Our Staff

Staff of Pet Sitter Koguma
Qualification: Pet animal care manager level 1

Hello, I’m Wakana Kumaki, the representative of Pet Sitter Koguma.
I am often told by people who meet me for the first time, “I thought you were going to be a big tough guy.” Maybe because of my surname, Kumaki, means Bear-Tree (like a Woods hunter called ‘Matagi’ in Japanese.)
In fact, I am the size of a little bear.
I am not sure if it is because of my surname, but ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by animals, mountains and nature.

Apart from animals, my other interests are mountain trekking, walking in nature, and star-gazing. I used to work in the travel industry, so I have worked in the UK and New Zealand, and I was also a mountain hiking and stargazing guide in Switzerland.

In the spring of 2020, I came across and rescued a scrawny, dehydrated pale-ginger male cat on a mountain ridge in Nara, Japan, while I and my partner were walking. We named him “Maruo” (means Round tail) after his curled up key tail. He now lives with us.

In the winter of the same year, we got an approx. 10 years old calico cat from the animal welfare centre. We wanted to call her by her ex-name because of her age, but unfortunately it was unknown, so we named her Tamara, after one of my favourite painters, Tamara de Lempicka. (After all, I call her Tama-chon. – very Japanese.) Now, when I call her “Tama-chon,” she turns to me.

When I was in England, the landlady of my lodgings was a pet-sitter.
She was surrounded by cats and dogs every day, and although it was hard work, she always had a big smile on her face. She was outwardly cynical like an English person, but in fact she was surprisingly kind and warm-hearted towards people and animals, and very stylish.
I have learnt so much from her.
That’s how I came to know about this job and decided to pursue it.

I have loved cats and dogs since I had them at home as a child, and I have been volunteering at an animal shelter in Osaka for more than 10 years.
While cleaning kennels and catteries, taking walks with dogs of various personalities and sizes, and happily playing with cats, I began to think about what it would mean to live together with companion animals, and to have a comfortable society.

In the UK, which is said to be an advanced country in terms of animal welfare, I went to visit animal shelters to see their facilities, how to care the animals, and how to run the shelter. Also in every country I stayed in, I felt the richness and various differences in the way people live with their pets comfortably in their daily lives, and I learned a lot from them.

In Japan, the role of a pet sitter may not be as well known as it is in other advanced countries, but I feel that general public is becoming more aware of the quality of life of animals rather than the government or civil service authorities.

When your pet can’t go out with you, or when the pet owner like you have to go out for a long time, you would like them to stay at home in their usual environment, playing in the sun and relaxing.
When you return home, they may be a little sulky, but if they will still be relaxed and happy to see you.
If you can’t go for a walk due to your health matter or sudden injury.
If you are hospitalized, how will you look after them?
In such a case, a pet sitter is the best choice.
We would like to be a pet sitter who can live with you with peace of mind.