I immediately bonded with the two dogs and the owner, the two cats took a little more time. I was very nervous to say the least but Sherri, the owner, made me feel very relaxed and welcome. It was very apparent she cared for her animals as I do my own. I was on vacation from my regular job Christmas week so this was a perfect opportunity for me.

A few days before Christmas, my own cat of twelve years, Dusty, was found to have a tumor in his abdomen. Blood work revealed he was a good candidate for surgery, however, the vet could not know how extensive the internal organ involvement was without surgery. I felt compelled that if this tumor could be removed and give Dusty a few more years of quality life I needed to act quickly.

I opted for surgery after the vet explained it might involve removing part of his intestine and chemotherapy. I did not want to wait till after Christmas because I felt I would be home and able to care for him Christmas week. The surgery was performed December 23, 1997. When the vet called during the surgery with the heartbreaking news that there were many smaller tumors and that the pancreas was involved I was devastated. I was about to lose one of my lifetime companions.

Unfortunately, I guess there comes a time in everyone's life when we have to make decisions that are very difficult, but no one knows when they make that decision what the outcome will be. Dusty did make it through the surgery, but in the morning on Christmas eve the vet called and said Dusty was not responding and recommended euthanasia. I was with Dusty for his last breath and apologized for putting him through the pain.

Needless to say, I still had a job to do taking care of two healthy dogs and cats. I am very thankful to Sherri for the opportunity to care for her pets that week. It really meant a lot for me to give back some of the love Dusty had given me for so many wonderful years. This was truly a loving experience for me and her pets and an appreciation for their life and the love that they give us.

Sherri was very satisfied with the job I had done pet sitting and not only did she pay my fee, but also sent me a gift certificate for dinner and a list of neighbors that I could send information to about my business. I have since sat for Sherri on two other occasions.

Pet sitting takes a lot of dedication and responsibility. I know I am capable of both of these and am proud to be a part of such a profession.