Pets are like our children too, and for some busy pawrents, having a service that could help them pet-sit can be of a convenience. For certified pet-sitter Amy Ung, she has a decade of experience watching over pets for others — and to her, the job is a fulfilling and worthwhile experience, being able to watch over cuddly dogs and cats.
Paw Prints on Her Heart
The phrase “dogs are man’s best friend” rings through in many circumstances. Though they can’t communicate as humans do, dogs — or animals in general — can gesture love and kindness through their respective ways. And in some ways, they do inspire a person to change.
For Amy Ung Mei Chyi, her stint as a professional pet sitter was inspired by the days spent with her pet, Joanne the Dalmatian. Wanting a Dalmatian since watching the “101 Dalmatians” movie, Amy and her brother had persuaded their father to adopt one from a pet shop.
“I met Joanne — the one with a pair of gentle brown eyes, a small, playful and beautiful two-month-old Dalmatian puppy — in 2002. It was one of the happiest moments in my life, a dream which came true.”
The duo spent the next decade and more together, with Joanne often waiting for her to get home. There were days when Joanne would follow Amy to her neighbour’s house or her tuition centre furtively.
“And when I walked out, I was shocked to see her waiting for me. In my teenage years, I would bully her by making her run after me as I cycled to a row of shop lots and other parks not far from home. Although she may be tired, she still never fails to be there for me. From that moment, I knew she was like a family.”
Joanne accompanied Amy throughout the depressing moments in her teenage years, with problems stemming from school. The Dalmatian is often a comfort to Amy each time she leaps towards Amy to lick the tears away.
“I cried so hard and thought that from that day, Joanne will forever be my best buddy and she’ll be my everything. I’ll also be there whenever she needs me too! One time, we made a pact together that if ever she needed to leave, I would be the last person to send her off.”
As time passes by, Joanne reached the age where she wasn’t as energetic as she was before. When she became bedridden in the mid-2010s, Amy would keep her company, “and that was when the 24-hour pet sitting service idea crossed my mind.”
To her, the agony of a pet spending its last few days can be depressing.
“While watching Joanne in her last days, I had a thought that hit me — do other pet owners face this problem? Are they able to handle it?”
Exploration of the idea
A former photographer, Amy had met a friend during her Singapore trip in 2011. An experienced pet sitter, Amy became curious about her friend’s job. Her friend, Crystal was willing to teach her various knowledge, as well as take her along to a sitting job.
It was watching Crystal handling the dogs during her sitting hours — cuddling, feeding, accompanying — that became an eye-opener to Amy.
“I realised that being with pets can make one so happy and stress-free.
“It was enjoyable to see and play with other fur babies at different homes. You can truly feel their happiness when they are being loved and cared for. Crystal told me that it was the happy faces and loving cuddles of the fur babies when they saw and greeted you at the door, and that was what kept her motivated as a pet sitter. And that is also what motivated me to become a pet sitter too,” added the 34-year-old.
Inspired by the journey, Amy dropped her job as a full-time photographer and worked for a pet shop — Purr Pets — in Kuching to gain the experience of being a pet carer. There, she learned many more about taking care of dogs with the shop’s owner, Diana.
While working for Diana, she regularly flies to Singapore to gain insight on pet-sitting by working part-time alongside Crystal.
It wasn’t until 2016 that she had gotten the courage to pursue pet-sitting as a full-time job. Her time working in the pet store had helped her meet her first client in Kuching.
“The client had expressed the scarcity to look for a reliable pet sitter here. Diana immediately introduced me to her. I told her honestly, I have had pet-sitting experience with others, but not by myself,” she recalled.
Nonetheless, the client was supportive and encouraging towards Amy’s endeavour. In 2016, she became a full-fledged pet sitter in Kuching, watching over countless canines and felines.
Though most days, Amy would visit her client’s homes to pet-sit their dogs or cats. However, there are days when her home is open as a boarding centre for the pets from her regular clients.
“Sometimes, my clients have pets that are sick and need extra care. In our shelter, we provide 24-hour care so our regular clients don’t feel stressed and lose sleep while watching over their sick pets.”
Journey as a pet-sitter
While watching over dogs and cats can be a therapy to Amy, she shared that there are challenges. Explaining further, the pet-sitter said that usually, neutered pets are easier to care for.
“Whereas, pets that are not neutered can be more aggressive as they would want to mate most times. I usually encourage owners to neuter their pets. However, if they refuse and are looking for a boarding centre, I usually advise them to consult a dog trainer to handle aggressive pets,” she said.
Asked how she knows what to do when watching over a pet, Amy disclosed that it is all about the body language of the animal.
“We usually observe and read their body language from their perspective and befriend them in the beginning through communicating.”
With over a decade of experience in the field, Amy revealed that she has met many dog and cat species. Among the many she has had the opportunity to watch over different breeds of dogs such as Pitbull, Rottweiler, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Bichon Avanese and many others; and cats such as Mainecoon, Ragdoll, Bengal, Munchkin and others — and not to forget our local cats and dogs.
Having met the different species of both animals, Amy commented about the behaviour as having a variety of personalities.
“Based on my observation, the behaviour varies with how they are treated. Dogs kept on a leash or cage the majority of the time have the tendency to be more aggressive. However, if given lots of love, they can become affectionate companions.”
Nevertheless, Amy shared that dogs are more loyal and protective and would love their owners regardless of how they are being treated.
Aside from pet-sitting for dogs and cats, being a certified pet-sitter and dog walker, Amy also provides pet-sitting and day-care services for other pets such as fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and others.
Those who would like to use Amy’s service can contact her at 014-3939139, or visit her Facebook page (Pet Nannies).
