We are Katie and Dave
About Us
- Aloha! We are Katie & Dave Minkus, we've lived in Hawai'i for the past 25 years and have traveled the world enjoying life, food, wine, animals and the abundance of nature! We've been married for 30 years, have been Real Estate Brokers, and Dave also has had a whole career in tech. Now we have scaled back our work to continue to travel while we're still young enough to enjoy it and with both EU and US passports, we are flexible enough to care for other pets and homes without the pressure of limited vacation days.
- Combined, we have owned 16 cats and 7 dogs, starting at a very young age. Being GenX, of course we're the ones who have been caring for all the animals our entire lives. We have been watching and caring for friends' animals since 1994, all over the world. When we pet/house sit, we always leave the space better than we found it, we'll repair small things, add items missing from the kitchen, fix the internet, etc - all things that make it more comfortable for us to live in while we're there, and hopefully adds to the owner's quality of life upon their return. We can keep plants alive (mostly), take in mail, deal with garbage and recycling - all the day to day things about living and caretaking a property so that upon your return you don't need to clean up after us - your property and pets will be ready for you to step right back into home as if you'd never left!
- Travel has been a huge priority for us for decades and we have experienced how living out of a suitcase in a hotel has both its benefits and drawbacks. We also have two dogs and two cats at home and know how important it is for our valued furry family members to have a responsible, trusted, caring, loving pet sitter while we're gone. When we pet/house sit, we've found it expands our hearts and minds in a way that being a "tourist" does not - we get to know the local community, make friends and explore what it's like to live somewhere new. And best of all, we get to fall in love with wonderful, furry friends who we carry in our hearts (and on our phones!) when we leave. An added bonus? Because of our experience in Real Estate and tech, we typically wind up adding value (and sometimes fixing problems) to your living space. We were taught to leave a place better than how we found it - and we strive to do that everywhere we go
From puzzles to prey
We know how to handle your cats' "gifts" and we know how to keep them entertained too! We know when they are hungry (always) and we know how to follow the feeding guidelines you have given us even if they tell us to do otherwise!
Only Pets means we care
We are not looking to have a free vacation - we are offering our services because we LOVE taking care of pets - from cuddling with kitties to walking your dogs, playing catch and even tug on the toy!
