Bark.com Blog – Page 8

Top Ten Home Improvement Jobs During Covid19 UK Lockdown 1.0

With so much time suddenly on our hands, the first UK lockdown during March 2020 was a time for many of us to spruce up our homes with creative DIY projects or to finally get around to those long-neglected household tasks.

If you’re wondering which DIY projects kept Brits busy during lockdown, we’ve teamed up with tradesmencosts.co.uk to rank the top 10 home improvement trades on Bark for the first month of lockdown in the UK. Click the image below to view the top home improvement trends!

What kept us busy during life in lockdown?

It looks like most of us discovered our inner gardener, with the demand for outdoor-themed projects soaring. We also got creative with DIY home decorating projects, with requests for things like picture framing and curtain design rising all over the UK. And we finally got our hands dirty with those big projects we’ve been putting off for a while, with lots of requests for big home improvement jobs like bathroom design and roof repair.

Looking for someone to help you get those home improvement tasks done and dusted? Search Bark.com for trusted professionals to help you with all of your home improvement needs, from tree surgery and removal to residential and interior design.

Place a job on Bark today and get free quotes in minutes!

How much does a personal trainer cost in the UK? 2022

Updated: Read our latest 2022 Personal Trainer price guide.

Average price of a personal trainer in the UK

£30 – £60 per hour

What can I expect to pay for a personal trainer?

Want to hire a personal trainer but not sure of the cost? Don’t sweat it! Read our handy guide to find out how much your fitness expert will charge for 1-2-1 sessions, group classes, Crossfit training, and more.

What is a Personal Trainer?

We all want to be the best versions of ourselves, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. With so many workout plans and exercise classes out there, finding a fitness routine that works for you can be daunting.

Whether it’s reaching your fitness goals, training for a marathon, or improving your technique, Bark can help you to find a personal trainer to give you the push you need to get there. A PT can support you through the hard days and celebrate the good ones, so what’s not to love?

How much does a personal trainer cost in the UK?

Achieving your fitness goals doesn’t happen overnight, so it’s essential to know how much hiring a personal trainer will cost. To give you an idea of how much people pay for a personal trainer, we’ve put together a handy breakdown of average costs based on the prices of local UK professionals:

Average Cost (per session)	£50
Minimum Cost (per session)	£30
Maximum Cost (per session)	£60

What changes the price of hiring a personal trainer?

The cost of a personal trainer can vary depending on a number of factors. These include:

The professional’s education and experience
One-to-one vs. group training sessions
Price per session – hourly rates or package deals
Type of training
Location

The personal trainer’s education and experience

When choosing a personal trainer it’s important to consider the level of their education and experience. In the UK, the Level 3 Personal Trainer qualification equips a personal trainer to work one-to-one with clients. Beyond this, their experience can range anywhere from having a degree in human anatomy and wellness to being a professional athlete. In a nutshell, the more experience your pro has, the more you pay.

An experienced or specialised trainer could charge up to £80 per hour – this can increase if you’re in a big city like London, so be prepared to spend big bucks if you’re looking to hire the creme de la creme in the capital.

One-to-one vs. group training sessions

Most professional trainers offer group and one-to-one training sessions. One-to-one classes are tailored to your individual needs, which is why they are more expensive than group sessions. Most group sessions are small, so while you might not get as much one-on-one attention, your personal trainer will still have plenty of time to tend to your needs. Working out with friends also lowers the cost per person, so it’s a win-win.

Price per session (hourly rate or package deals)

Personal trainers usually offer discounts on packages of multiple sessions which reduces the hourly rate. As most people want to hire a personal trainer over a longer period of time instead of for a one-time session, it’s a no brainer that paying for multiple sessions is the better option. Here’s a breakdown of common discounts offered by personal trainers, but don’t be afraid to haggle if you want a better deal.

Block of 10 Personal Training Sessions – 10% discount (on average)
Block of 20 Personal Training Sessions – 20% discount (on average)

Type of personal training

The cost per session can vary depending on the type of training. If you’re opting for Boxing or Crossfit, expect to pay more as personal trainers need advanced skills to teach these classes. To give you a better idea, we’ve put together a summary of common personal training types and their average costs:

Type of workout (per session)	Average cost
Strength training	£35
Boxing lessons	£50
CrossFit	£50
Circuit training	£30
High Intensity Interval (HIIT)	£50
Body sculpting	£30

If you want a tailor-made nutrition plan alongside your workouts, be prepared to pay more.

Location of your personal trainer

It’s no surprise that big cities have big prices. If you live somewhere like London, you could spend nearly double what you would elsewhere for a professional trainer with the same qualifications and experience.

Remember, prices in London can jump to around £80 – £120 if you are looking to hire a super-specialised or experienced instructor.

Here’s a rough breakdown of costs per location:

Location	Maximum Cost (per session)	Minimum Cost (per session)	Average Cost (per session)
Outside London	£40	£20	£30
Inside London	£120	£30	£50

Is hiring a personal trainer worth the cost?

With a personal trainer, you can set realistic, achievable goals tailored to your fitness ability and training needs. While it comes at a cost, having a healthier body and mind will be well worth the investment. A personal trainer also means you don’t need to fork out for monthly gym membership fees!

Your body is a temple, so give it the love and attention it deserves by hiring a personal trainer with Bark.

Find a Personal Trainer on Bark.com

Free Therapy Responses for University Mental Health Day

London, 5 March 2020: Bark, the leading services marketplace, today reveals that the number of requests for therapy services has seen a sharp increase over the last twelve months. Therapy queries, or ‘Barks’, in January 2020 (6,179) almost doubled in comparison to queries for the same time period in 2019 (3,550), a total increase of 74%. This trend follows suit to data collected in 2018 (2,292 therapy Barks recorded) and 2017 (667 therapy Barks recorded) respectively.

In support of University Mental Health Day, Bark is making it free for therapy professionals to respond to therapy queries on the Bark platform on the 5th of March 2020. The incentive not only supports the awareness day but will ensure that those seeking help are able to access it quickly in a way that suits them.

Conversations around mental health are increasingly coming to the forefront, however, universities have not necessarily adapted their mental health support offerings to meet demand. In some Higher Education Institutes, up to 1 in 4 students are using, or waiting to use, counselling services, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research**.

A 2017 survey by Sodexo* revealed that 42% of UK students have considered dropping out because of physical or mental health issues, meaning it’s more important than ever to ensure that resources are in place for students. Bark makes it easy for anyone looking for support to find the right professional for them, filtering everything from gender to availability and method of communication.

Kai Feller, founder and CEO of Bark says: “It’s tougher than ever for university students. On top of a mountain of crippling debt, students are battling rising living costs as well as heightened competition when it comes to getting a job. Increased strain on mental health is leading to more drop-outs, according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency***”.

“Ensuring the right support is in place for students is key to turning this around. For University Mental Health Day, we’re making responses to therapy related Barks free of charge, to ensure that students can get the support they need, when they need it”.

Bark enables professionals to list their services via its online marketplace. Users can then put out “Barks” for specific services, opening the floor for professionals to respond.

Concerned that tensions might run high over Christmas dinner?

We’re in a turbulent political climate, with a snap election scheduled for mid December, and the uncertainty around Brexit weighing heavy on many.

In response to this we’ve launched a new service where friends and families can call upon a trained relationship counsellor to act as a mediator, and help navigate potentially awkward or heated conversations around Brexit and politics.

All experts facilitating this service, are not only trained in relationship counselling and mediation, but are also highly knowledgeable in general politics, the politics of the European Union and Brexit. They are trained to remain impartial while mediating, and instead will focus on how to rebuild relationships and offer advice on how to navigate a debate without it escalating.

This service is available nationwide, due to the remote nature of the role and is expected to cost £30 for up to 30 minutes, but as with all Bark services, the professional sets the final price. The service will run for the three before Christmas, in the hopes that any differences are solved before the festivities begin!

To hire a Brexit mediator, click here.

If Brexit isn’t an issue in your household, we have other counsellors onsite who can support you in other areas of your life, like relationship, bereavement or family counsellors.

Couple looking for ‘doggyguard’ to protect beloved pet from thieves

We’ve had an unusual request come through to the site, and we’re hoping to find a professional with the right mix of skills who can help this desperate couple.

The couple is on the hunt for a ‘doggyguard’ to protect their expensive and rare breed of Pomeranian, whilst taking him on walks. Aside from being a beloved pet, the dog in question, Figaro, is worth £4,000 due to his rare colouring and outstanding bloodline.

In the request, the couple explains that they were left traumatised and frightened after the attempted kidnap of Figaro earlier this year.

So what will be required from the ‘doggyguard’?

Applicants must be trained to preferably black belt level in at least one form of martial arts, be an animal lover, and ideally come from a security and/or bodybuilding background.

The full request states:

“Good evening, we’re emailing as we added a job to your site recently, and we’re in desperate need of assistance. This year our dog, Figaro, was almost kidnapped. It has left us in such a bad place of anxiety and stress. So we’re looking for a dog walker that can also protect him properly in case it happens again.

Our Figaro is basically like our child, he’s a rare Pom who we have studded often, with an outstanding bloodline, so a likely target for thieves.

We know it seems a little extreme but the fact that someone has already attempted to snatch him once is enough to shake us up and take drastic actions! To us it just seems logical to hire someone to relieve this stress from our lives. They must be trained in martial arts or combat, preferably black belt and have experience in security or similar, bodybuilding too, this person must look the part.

The hired bodyguard will ensure he is always safe, they will also bond over their walks and the bodyguard will be our way of knowing that Figaro is protected. We want them to walk him twice a day, Monday to Friday, as well as spend time with him so he doesn’t get lonely.

Friends and family have called us crazy but we don’t care. The police said there was nothing they could do last time, his safety is the most important things to us. As you have both security professionals and dog walkers on site we were hoping you could help us. For the right person we’re willing to pay up to £20,000 a year.”

The hired professional must also follow strict privacy rules set by the couple, as well as sign an NDA.

If you think you can help this couple out, register your services and apply here.

We looked into the case of dog theft and discovered that data reported it had risen by a staggering 27% between 2014 and 2018**, however the number of arrests made in connection to dog theft fell by 10%. On average there were more than five reported dog thefts every day in the UK last year.

Under the Theft Act 1968*, pets are legally regarded as ‘inanimate’ objects when they are stolen, therefore considered low-risk in the eyes of the law. Dog theft comes under the same offences as burglary or theft from a person, unlike stealing a bicycle, which is recognised as its own offence.

Bark.com co-founder, Kai Feller said,

“As a fellow dog owner, I can empathise with this couple. With the rise of dog-nappers in the UK, and the way the law views dogs that have been stolen, it’s clear why dog owners feel anxious. A bodyguard for the couple’s dog seems like the next step, especially if it is causing unnecessary stress. It may seem over the top to some, but they clearly love Figaro a lot and want to introduce a new person for him to bond with while also protecting him.

“At Bark, we pride ourselves on being able to help people, and connect customers with the perfect professionals, and we hope to do the same in this case.”

*http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/contents

**https://www.directline.com/pet-cover/dog-theft

Eco-anxiety is on the rise – how can you manage it?

Eco-anxiety, or ‘a chronic fear of environmental doom’ is an affliction that is affecting an increasing number of people across the world, with extensive studies proving that climate change is not only impacting our planet, but also our mental health.

So, we decided to look into our data to see if it supports the external research, and unsurprisingly, it does. We discovered that demand for eco-anxiety counselling has increased by 48% in the last year, with 29% of requests being made on behalf of children.

In response to these startling findings, we’ve worked with some of our counsellors to produce a guide on how to manage eco-anxiety.

Find a Support System

You’re never alone. There are thousands of people that feel just like you do. Speak to friends and family members who empathise with your anxious feelings, or join a community online to speak to other like-minded people.

Being involved in a community is proven to help fight the feeling of isolation and loneliness, especially if people in your current circles can’t relate to how you’re feeling.

A problem shared is a problem halved and joining the right community will at least empower you to share how you’re feeling.

Make a Change

If sharing how you feel isn’t enough, then perhaps it’s time to take action.

You can partake in some form of activism, and feel comforted in the thought that you are making a difference, be it big or small.

Popular options include reducing the amount of mass produced food you eat, and instead buying more local seasonal produce, and switching from fast to sustainable fashion. Doing things like buying reusable water bottles and coffee cups are easy wins to start making a difference. Switching to glass, aluminium or other products that are infinitely recyclable can also help to ease some of the guilt associated with modern life.

If that isn’t enough, or you’re already doing all you can at home, being vocal about your cause or even joining in with organised (peaceful) protests can help you feel like you’re gaining some control back of your emotions.

Practise Self-care

Anxiety can take its toll on you. Make sure that you are taking time out for yourself in whichever way you feel is most appropriate.

A sense of escapism is often useful when feeling overwhelmed or anxious, so getting lost in a good book or film are effective ways to ‘zone out’ and relax.

Curate the Content You Consume

With a culture of 24/7 news and social media, it’s really easy to get bogged down with all of the information we’re exposed to on a daily basis. Try and switch off the news every once and a while and when it comes to your social media, try to follow positive accounts that align with your values or inspire you.

Therapy

The symptoms of eco-anxiety can overlap with symptoms of general anxiety disorders and as such can be treated in a similar fashion. If your eco-anxiety is becoming so detrimental that it’s becoming difficult to perform everyday home or work life tasks then asking a professional for help should be your next step. Ecopsychology is a method of therapy where a professional can help you explore your own wellbeing, feel more connected to the planet and your relationship with it.

Try to Protect Green Spaces

There are several community groups all over the UK that allow for like-minded people to come together and maintain green spaces. Well-kept green spaces are a fantastic way to help protect the environment, because they act as flood protection, help to absorb carbon dioxide and provide habitats for wildlife. By volunteering your time to maintain these spaces, you’re having a direct impact on your local environment, and not only that, regular exposure to green spaces can improve general well-being and is even used as a treatment for mild depression.

Don’t Feel Ashamed

Some things just cannot be helped and that is okay. The world needs millions of people doing a little bit than a handful of people living the perfect zero waste life. If you are doing all that you can, and feel as though you cannot do any more, then you have done enough – try not to feel guilty about what you can’t change. Just keep living in line with your values and spread your message where you deem it appropriate.

For Children

It can feel overwhelming having a child who is struggling with anxiety, but all of the above tips can be applied to them as well. Many children feel anxiety because they feel out of control, so empowering them to make the changes they are passionate about will go a long way to easing the symptoms of eco-anxiety.

A few simple things that can be incorporated into their everyday life include:

– Getting them involved in the house recycling

– Join a wildlife trust where they can get involved with the conservation of green spaces

– Grow food and herbs in an allotment or your garden

– Teach them to knit or sew so they can make their own clothes/accessories

– Help them be more energy efficient at home, like turning plugs and appliances off when not in use

– Help them up-cycle furniture and encourage them to donate old toys to charity

– Instead of travelling by car, walk, cycle or get public transport with them

It’s important to explain why all of the above actions are helping them make a positive change, if they don’t understand the purpose of an activity, it’s unlikely to have a positive impact on their eco-anxiety. Also be mindful to be sensitive and calm when talking to your child about the environment.

If you or your child needs support; why not reach out to one of our on-site counsellors here.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com, said,

“While the science around Climate Change cannot be denied, the growing trend of eco-anxiety is something that can and should be managed, particularly when it comes to children. It’s important that those who are suffering from any form of anxiety are taking the time to look after themselves and get the support they require to allow them to live their lives as best as they can during challenging times.

“At Bark.com, we pride ourselves on being able to offer the services people need,when they need them, and our wide network of counsellors and therapists have helped countless Bark.com customers over the years.”

Can you help this man make a sperm ‘Vasectomy ring’?

Nowadays businesses have the capabilities to make all sorts of weird and wonderful products, and believe it or not, the demand is there for some seriously quirky things.

Just last week we received an email from a man who is desperate to make a ring from his sperm, ahead of a vasectomy he’s having at the end of November. But for you go ‘ew’, it’s part of a prank Christmas present he has planned for his wife, as well as being a ‘keepsake of his manhood’.

We did some research, and you can get jewellery made out of lots of organic materials, like human ashes, umbilical cords and breast milk. However, this guy has been unable to find a jeweller who can help him – even when he’s willing to pay £1,500. So, we’ve agreed to make a public appeal on his behalf, if you are a skilled jeweller who can work with a material like semen, then read his below request and get in touch!

‘Hi Bark

To cut to the chase I’m looking for a jeweller who can put my sperm into a ring which I’m going to give my wife for Christmas and spotted you had jewellery makers on site.

I know this is super weird, but I’m due to get a vasectomy at the end of November, and I wanted to do something funny with the last few living sperm I’ve got, kind of like a keepsake of my manhood. The plan is to give the ring to my wife on Christmas day, wait for her to tell me it’s beautiful, let her wear it for a couple of hours, and then tell her what it’s actually made of…

So you don’t think I’m a complete nutter, my wife and I have been together for more than 20 years now, have five kids (hence the vasectomy haha!) and since day one we’ve been pulling pranks on each other with quirky presents – this will hopefully be the best one yet though.

Now I posted the ad a few weeks ago and I haven’t had any responses, I can’t say I’m surprised, but I wanted to send you this email to see if you had any jewellers on your books who could help?

I know this type of jewellery can be quite expensive (I saw some breastmilk ones online), so I’ve set aside around £1500 for the ring, I’m not really looking to spend any more than that.

I want to get someone lined up pretty soon, because if this isn’t going to work out I’ll need to plan something else. Please let me know if you can help, I’ve been looking for a month already and need to get it sorted ASAP!

Look forward to hearing back from you.

If you have the skills to help this guy, please fill out the below form:

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If you have a more traditional request, you can find custom jewellers near you by clicking here.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com said,

“This is definitely one of the weirdest requests we’ve received in a while, but as always we’re happy to help our customers find a professional who can facilitate their needs, no matter how obscure! Some might disapprove, but if people are having rings made out of breast milk and human ashes, why can’t sperm be made into one as well? We urge anyone with the skills to create this type of ring to get in touch with us.”

Top most requested Halloween makeup looks of 2019

Halloween is traditionally an American holiday, however across the pond, the trend to celebrate the spooky holiday is on the rise, and the costumes and looks people create are becoming more and more elaborate.

We wanted to find out what the latest trends are for Halloween makeup looks, so surveyed more than 2,000 of our makeup artists on what customers are asking for in 2019.

A key insight we took away from our research is that popular culture is a major influence on Halloween trends, in fact long gone are the days where people want to dress as a zombie or witch. Now it’s common to dress as your favourite TV show character.

We asked our makeup artists to tell us what the most popular Halloween makeup looks are for 2019, and the list, although not surprising, shows Hollywood’s strong influence on customer buying habits.

Check out the top 10 Halloween makeup trends of 2019:

1.The Joker (Joaquin Phoenix)

The Joker’s first standalone film tells the story of how Arthur Fleck becomes Batman’s most iconic nemesis, and has become the world’s highest grossing rated R film since its release in early October this year. The popularity of the film has led to many donning the red and yellow suit and traditional clown face paint this Halloween.

Credit: @laneychantal

2. The Joker (Heath Ledger)

Makeup artists have noticed a major spike in demand for the Joker look since Heath Ledger played the character in 2008. The trademark clown makeup has taken on different forms over the years, however the experts state that the ‘grungy’ look depicted by Ledger is the most popular. It can be achieved by smearing red lipstick outside of the mouth into points at the upper cheekbone, and dabbing a wet cloth over a white painted face to make it look worn. A quick spray of green hair paint on untamed hair is all that’s needed to finish the look.

credit: @daniels_lim

3. Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn was first introduced to a mainstream audience in 2016, with Margot Robbie playing the Joker’s sidekick in the blockbuster film, Suicide Squad. The character’s signature pigtails, pale face and red and blue eye makeup has become a hit with women over the last few years, and although Margot’s ‘Harley Quinn’ depiction was unpolished, makeup artists state that customers want a more glamorous look, with perfectly applied eyeshadow and heart face stencils.

Credit: @estellehagen

4. The Terminator

Arnold schwarzenegger is back in the sixth installment of the Terminator franchise, which was released last week. Halloween party goers can execute a convincing Terminator look by painting patches of silver on the face, as if the skin has come away to expose metal underneath. The look is hard to do because of the amount of detail involved, some professional makeup artists will even use prosthetics to make the facial wounds even more realistic.

Credit: @maisonofbeauty

5. Pennywise

Stephen King’s best-selling novel returned to the silver screen this year for IT Chapter Two, and makeup artists have noticed it’s resulted in a spike in demand for Pennywise’s traditional clown look this year. For those who want a more convincing Pennywise costume, makeup artists can apply a prosthetic forehead and ginger wig, as well as the signature red and white makeup and orange contact lenses.

Credit: @iamcalida

6. Queen Elsa

Frozen 2 is going to be in cinemas at the end of November, and since the first film came out in 2013, Queen Elsa’s pristine ‘ice princess’ look has been a popular choice for Halloween. Makeup artists state that most customers want a more embellished look, with gems on the face and hand painted snowflakes.

Credit: @hairbylowriann

7. Mexican sugar skull

Mexican sugar skulls have been a staple Halloween look for the last couple of years, and is a more creative and decorative take on the classic skull and crossbones costume. Makeup artists often paint customers faces with bright colours, gems and intricate detail, finishing off the look with flowers in the hair. Our makeup artists state that a mexican sugar skull look can take up to two hours to create.

Credit: @romanapavanelimua

8. Corpse bride

Tim Burton’s 2005 animated film ‘Corpse Bride’ has influenced many to don the creepy blue aesthetic of Emily. Makeup artists can recreate the look by painting large cartoon-like eyes over the customer’s eyes, contouring the face to thin the nose and sharpen the cheekbones, and using blue body paint and hair spray to make a client look like one of the ‘undead’.

Credit: @asya_zhussip

9. Pumpkin – Jack-o’-lantern

A favourite for Halloween fans, our makeup artists say that customers love the striking look of a Jack-o’-Lantern face, which requires minimal body costume, but still embodies a traditional Halloween symbol.

Credit: @tatidemasi_

10. Jessica Rabbit

Jessica Rabbit from the classic 1988 film ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ is one of the more popular sultry looks for Halloween. The cartoon character is famously known for her big red lips and seductively large eyes. These are the main goals when recreating this look, which makeup artists can achieve by creating a high rise brow, often by completely painting over the client’s natural brows after applying pritt stick, and enlarging the eyelid.

Credit: @helenehemera

If you’re after a makeup artist, whether it be for Halloween or not, we can help you find the perfect one here.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com, said,

“We always keep an eye on our service categories to spot key trends and patterns, it seems that people are really having fun with Halloween nowadays, and enlisting professional help to ensure their costume is the best. The challenging looks our makeup artists create is seriously impressive, it’s almost a shame that people have to wipe it off!

“It’s interesting to see how much pop culture has influenced Halloween, and how this has had a very positive impact on the British makeup industry. I have no doubt that Instagram and Facebook will be full of some amazing Joker and Pennywise looks this year!’

Can you help plan a fake funeral? Prankster looking to arrange his own funeral

It’s a very unusual request, but we’re hoping that we can find a team of service professionals that can help a young man on his latest mission. Have you seen that episode of Friends with Ross’ funeral, you know The One Where No One Dies?

Inspired by that episode of Friends, the young man has emailed Bark.com requesting help with hosting his own funeral, but the twist is, he’s very much alive and well. Being known as the joker in his friendship group and feeling fed up at how little men talk to each other on a personal level, the man who sent the request is hoping his latest ruse can make a difference.

The Friends fan has saved up £5,000 to make his stunt a reality.

The request stated:

“‘Hi, I’m emailing as I added a job to your site recently but have had no response, I was hoping customer services might be able to help me. I am looking for someone to help me and my best mate to hold my funeral for me.

I’ve always been the joker of the pack and think it would be hilarious to invite my mates to come along, just like that episode of Friends where they pretend that Ross is dead.

I’ve always wondered what my own funeral would be like, and if I’m honest, I’d like a few nice things said about me. Blokes are just too scared to talk, stiff upper lip and all that. I’m hoping that instead of people buying flowers, maybe people can donate to a mental health charity. I want my mates to know that it’s not soft to chat about stuff and I want to know they’ve got my back as much as I have theirs.

In regard to the funeral, I’d like some help getting the message out on social media, I need somewhere to host it, some catering for my wake and an actor who can be a priest on the day.

Not to go into too much detail, but I’ve come in to a bit of money recently, so I’ve got about £5k to spend.

Anyway, do you reckon you could help me find someone to help me out?

Cheers,

[redacted]”

If you think you can help this man out, register your services and apply here.

Bark.com co-founder, Kai Feller said,

“This is certainly an unusual request. We really do pride ourselves in being able to give people what they want and need and if this is it, then so be it! I hope the young chap gets the reaction he hopes for from his friends and that his acting isn’t too convincing!”

“I know that this chap can get everything he needs on our platform, but juggling events like this can be difficult, especially when it needs to be done in secret! His point about men being reluctant to really speak together is an important one too – I’m glad there’ll be an important issue discussed by his ruse.”

Is your pet great at comforting others? Now it can be paid £50 an hour to do so!

Animals are a source of enjoyment, comfort and relaxation for us, no one can argue with that. Science now substantiates the positive impact they have on our mental* and physical wellbeing**, so as a professional marketplace that’s facilitated thousands of quotes for therapists and other forms of counselling in the last twelve months, we decided to launch a dedicated Pet Comfort category.

Whether someone is suffering with anxiety, high blood pressure or stress, this new service enables people to hire any manner of pet for one hour or more, so they can interact with them and alleviate their symptoms. When we say any manner of pet – we mean it, including, but not limited to, birds, snakes, lizards, llamas, goats, dogs, cats, horses and rabbits.

The Comfort Pet service is aimed at all ages, and depending on the pet owner, can include home and office visits, or onsite visits where participants travel to the pet’s location. Participants can also opt for group or one-to-one sessions, depending on the capability of the Comfort Pet and its owner.

Comfort Pet providers can earn up to £50 an hour, however like with any Bark.com service, the provider sets the price.

If you think your beloved animal would make a great comfort pet, sign up here by typing ‘comfort pets’ in the text box.

If you’d like to hire a comfort pet, you can do so here, simply type in ‘comfort pets’ in the search box along with your postcode.

Just a few things to note before signing your pet up for the service –

The owner must be present during the comfort sessions, and must be able to demonstrate they have full control of their pet(s) at all times. Bark.com recommends that before a session begins, the comfort pet and its owner meet with participants to agree what will be covered in the session and to ensure the pet is comfortable with the environment. Bark.com also recommends a contract is written up which agrees the terms of the pet and participant’s interactions, including what is deemed as inappropriate behaviour by both parties and that both parties take full responsibility for their behaviour.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com said,

“We are a country of animal lovers, and with research proving the health benefits of interacting with them, and a host of amazing pets out there, it made sense to expand our current therapy offering with Comfort Pets.

“Many people appreciate and understand the benefits of spending time with animals, but for some it’s not always possible. We also want to make sure we offer a wide variety of pets, in part so the service can be completely tailored to each individual that uses it, but also to combat the rise in animal allergies in the UK. Everyone should be able to benefit from spending time with their very own Comfort Pet, no matter their circumstances.”

**https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0b013e31829201e1

*http://patastherapeutas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MetaAna%CC%81lise.pdf