Pet Sitter Abandoned Senior Shiba-Inu with Dementia While Dog's Dad Was on Vacation
When you hire a service to watch your dog while you're on vacation you expect your beloved pet will be well-cared for and given a lot of attention and affection. A dog owner in Seattle found this not to be the case when his senior Shiba Inu that suffers from dementia was abandoned by dog sitter he hired when he traveled out of the country.
Daniel Cardenas, the owner of the 15-year-old Shiba Inu named Loki, hired a service to care for the dog in his home because he didn't want Loki's schedule disrupted. What happened was far worse than that.
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Fox13 Seattle reports that the only time Cardenas heard from the dog sitter, which he hired through the pet sitting service Wag! was when the sitter got his keys. While he was on vacation in Mexico his texts to check on Loki with the sitter went unanswered.
Related: Dog Mom Finds Out Pet Sitter Lost Her Dog in the Worst Possible Way
Cardenas spoke to the news outlet: "I had no idea if she had taken the dog," he said. "I didn’t know if she was hurt or if she was injured. I just had no clue what was going on so I dialed the emergency services with Wag!"
An emergency check of his apartment found Loki alone and his home in disarray.
"They found dog feces and urine all around the apartment and Loki was barking at the person," said Cardenas. "It was all so wrong. There was also alcohol missing."
Cardenas eventually got his keys to his apartment back from the service but he said all conversations, including booking confirmations through Wag!, were deleted.
Cardenas has since started a GoFundMe which reads, "Hello my name is Daniel and I live in Seattle, WA. My Senior Shiba with special needs was neglected and abused by a sitter and the company that contracted them. I am seeking Justice for Loki––today I met with a legal team and they have decided to take the case; but the cost for the retainer is $3500.00 due on Monday.
My goal here is to bar the sitter from the app, recover any out of pocket expenses and maybe even get these apps to change and raise their standards of vetting and how they track the sittings and hold their sitters accountable."
If you are interested in donating to his cause, you can visit the link here.
How To Find a Reliable Pet Sitter
One of the best ways of finding a sitter you can trust with your pets is to ask friends and family who they use. Ask on your social media page to find someone who people you know can vouch for.
Get references! If you hire people for a job, you get references—this is a job, and a most important job. It never hurts to check people's backgrounds out and make sure they are who they say they are and they know how to do what they say they know how to do.
Make sure you fully explain what you expect the pet sitter to do, as far as walking, feeding and how many times per day they will visit your pet. Discuss fees, payment methods, cancellation policies, and any additional charges for extra services or special requests.
Ask them what they will do in case of emergency, if your dog is lost, or if your animal gets sick. Make sure you have multiple ways of contacting them, and let them know how often you wish to be contacted and if you want photos of your pet texted to you.
Before leaving your pet in the care of a new pet sitter, consider arranging a trial visit or short-term pet-sitting session to evaluate their compatibility with your pet and their ability to follow instructions. Monitor your pet's behavior and well-being during the trial period and address any concerns or issues that arise. Trust your instinct! If your pet seems uncomfortable or if you feel the vibe is off with their interactions with your pet, keep looking.
It's always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to our fur babies.
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