Bootstrap Business Reports: May/June 1984

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ILLUSTRATION: MOTHER EARTH NEWS STAFF
Read how a naturopathic physician barters services. 

<p>When vacation time rolled around last summer, we had to decide what to do with our dog and two cats while we were away. As you surely know, it’s very expensive to board critters at a kennel, and it upsets our house pets to be caged in unfamiliar surroundings.</p>
<p>A friend who likes animals offered to care for them at our home while we were gone, but we felt awkward about paying him for the favor. After giving the matter a good bit of thought, a barter idea popped into my head. I remembered his telling us that his two young daughters were eager to learn how to swim but were too timid to sign up for group lessons at the municipal pool. Since I have access to a swimming pool and used to teach Red Cross swimming lessons, I proposed that we trade pet care for swimming lessons.</p>
<p>Our pets were pampered in our absence, the girls made good progress in learning the basic swimming skills, and we plan to repeat the swap again next summer.</p>
<p>Mrs. L.W.<br />Kansas</p>
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  • Published on May 1, 1984
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