Ukrainian Andrey and his girlfriend are temporarily living in a house in a Swedish village without paying rent. In exchange, they look after the owners' animals while they are on vacation. Andrey spoke about this on his Instagram.
Pet-sitting in Sweden: what the couple does in exchange for housing
For the couple, this is not their first experience of staying in exchange for looking after animals. Currently Andrey and his girlfriend are caring for three cats and chickens. They look after the pets and the house every day until the owners return.
They do not have to pay for accommodation or use of the car, but the travelers buy food and petrol themselves. The car is especially important on this trip: the house is about an hour's drive from the nearest town, and the grocery store is 60 kilometers away.
“We live in Sweden for free, looking after three cats. We buy food ourselves, because accommodation and the car were already provided to us without payment. We also pay for petrol ourselves,” Andrey said.
Because of the distance to the store, the couple stocks up on food about once a week. This way of life requires planning trips and everyday tasks in advance. At the same time, Andrey and his girlfriend work online, so they do not have to commute to an office every day.
Why the owners trusted them with the house
According to Andrey, reviews from people whose animals the travelers have already looked after are very important in pet-sitting. The couple has similar experience: in Spain they looked after two dogs, and in Cyprus after a friend's cat.
The remoteness of the house does not prevent them from enjoying the trip. In their free time they walk in the forest, fish on the lakes, and pick berries and mushrooms. At the same time, Andrey admits that life far from the city is not for everyone.
“We work online and love animals very much. For us this is the ideal option,” he explained.
The couple's story shows one way to live temporarily in another country without rental costs. However, looking after animals involves daily responsibility, and the costs of food and travel remain with the guests. Those considering a longer move should also find out in advance about the specifics of life in Sweden and how support for Ukrainians in the country is organized.