we’re a community built on a love of animals does make us unique. We have very few sits on-site that just require homes to be looked after. I’d say 99.9% of members come to us to find people to look after their animals – but the homes get looked after too.”
“Remote working lends itself very well to house and pet sitting [...] as long as you have time for the animals”
You might be wondering how someone can spend so much time pet and house sitting if they aren’t getting paid for it? And it’s a fair question. But, as Angela explains, pet and house sitting isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle.
“Sitters use the platform in completely different ways. We have lots of sitters that only do it once or twice a year. We also have members that use sitting as their holiday or vacation. It’s so flexible. There are sits on the site to meet everyone’s needs.”
“We also have some full-time members, meaning they don’t have a permanent home and go from sit to sit. These people usually support themselves by working remotely, like I do. We have house sitters that are writers and photographers, as well as lots of retirees that want to explore new places.”
While Angela speaks, she’s keen to keep returning to the idea that the animals come first when house sitting.
“Remote working lends itself very well to house and pet sitting because you can obviously earn a living while you sit. But this only works as long as you have time for the animals. This is the key. If you’re working [remotely] while you pet sit, the first priority is the pets, then the home that you’re looking after, and then your job.”
“You can incorporate other things into your day, and you have the time and flexibility to do the things that you love”
The flexibility of the pet-sitting lifestyle is something Angela treasures. She says, “Even when you’re looking after a pet, it doesn’t have to occupy you 24/7. You can incorporate other things into your day, and you have the time and flexibility to do the things you love.
“For example, I once had an eight-month sit in Spain. And while I was there, I volunteered with a horse rescue centre every day. I also got involved with the community and other organisations. The fact is you live like a local wherever you go – it’s very different to travelling as a tourist.
“I think it’s the whole experience that makes any one sit special. It’s the animals and the fact that you connect with people. You become part of their story and they become part of yours.”
“House and pet sitting is perfect for older adults”
For all its benefits – the first and foremost of which are undoubtedly making unique connections with animals and travelling to new places – the lifestyle of a pet and house sitter is certainly not one that appeals to everyone. Some people might be unsure as to whether it’s for them.
“Nothing in life is for everyone. And not everyone can live this lifestyle. But if you feel like you can and you want to try it, it’s best to start with short-term, local sits. It’s also very helpful to do as much research as you can beforehand. TrustedHousesitters has a blog filled with user stories that you can use to get tips from experienced sitters.”
As an experienced sitter herself, Angela has plenty of advice of her own to give:
“To be a successful sitter, you need to be an animal lover first and foremost. You need to have patience and confidence in your own ability to solve problems. You also need to be able to handle the unexpected – because all sorts of challenges can arise when you’re on a sit.”
“House and pet sitting is perfect for older adults. The thing that life experience gives you is an understanding of yourself; what you’re good at, what you’re not, what it is you like, and what it is you don’t. If you’ve managed your own home before, then you can certainly look after someone else’s. It’s not rocket science, but you have to be adaptable, responsible, and flexible.”
“Everyone needs a purpose in life, and this is mine”
In recent years, the pandemic has made it difficult for Angela to do as much travelling and house sitting as she wants. But she has absolutely zero plans to slow down. In fact, she’s already got sits lined up for this year, including ones in Seattle and San Diego.
Angela says, “The fact that I work remotely means that I can go anywhere in the world, do anything and look after anything.
“I’ll continue to pet and house sit for as long as I can because once you get into this lifestyle, you want to do it for as long as you can. Everyone needs a purpose in life, and this is mine. I wish everyone could have the life I have because, I tell you what, it’s quite good.”
Does the house and pet-sitting lifestyle appeal to you? Are you inspired by Angela’s story? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.