When is a house pet free?
One of the big requirements of our exchange search every year
is the request to have no pets in the house.
On the first year we we’re told just before the flight that
there would be a tiny rabbit in need of being taken care of. When we arrived, a
guinea-pig had also materialized. Mind you, I’m not opposed to feeding other
people’s pets, but I refuse to have them living with me.
The owners had built a temporary hold in the garden, nicely
fenced in and there were enough supplies to keep them going. The problem was
that these two much loved animals – presumably belonging to the 9 year-old girl
in the family- were used to residing in the home- judging from the smell all
over the house.
I object to that.
In another swap, we knew that they had a dog, but it
wouldn’t be there during our time at their house. Well and good. The place
still reeked of a dog. I had brought a lot of Febreeze and within a couple of
days, my overly delicate nose had gotten used to it. But what’s with all the
fish? In a pond outside and in an aquarium in the dining-room? They need to be
fed twice a day. That means you can’t even go away for the weekend without fear
of letting them starve. What part of “NO PETS” is so hard to understand?
We joked with our next home swappers in Bad Honnef when we met
them face to face: the next step up the animal line would be a snake or a
little tiger. Anything of these species? God forbid no. And there were none in
their house.
And we on our part advised them to keep the porch door
closed to let no gecko come into our house in Florida.
Amsterdam was a different kettle of fish altogether. No,
there were no fish involved, you’re right. A multitude of spiders on the deck,
and plank way to the boat, weaving their webs between planters, ropes, chairs,
sun umbrellas , even me as soon as I sat out there..
The first grey hairs made me suspicious but I merely brushed
them off the sofa. Then they were spotted under the table on the deck. My
daughter pointed out,” They must have a dog, here’s a dog blanket in the car!”
So she named what we hadn’t dared to verbalize. A pet! A hairy one! Hence the
smell, particularly in the bedroom; claustrophobically small, remember?
We lived with that for 3 days and three nights until the
itching and the biting started. First we thought of mosquitoes being the
offenders.
One thing was clear. There was more to the dog than met the
eye. Well, wherever he was, because he wasn’t even there. Yes, I mean the
hopping variety of bugs also called fleas.
It may all have been excusable and understandable that a
visiting dog of one of the visiting children had left his mark.
But to be looking for a “pet free “exchange partner
themselves when their boat is ridden, infested with fleas is more than an
oversight. But maybe fleas don’t qualify into the category of pets and therefore
should be of no concern to us.
Expect we’re both bitten, and allegedly, flea bites are not
without risks either.
Since the online provider hasn’t been able to come forth
with an alternate exchange of at least accommodation for 1Person! We’ve had to
make our own escape plans. Nobody, not even my best friend of 33 years wanted a
guest that might just bring a flea circus along. I escaped to Berlin by plane. Hubby
took the brunt.
Today our exchange partners left our house in Florida.
Although I’m keeping strict anonymity here on this site as always, I didn’t
want surprises. When questioned, they said that they had a dog but they had
taken it to a kennel over a week before our arrival…Fleas? How terrible!
Strange they never had any before.
The eleventh commandment would say: if you do wrong & cheat,
at least don’t get caught. This was deliberate deceit and I’m initiating a
complaint process with the online agency now.
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