COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Crated and unable to walk is how a Dekalb County dog owner, who did not want to be identified said is how she received her Maltipoo.
She returned from vacation in early March, after dropping her dog off with a Rover dog sitter.
“I never seen my dog in that shape and condition,” she told Channel 2’s investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln.
She told Lincoln when she took her 9-year-old dog Snooki to the vet, he could not walk. They discovered he had dislocated his hip and would need emergency surgery.
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She says to this day the dog sitter has not explained how he was injured.
“Even the vet said it was highly suspicious, we have no idea,” she told Lincoln.
She is one of at least four metro Atlanta pet owners who contacted attorney Claudine Wilkins after our story earlier this month about a 2-year-old French bulldog who died in the care of a Rover sitter.
Wilkins says another Frenchie owner from Forsyth, reached out saying his dog also died from being over heated in Rover’s care.
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She says she is pressuring rover to increase requirements for dog sitters to prevent these cases from happening.
“Vetting has to go a little deeper than just a background check,” Wilkins said.
In a statement Rover said:
We understand that pet parents know their pets’ unique needs better than anyone else, so we provide tools for them to find a sitter with the qualifications they value most. These may include home environment, experience with various breeds, or other relevant skills. We encourage pet parents to meet with multiple sitters before booking a stay to ensure that sitters have the knowledge and qualifications they are looking for.
Pet parents can also read verified reviews from fellow pet owners who have booked a sitter through our platform.
While more than 98% of reviews are five stars across the community, transparency is essential, and we will not remove or alter a review unless it violates our Review Policy. This feature allows pet parents to see if previous clients experienced stays that did not meet their expectations.
In addition to passing a background check and safety quiz before listing services, we also offer opportunities for sitters to learn more about pet safety and demonstrate their commitment to safety. For example, sitters can earn a “Rover 101” badge after completing the course that prepares them for success on the platform. Our sitter resource center provides ample educational opportunities focused on safety. We strive to provide safety resources to all members of the pet community, offer webinars and safety tips from safety experts from our Pet People Panel, and have robust safety resources available on our blog.
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