When you leave town and hire a sitter for your pets, you expect to come home and find them happy and healthy. Sadly, one South Florida woman says she came home to find out her puppy had died. Heartbroken and angry, she turned to Help Me Howard, with Brandon Beyer.
Like many of us, Kiera Zuckerman considered her French Bulldog Kelly to be a member of the family.
Kiera Zuckerman: “Super loving, if you were to go stretch on the floor she would like crawl under you. To like cuddle with you.”
She was their first Frenchie. They’d later add Peaches to the mix. The two dogs became inseparable.
Playful and loyal, they were the perfect combination for Kiera.
Kiera Zuckerman: “They’re very sweet and affectionate, but at the same time they could be crazy, so it’s a good mixture of both worlds.”
When you love your dog this much, you pay top dollar for their care.
So when Kiera left town for a few days, she paid over $1,200 to an online service that sets pet owners up with sitters.
When she got home, she had an urgent voicemail.
Kiera Zuckerman: “I had received a message stating there was an incident with Kelly, and if I had pet insurance, and I stated ‘No,’ and I said ‘Is Kelly OK?'”
Kelley was off her leash and had darted across the street.
Kiera Zuckerman: “She told me that Kelly died, she got hit by a car, and I said ‘What did you just say?’ and she repeated herself, and I said ‘Okay, I have to let you go, I feel like I can’t breathe.'”
She’d hired a service to care for her dog, and sadly, she died in their care.
Kiera Zuckerman: “It feels like you lost a family member, there’s no other way to put it.”
French Bulldogs can be expensive. Kiera paid $8,000 for Kelly. Now, all she has are her ashes.
Kiera Zuckerman: “I don’t think anybody goes into a service thinking ‘I need to look up if my dog dies while with a sitter, are they going to cover those expenses?'”
Howard, does the sitter service have to reimburse the cost of the dog?
Howard Finkelstein: “In most cases, the answer is no. If the dog sitter did something that is not allowed, like in this situation, allowing the dog to be off-leash. However, the dog sitter themselves could be held responsible, but recouping thousands of dollars is a long shot.”
We spoke with the company, which offered its condolences. They also refunded the cost of the stay and covered all veterinary and aftercare costs.
Plus, they offered “financial assistance” toward the purchase of a new pet.
Kiera says it’s not enough.
Kiera Zuckerman: “They don’t cover trauma, experiencing the loss of an animal, especially when you consider them your family. It doesn’t feel like enough.”
It was her first time using the service, and she says her last.
Kiera Zuckerman: “I just want to increase awareness of what you’re getting into when you use apps like this.”
Dogs are like family for so many of us. Howard says, “Do your research, ask for references so you know who’s taking care of your pets.”
Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News
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