Kirsty and Lawrie’s UK pet sitting adventures

Calling all pet lovers! Fancy cosying up with a cute kitty in Cornwall and bunny sitting in bonny Edinburgh? Or perhaps caring for Corgis in the heart of London is more your cup of tea? Either way, the UK is where it’s at this summer - and it could be your ticket to a truly unforgettable adventure. 

To find out more about what it’s like to go pet sitting in the UK, we sat down for a chin wag with some one of our lovely members, and today we’re hearing from sitters Kirsty and Lawrie.

Since becoming members back in 2018, Kirsty and Lawrie have enjoyed 80 stays, explored the world AND of course met some seriously cute fluffy friends along the way.  A stand-out sitting moment for these two was their first venture outside of Australia and in the UK. 

Their first stop was Soberton - a quaint historic town in southern England - safe to say a much sleepier set-up than what they were used to in Melbourne.

“It was to become our first sit anywhere outside Australia, and it started something of an on-going love affair with English village life. [...] The many thatched rooves [...] giving the village a look we’d seen only on postcards.”

And it wasn’t just the slow pace of their new local town that captured the attention of these travellers.

“We were hooked ... especially after being shown into our home for the next month. Parts of it were about 400 years old and there was a well in the middle of the living room. Yes, a well.”

So who were the lucky furry friends to have Kirsty and Lawrie care for them? It was six rather independent cats, and it was perfect. The couple were able to bond with their new pals with the freedom to explore the local area in the south of England, without feeling bad about leaving their six free-spirited friends in the comfort of their Soberton home.

“Cats being ... well, cats, they did not take a lot of looking after, so we were able to spend beautiful autumn days taking in our surrounds. [...] Only steps away was an old rail trail that led in one direction to the village of Wickham and in the other to West Meon. And who knew the whole South Downs area was so stunning? We do now, having hiked and driven around. [...] We discovered yet more villages and towns, with names like Bishop’s Waltham, Droxford and — the ultimate for the one of us who is a cricket tragic — Hambledon.”

It didn’t take much for Kirsty and Lawrie to fall in love with pet sitting in the UK - historic villages, rolling hills and the sleepy way of life had them hooked. And the next stop? It was Brill - a cute village in England with two cosy pubs and a charming fish and chips van that would have been rude not to make the most of! In Lawrie’s words… 

“The culinary highlight for us was the weekly visit of the fish and chips van. Those things should be mandatory in every village.”

Between at-ease evenings eating in the local pubs (The Pheasant and The Pointer) and waiting for the weekly chip van visits, Kirsty and Lawrie made an adorable furry friend.

“Our big responsibility in Brill was Bella, a beautiful staffie Mark and Virginia had brought home from Spain, where she had been traumatised by fireworks. [...] She was very shy, but she loved playing tug of war with her rope and fetching her ball. She also loved travelling in the car with us, and she especially enjoyed stopping at nearby places such as Wotton Underwood, where there are some gorgeous walks. Bella would trot along, usually carrying the biggest stick she could find.”

And one of the best things about pet sitting in new places is exploring local landmarks and towns that would otherwise be unheard of…

“Literally right outside our front door in Brill was the village’s most outstanding landmark — the Brill Windmill is a Grade II listed post mill with 17th century origins. Now owned by the local council and managed by the Brill Society, it is beautifully restored and maintained. [...] Surrounded by a common, which also was a favourite sniffing spot for Bella, the mill attracts visitors from all over the world. We were treated to the bonus of seeing a youth choir from South Africa performing there. [...] With the use of vehicles as part of our house sits in Soberton and Brill, we also were able to make day trips further afield to bigger centres such as Southampton, the Isle of Wight, Winchester, Salisbury, Oxford and Aylesbury ... but those are other stories.”

To find out more about Kirsty & Lawrie’s pet sitting adventures, visit their website or follow them on Instagram, @housesittingtravellers.

Join the Great British summer of pet sitting! 

Feeling inspired by Kirsty and Lawrie’s adventures? Then follow in their dog-walking and kitty-cuddling footsteps this summer. Explore the UK for free in exchange for caring for adorable pets through TrustedHousesitters. 

With 5,000+ new UK sits added weekly (and lots of UK pets in need of cuddles!), now’s the perfect time to become a pet sitter and explore what the UK and beyond has to offer.