Atlanta, GA — A family in metro Atlanta is demanding reforms from a widely used dog sitting service after their two-year-old French bulldog, Ace, tragically died under the care of one of its sitters. The pet owner, Henry Ikwuezunma, was vacationing in Florida when he received the devastating news that Ace had stopped breathing and subsequently passed away.
The incident, which took place last September, began when Ikwuezunma employed a sitter through Rover, a popular app for pet services, to care for Ace during his family’s trip. Reports indicate that the dog sitter initially informed Ikwuezunma that Ace was doing well, only to later discover the dog unresponsive.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, a necropsy performed by the University of Georgia’s veterinary laboratory revealed that Ace had died from respiratory distress caused by overheating. According to Ikwuezunma, the dog sitter had negligently left Ace outside for an extended period which led to the fatal condition.
The family’s attorney, Claudine Wilkins, has accused the sitter of violating state animal protection laws by failing to provide necessary shelter and care. Wilkins emphasized that such negligence constitutes a misdemeanor in Georgia.
In response to the incident, Rover’s management has been in touch with the family, though only offering $1,000 in compensation, a sum that pales in comparison to the $12,000 the family had originally invested in the dog. The family and their lawyer have faced difficulties in further communicating with Rover representatives to address the issue adequately.
Wilkins has strongly criticized Rover’s vetting processes, highlighting the need for the company to ensure that their sitters are adequately trained to handle specific breeds with unique needs, such as French bulldogs known for their susceptibility to respiratory issues in hot weather.
In defense, Rover’s legal team suggested that Ace’s death was related to breed-specific health issues. However, Rover also acknowledged the seriousness of the incident by discontinuing the implicated sitter’s services on their platform. Furthermore, Rover stated that their Trust and Safety team had conducted a detailed review of the incident.
Rover asserted its commitment to pet safety, especially during the summer months, by providing sitter access to seasonal safety resources, custom notifications about breed-specific vulnerabilities, and thorough background checks and training for all sitters.
Despite the company’s efforts, this incident has raised concerns about pet safety standards on platforms that connect pet owners with independent caregivers. Rover mentioned that in the Atlanta region alone, nearly 675,000 pet stays have been booked, with 98% receiving five-star reviews, suggesting that experiences like Ace’s are exceptional.
Nevertheless, this tragic event has left the Ikwuezunma family grieving and calling for more stringent measures to prevent future incidents of this nature.
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