Several California families are reeling after a devastating series of events tied to a dog sitter they found through a widely trusted pet-sitting app. What began as routine holiday travel turned into every pet owner's worst nightmare: multiple dogs were found gravely ill, and some even died.
The details are tragic. One dog was returned to his owner covered in urine or vomit and rushed to the vet. Another was taken to an emergency clinic just days before Christmas, unresponsive and suffering, later dying from dehydration. A third dog collapsed, showed signs of internal distress, and died soon after.
Sign the petition to demand that pet-sitting companies like Rover implement stronger vetting and oversight to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.
What makes this especially disturbing is that there were no obvious red flags. The sitter had been approved by the platform. The families trusted the system that promised safety, screening, and care. Only afterward did they discover online accounts suggesting other dogs had suffered or died under the same care.
These dogs were not statistics. They were family members: young, loved, and entrusted to someone presented as safe and qualified.
While the company has since deactivated the sitter's account and says it is cooperating with law enforcement, that response came after irreversible harm was done. Deactivation after the fact does not protect the next dog.
If companies profit from connecting pet owners with caregivers, they have a responsibility to do far more than basic checks. Beloved pets' lives are at stake.
Sign the petition to demand pet sitting apps have stronger protections, meaningful oversight, and real accountability so no more pets suffer due to preventable failures.
