Gillian Walker of Adorable Creatures Petcare named SA’s best

South Australia’s best pet sitter reveals how she found her ‘dream job’ and how she is helping those in vulnerable situations keep their animals.

Emily Jarvis

2 min read

June 27, 2023 - 5:32PM

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When it comes to our pets, there is no expense spared when it comes to their safety and comfort, but for Gillian Walker, it has become her calling.

What started out as a small favour for friends and neighbours turned into South Australia’s best pet sitting service.

“I offered to look after a greyhound when someone had been let down by a pet sitter and I got into pet sitting greyhounds,” Mrs Walker said.

Gillian Walker with Winston. Pic: Supplied

“Then right in the middle of Covid, people started asking if I could look after their cats and it’s just rolled from there.

“This is my dream job.”

Now the proud owner of Adorable Creatures Petcare, Modbury North, Mrs Walker can either house your pet or stay at your home when you are away, noting it’s not just domestic animals that are on here CV.

“I’ve got experience with sheep and chooks, people have asked me to sit everything at this point,” she laughed.

“I go all over Adelaide at this point.”

However, it’s her time volunteering for Safe Pets Safe Families that has been the true highlight of Mrs Walker’s pet sitting career, helping vulnerable families with pets a safe space as they flee desperate situations such as domestic violence or try to find a home amid the ongoing rental crisis.

“I help transport animals from their families into fosters and back again,” she said.

“We allow for the pets to be in fosters while these people who are doing it tough get settled and then are able to reunite them.

“It’s very close to my heart, it’s extremely difficult to find housing with pets but at least this way it stops animals from going into shelters or even euthanised.”

Despite working with a wide range of animals, Mrs Walker believes she found her gift from an early age, growing up around animals in the UK.

“You just have to take it easy when you meet a new animal, let them come to you,” she said.

“This doesn’t feel like a job to me, I’m so lucky.”