House Sitters Canada

House sitting & pet sitting exclusively for Canada

Helen

Keeper of the hearth

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Picture of House Sitter, House Minder and Pet Sitter at House Sitters Canada, Canada. User Keeper of the hearth
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Gold (24mths)
House Sitting Preferences
  • 1 - 2 weeks, 2 - 4 weeks, 1 - 2 months, 2 months +
  • Dog(s), Cat(s), Horse(s)
Preferred Locations
  • Alberta: Central, Edmonton & Rockies   British Columbia: Vancouver Coast & Mountains, Vancouver Island   Ontario: Central, Northern, Southwest  
Availability
  • NEXT 6 MONTHS    
    Available    
    Unavailable
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
    Aug
    Sep
  • 2024: 12Mar-14Jul | 8Aug-24Aug
  • On a house-sit right now

Keeper of the hearth

retired, cellist/teacher

Recently retired symphony cellist, now living in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. During 17 years freelancing in Atlanta, GA and throughout the South, I was lucky to play concerts with many great performers, including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Harry Connick, Jr. In Canada, I was a member of the Calgary Philharmonic, and began my career in the Victoria Symphony. House sitting while travelling is my new career; loving animals comes naturally.

In 2019 and 2020 I travelled across Canada for a total of 10 house-sits, caring for many cats and dogs, chickens, baby goats and fish in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and B.C. It was enormously rewarding, and I still keep in touch with several hosts. In December, 2023, I spent three weeks in London, UK with a lovely ginger cat named Archie.

Horses rescued me through Covid lock downs! I helped out at a local stable for three years, mucking, feeding and grooming eight beauties. Here in Niagara, I house sit regularly, enjoying the companionship and antics of many dogs and cats.

No health issues. I'm an avid walker, hiker, cyclist and kayaker. Single, no children. Former property owner and expert gardener.

I look forward to caring for your precious companions and home while you travel and enjoy your own adventures with complete peace of mind. My own cats lived long and happy lives, as did my beloved Tabu, a rescued Alaskan Malamute mix.

(I have attached a recent review for my stay in London, UK through Trusted Housesitters, and two other references. I rejoined House Sitters Canada recently.)




Reviews (7)
Right from the beginning, it was great that Helen kept in contact, and closer to the sit, it was perfect that she let us know exactly her arrival time. When finally here, she was excited to see all Sooke had to offer, not to mention was very cuddly with our dog and cats - we can see they adored her attention. It was also nice of her to agree to drop us off at the airport, and pick us up when needed. We were happy that she kept in contact with us (via WhatApp), sending us photos and letting ... MORE
 
BRAD + JULIE ( British Columbia, Nov 2019 - 3 weeks)
Helen looked after our Spirit and home as if they were her own. We returned from nearly 3 months away to a clean orderly home and a healthy and happy Samoyed. Helen even changed all the bedding and washed all the towels, and added bonus picked us up at the airport!! Helen was very good at communicating with us regularly with pictures of Spirit and stories about how they were making out. Any questions she had were sent via text or what's app in a timely manner. Thanks Helen. keep in touch - ... MORE
 
JOAN ( British Columbia, Jan 2020 - 2 months)
Helen was a wonderful sitter. We had clear and easy communication leading up to throughout her stay. She sent us photos and updates of our cats while we were away, and checked in often. She is very friendly, and we felt that we could trust her to care for our pets and home quickly upon meeting her. She also left our home spotless when she left, which we really appreciated. I would certainly use Helen as a sitter again, and recommend her to others.
 
CARLY ( British Columbia, Oct 2019 - 1 week)
We are a family of 5 who travel on a regular basis. For the first time this Summer, we chose to try the house sitting experience while we were abroad for 3 weeks. Helen has been a great house sitter. She took greatly care of our property. We leave on a one acre land with a in-ground pool and everything was perfectly maintained when we were back. She also took care of our cat who was visibly top shape when we returned. Helen answers quickly to her communications and she provides a lot of ... MORE
 
VALERIE ( Quebec, Jul 2019 - 3 weeks)
We were fortunate to have Helen care for our animals on two separate occasions this summer, while we got away for some canoe camping. Our animals are used to lots of regular attention and love. Helen was able to continue with the rhythms and routines that we have established. Our animals were well cared for! We were able to check in via text or phone regularly and received updates and reassurances that all was well. We are grateful for Helen and her willingness to move into the space ... MORE
 
SARA ( Ontario, Jul 2019 - 4 days)
Helen is a lovely lady. She took care of our pets and even though one of our beloved dogs had to be put to sleep during her stay, she handled it with grace and compassion. Her communication while we were away was excellent and if she had any questions or issues, she was quick to action them or ask for help from the list of numbers we provided for her. Wishing you all the best in your future sits Helen! :-)
 
JACQUELINE ( Ontario, Jun 2019 - 3 weeks)
No rating Helen did a great job looking after house and our animals. This was no small feat! Our young dog needs tons of exercise and constant attention not to mention managing 3 cats, 9 chickens and 8 acres of property. She's extremely competent and gave us multiple updates. We felt very confident and could relax on our holiday knowing that she was looking after the animals as if they were her own. Also the house was spotless when we got back. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend her!
JOEY (Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario, May 2019)
 
Garden Maintenance

Green garden!

Make sure the garden and potted plants are thriving when you get back - get a house sitter.

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