Sh1,200 per hour: Nairobi youths minting money through pet sitting

Pet sitter Joan Wambui walks a dog in Kabete.

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Youths who have specialised in tending for pets are now making a fortune out of the new career trend. Some earn Sh1,200 per hour to play with a cat or get the same amount to walk a dog on a leash around posh estates. The rate goes even higher when it involves spending the night to care for the pet. A rub on the stomach for the cat, throwing a chew toy to the dog, changing their litter and monitoring how they respond is part of the job description. Sounds like a script from a movie, right? Well, for Joan Wambui, that is what her daily diary looks like.