ATLANTA — A metro Atlanta family says they want a popular dog sitting company to make changes after their pet died while in the care of a dog sitter.
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Ace was a two-year-old French bulldog, Henry Ikwuezunma says, who was inseparable from his daughter.
“He was a part of the family. She keeps asking about the dog,” He said.
Ikwuezunma told Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln that last September, they received the horrifying news Ace died while in the care of a dog sitter.
“She texted and said she found the dog, not breathing,” he said.
Ikwuezunma says they found the sitter on the popular app Rover to look over Ace while vacationing in Florida.
But by the second day, the sitter messaged Ikwuezunma saying Ace was fine and happy before suddenly lying dead.
After rushing back to Atlanta, Ikwuezunma says he contacted the University of Georgia’s veterinary laboratory. It conducted a necropsy and discovered Ace died from respiratory distress from being overheated.
“She left the dog outside for a lot longer than she should have,” Ikwuezunma said.
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Attorney Caludine Wilkins is representing Ikwuezunma. She says the sitter violated state law.
“When someone fails to provide shelter for the animals, that is absolutely a misdemeanor crime in the state of Georgia,” said Wilkins.
Wilkins says for months they been trying to get in contact with a representative with Rover after the company only offered the family $1,000 in damages for an animal. Ikwuezunma says they spent $12,000.
“Rover should not only vet their sitters; they need to find out a little more; they need to know if their sitters know how to handle certain breeds,” Wilkins said.
An attorney for Rover sent Ikwuezunma’s attorney a letter blaming Ace’s passing on a breed-specific condition that obstructs the airways.
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A spokesperson for Rover told Channel 2 Action News it thoroughly reviewed this incident and the sitter no longer works for their platform.
In a statement, Rover said:
We extend our deepest condolences to all who loved Ace and are committed to supporting his family.
Our Trust and Safety team has thoroughly reviewed this incident, and the sitter involved can no longer offer services through our platform. We will continue to review any additional information if it is shared with us.
Rover told Lincoln it puts special emphasis on summer safety, and it makes a number of summer-specific safety resources to sitters.
The company says it sends tailored push notifications to sitters who have stays with certain breeds that may be susceptible to higher risk when the weather gets warm.
Every sitter who offers services on the platform must pass an enhanced background check, a safety quiz, and have their profile reviewed by a member of Rover’s team. Pet parents can also read verified reviews from previous clients to learn more about the sitter and their care.
Rover went on to say this is far from the typical experience of its platform. In the Atlanta area, 675,000 stays have been booked by pet parents, with 98% of reviewed stays receiving five stars.
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