Las Vegas dog owners claim online pet sitting app responsible for losing dogs

LAS VEGAS, NV (KTNV) — The holiday getaway time is correct all-around the corner. For several, that implies touring out of city and leaving our furry spouse and children customers driving.

But in advance of you reserve a boarder for your pet, 13 Investigates has a warning for people looking for a pet sitter on line.

“He enjoys persons and like, he wishes to be about people today,” says doggy operator Jodi Leishman.

Canines do not like to be left alone and Leishman’s dog, Louie, is no exception. Louie, a Pekingese – Shih Tzu blend, has been component of the Leishman household for over 7 many years.

Darcy Spears: “This is nonetheless his mattress here. You retained that.”

Jodi Leishman: “Of course. When we go to lookup, I throw it in my vehicle just so that he can have a great scent of him, of his bed even though we are making an attempt to entice him in, if we can uncover him.”

As 13 Investigates claimed, Louie’s been missing for a thirty day period. When the Leishmans took a relatives trip in Oct, they boarded Louie with a dog sitter they employed by way of the Rover app.

A lot less than 24 hrs just after dropping him off, the sitter messaged them that Louie bought out during a domestic disturbance at her property.

“Louie is jogging so fearful ideal now,” suggests Mike Leishman, Jodi’s husband.

For every of the previous 30 days, the Leishmans have searched for Louie, plastering neighborhoods with flyers, publishing on social media and chasing leads.

“I’ve experienced four images sent to me these days,” states Jodi Leishman.

They have also been in call with Rover. Whilst their pet sitters are impartial contractors, Rover place up a $500 reward and paid for hundreds of flyers. Rover’s statement to 13 Investigates suggests in aspect: “This circumstance is hugely unconventional, and we acquire it really severely. As before long as we have been informed Louie was lacking, our 24/7 Belief and Security team straight away took action to assist bring him household…” You can read through the entire assertion underneath.

But Louie continues to be shed. And it is not an isolated incident in our valley.

A Goldendoodle named Frankie who was boarded with a distinct Rover sitter acquired out on June 18th. According to an incident report, Frankie’s proprietor told Clark County Animal Command, “when the sitter leaves the household, he leaves all of the dogs outside” and Frankie’s operator was, “…concerned due to the fact the canines ended up outside with very very little h2o, … in the abnormal heat warning with no supplemental cooling…”

Frankie was by no means discovered.

Other problems claimed across the region are comprehensive in this Facebook aid team named “Rover Kills Puppies.”

A person guy posted, just an hour soon after dropping his two canine off with a Rover sitter, he bought a connect with that his more compact canine was hit by a auto and died.

There is certainly also improve.org petition with 15,966 signatures, titled “Boost Rover Dog Sitting Skills or SHUT it down.”

The Los Angeles lady who started out the petition claims she dropped off her pet dog with a Rover sitter in June of 2021, “…within a few hrs, the Rover sitter misplaced her [dog], and 18 hrs afterwards, I uncovered her on the side of the highway. She had been struck by a auto and killed.”

Rover would not provide any individual for an on-camera job interview. They sent us a statement declaring they have reviewed the petition, crafting, “We currently have functions in area to deal with a lot of of the issues outlined. For case in point….sitters should really have a program in position really should a pet get shed. Our 24/7 Believe in and Security workforce has that skills, and they are out there to assistance.”

“There desires to be owing diligence finished when you are trusting your pet into the hands of a further,” says Kathryn Aull.

Aull has eight many years of practical experience working with K-9 rescues and fostering canines. She turned to Rover to generate some additional money and has been executing in-household doggy-sitting, daycare and boarding for about two several years.

“When you develop your profile, a background check out is demanded, and you have to pay back $25 for that track record examine,” Aull explains. “You can then improve to the improved history look at for a further $10.”

She claims it took two or 3 times for her profile to be permitted and go stay.

“You do have to also comprehensive looking at some video clips through Rover on their security and their protocols as nicely,” claims Aull.

She states the full method is automated, and she had no direct speak to with a Rover staff. But she suggests immediate speak to is critical concerning pet entrepreneurs and potential sitters prior to any reserving.

“If you have a canine which is a doorway dasher and possibly heading out the doorway, look for someone with double entry, you know, just do your due diligence and believe in your gut,” suggests Aull.

But is that plenty of?

“These are troubling activities, and we have to have to make sure that men and women are shielded,” says Nevada Point out Assemblyman David Orentlicher.

Orentlicher weighs the pros and downsides of gig-assistance platforms.

“They offer a lot of positive aspects to the public and to workers,” claims Orentlicher. “From the community standpoint as additional ease, typically lessen rates.”

But there is a likely draw back also.

“We have viewed this with journey-shares and short-term rentals, that the absence of regulation can cause a large amount of complications,” states Orentlicher.

Orentlicher states he desires to listen to from pet homeowners who’ve experienced lousy experiences with on-line sitters, emphasizing how critical it is for lawmakers to know the scope of a difficulty so they can address it in the forthcoming legislative session.

Nationwide animal welfare groups are weighing in on the perils of pet-sitting applications. PETA furnished the pursuing statement

If your dog goes missing in any scenario, you can get assist from the Las Vegas Doggie Job Power by calling (702) 265-4402.

This is the full statement from Rover: