Hi! I’m Alexandra, I’m 30 and I live in Amsterdam. I’m a journalist and I moved here after leaving Russia following the start of the war in 2022.

I’ve been around animals for most of my life. Back in Russia I helped rescue around 20 cats and dogs from the streets. Sometimes that meant taking an animal to the vet, looking for a temporary home, finding new owners or just taking care of them until we figured out what to do next. I also volunteered at a dog shelter and spent a lot of time walking and caring for dogs there.

I have my own cat, so I also know what it feels like to leave your pet with someone else and worry about whether everything is okay :) I’m comfortable with both cats and dogs, and I’m also fine with shy or anxious animals. I don’t expect every animal to immediately want to be my best friend — sometimes they just need some time.

I offer home visits for cats and dogs and dog walking. I can feed your pet, change the water, clean the litter box, play with them, spend some time with them and send you photos and updates. For dogs, I’ll follow whatever routine and rules you normally have for walks.

I work as a journalist in Amsterdam, so my schedule is a little different from week to week. I’m often available in the mornings and evenings, as well as on some weekdays. I’ll keep my Pawshake calendar updated so you can see when I’m available.

Mostly I’m doing this because I really miss having more animals around me — and if I can help someone at the same time, even better