“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
A California couple was horrified when they logged onto their home surveillance camera expecting to see their young puppy being lovingly cared for and instead caught their app-hired dog sitter slamming the tiny dog to the floor.
The Victorville, California couple says they hired a dog sitter through the popular petsitting app, Rover.com, a website and app designed to connect pet parents with pet sitters, to care for their young puppy, Lucy, while they were away.
When their newly installed home surveillance cameras sent a motion alert, the couple excitedly logged in to see their baby being cared for. Instead, they watched in real time as the pet sitter violently threw little Lucy onto the floor, scolding her.
“It’s heartbreaking because the reason we use a pet sitter is because we love our pet and we don’t want to leave her unattended for very long because she is a baby,” Lucy’s mom, Amanda Roy told ABC13. “So, we trusted someone to come into our home and look after a pet that we consider a family member.”
Because their cameras featured two-way audio capabilities, Amanda’s husband immediately yelled for the pet sitter to leave their property. They then contacted Rover.com, police, and animal control who are investigating the incident.
To be listed as a pet sitter, applicants must pass a background check and be approved to join. After learning of the incident, Rover released the following statement:
“The activity depicted in this video is shocking and appalling. We have permanently deactivated this sitter from our platform and will continue to investigate. Any incident of this nature is extremely rare on our platform, and we take it very seriously. Additionally, we have offered to pay for any veterinary expenses that may have been incurred as a result of this incident. We have been assisting local law enforcement with their investigation and will continue to offer support.”
Thankfully, Lucy was examined by a veterinarian and is expected to be ok. Police and animal control are investigating to determine if animal abuse charges will be filed.
Betty L Fisher
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:10 pm
I also had a bad experience with Rover.com When we got home the doors were wide
open and the AC running full ahead. It was freezing. She was sitting on the living
room carpet eating. Our refrigerator was full of all kinds of weird food. I don’t
believe she mistreated our animals however-except to ignore them while she read and
ate non-stop.