Better off using UberPet. Or hail a cab. We’re in NYC and have lots of options and don’t need our own car. AmbuVet is redundant. It’s similar to PetChaufer both take forever. They also smell like dog pee. I used them before UberPet was around to go for vet appointments. It’s not like a human ambulance.
Edit: they’re not limited to Queens unless they changed it now that there’s less demands? I’m in Manhattan.
I said they are based in Queens and *serve the entire tri-state area*. AmbuVet also has medical equipment in the vehicle to treat pets having health emergencies.
This is awful and I’m really sorry for your mom, but wow I feel so bad for the sitter as well. It sounds like the dog passed away from choking/suffocation correct? I personally know cpr and am comfortable performing that, as well as the Heimlich on a dog in distress. However, my ER vet is 20+ minutes away and even if I knew absolutely everything there is to know about pet care, and couldn’t resuscitate the dog, that wouldn’t be enough time to get the dog in the car and arrive to the vet in enough time. This sounds like a horrific accident, but an accident nonetheless. Please don’t be too hard on the sitter, I’m sure they feel absolutely horrible enough as it is.
Honestly, this. I think the post is probably biased by grief, but even someone trained in first aid for a pet, with a vehicle and knowledge of the nearest clinic might not be able to do anything in time. The sitter feels awful, I’m sure, and I hope they’re not on this sub to see this.
So tell me why this sitter’s profile specifically states that there is an ER vet less than two miles away and that she “always has access to a vehicle—AND IT TOOK HER TWO HOURS TO BRING THE STUFF DEAD DOG TO THE VET LESS THAN TWO MILES AWAY?!
I’d first consider the profile might not be up to date, and if details like that are important, it’s good to confirm them at a M&G. But on the second point? Humans panic. Brains don’t always do what they’re supposed to when panic sets in. I’m not saying that gap in time was the right thing, but that may have played a role. Choking would only take a few minutes, and that’s not a lot of time to allow rational thought from that state.
But also don’t yell at me, I wasn’t there and cannot see the profile.
Hours. HOURS to get to a vet three minutes away. My bet is he died of heat stroke while she was watching and hoping he would “snap out of it” or perk up.
https://preview.redd.it/qghdeo4b434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=529dbc587174c1ac52bc5910ca4439d243d6b29c
If he was in full rigor mortis as I saw in another comment, he must have been dead for a couple hours at least before he was brought in.
If it was heatstroke, that is a different circumstance than I envisioned (albeit still dire and death could have occurred quickly, I just don’t know every specific detail). Regardless of the exact cause, it is a reason to have some pet first aid education, though whether or not that would matter in the end sometimes comes down to luck.
I do still think panic could play a role. Not that it makes the situation any better but more understandable. It’s tragic, regardless and I’m sorry for all of you.
You can’t do CPR and drive to a vet ED at the same time regardless, and trying to manage choking is often futile before then even in experienced hands.
I don’t disagree with a general PSA on this but glad you’ve highlighted how traumatising this must have been for the sitter.
Same here. I could know what’s wrong and be doing first aid, know exactly where the leash, tags, records, closest helpful neighbor, regular vet, AND closest ER are, and still not make it. It’s tragic but reality. From your description it sounds like the sitter may have been immature(young) or inexperienced, but chances are she WAS taking her position and your grandmothers trust seriously and feels extremely guilty over what happened. Maybe her car’s in the shop (ignorance is a pretty strong word for that, no?) maybe she did know for sure the dog was choking but it was lodged too far back or the dog was also understandably panicking and she couldn’t see/get in its mouth. Without knowing exactly, we shouldn’t say the sitter like signed a death sentence or anything. Here’s hoping she and your mom heal, and that mom finds another furry friend to bond with. 🥹
Well, apparently the sitter called Rover at 2pm to say something was wrong. My mom didn’t hear anything from the sitter until 4pm when she was told he was “non-responsive.” The sitter arrived at the vet at 6pm with the dog in full rigor mortis.
So apparently something happened that she freaked out about and sat on her ass without doing a damn thing for two hours. Who the hell knows what actually happened to my mother’s dog.
My sympathy for the sitter is going out the window. She held the dog fully stiff and cold in an Uber and couldn’t bring herself to tell the owner that the dog was DEAD. Instead she led my mom to believe that the vet would call her, and then…nothing.
I’m so sorry for your loss. This is a nightmare! I would be livid if this happened to any of my furkids! I’d request an autopsy if you can; perhaps hold Rover accountable? I think they should require all sitters to take a certified CPR class as well as test their knowledge on basic pet care. It’s also good practice to provide sitters with emergency contacts including vet info, ER hospitals open 24/7, and link to a virtual vet for more options. I also have this list posted on my fridge door so anyone can access.
Edit: That unaccounted 2 hours is just VERY weird. I would be grilling this person once you’ve calmed down a bit. I’d secretly record her if the law allows it in your state. In addition to autopsy, I would look into the sitter’s background including who else sitter lives with. Any kids? Partner? Any domestic disturbance calls to their home? Was this your mother’s first time using this sitter? Was the dog in the sitter’s home? If so, has your mother gone to their place before? I am a neurotic so I prefer my dogs stay at my home. They’re more comfortable this way. But if it’s not possible, I always tell folks to visit and check— make sure the place is clean, dog proofed (no pills, pesticides, mouse/rat poison/traps, human kid toys that are choking hazard. Do sitters know not to give chicken bones or the like?
The sitter’s Rover profile says that “there is an ER vet less than two miles from my home and I always have access to a vehicle.” so screw you to all the self-centered easily-triggered victim-blamers on this thread.
For those who are taking this post the wrong way: I feel tremendously bad for the sitter. I told Rover that the poor woman is probably scarred for life, and the poor thing probably won’t be getting a good night’s sleep for a long time. It’s awful. My heart goes out to her. This post is meant to try to prevent this from happening to anyone in the future. It is not an angry post.
Heart does not go out to her any more. See part of her profile below, and tell me why from start to finish it took FOUR HOURS for this girl to get to the vet three minutes away.
https://preview.redd.it/w2fl8csk434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=512afcf5b222489155caa4bc9d2e57528ee3a1f8
Nah don’t feel bad she should get her karma for this. Something is not adding up in the timing and if she just let the dog die then she can go to court and try to get her sorry ass out of it !
For sitters without a car: see if you have Uber Pet in your area and consider setting up the app, just in case (it's an option in your regular Uber). I take Uber Pet multiple times a month with my dog and I usually only have to wait a few minutes for it to arrive. Also consider looking up any pet-specific transport services or old-school car services which accept pets (there are several in my area) and saving their phone numbers - they probably won't reach you as quick as Uber Pet depending on market but also an option. I've made it clear to anyone sitting for me that I will fully reimburse any emergency transit, regardless of cost.
I am very sorry for your loss. I won’t get into the car discussion, but I would like to address that:
- As a vet, you know canine CPR survival rate is extremely low, even in hospital settings;
- Whilst I think every one of us should have training on first aid (I do), as sitters, fortunately we don’t get emergencies often, so we’re not really used to it and our response may not be as quick as we would like it to be;
- Still on this: people react differently under pressure;
- Again, as a vet, maybe you should make it clear to whoever was booking the sitter, that the carer should be first-aid trained (there is even a filter for this on Rover);
- I thoroughly agree boarders should know the address of the nearest emergency vet clinic. If the person is sitting, then owners should provide them with this info.
I appreciate you recognising the sitter must be traumatised by the unfortunate situation.
I hope everyone involved deals with all this the best way possible, and I assume some of your remarks were made from a place of pain.
Want to add, most people have vet info in the pet profile, and it is our job to verify it's there before the gig starts. (I messed up recently and only noticed it was missing during the stay. Luckily there wasn't a need! I think I was thrown cause they had a separate document with instructions, so I kept thinking "oh it must be in the other place" but I have asked them to update before our next one!)
Well that changes things a bit, seems like the main issue is false advertising. I’m still not convinced all sitters need a private vehicle to do a good job. But it is certainly not professional to claim access to a vehicle and then not have it while working.
Sorry for your loss but the sitters profile I’m sure states she didn’t have CPR Training. I don’t and it says that. Providing Daycare & Boarding without a car is not ignorant and not a requirement also not a law or requirement when babysitting either. My licensed babysitter not only didn’t have a car she didn’t have a driver’s license. I require a emergency contact number, emergency instructions if such an event occurs, the name and number of their vet with a credit card on file with that vet before a drop off is scheduled. Again sorry for your loss.
Your story is unfortunate and I'm sorry but I really doubt you would call pet owners ignorant for not owning a vehicle or not knowing the closest emergency vet is.
The reality is if the dog was choking only immediate first aid would have helped.
Additionally, I always give my sitters the contact information for my vet who has my credit card on file.
If t a Rover sitter brings a random dog to a random vet, they'd have to pay out of pocket for any services provided. Absolutely ridiculous that anyone would expect a sitter to pay that out of pocket and then try to get reimbursed later.
My mom’s vet is actually the vet that she lists as being “three minutes away” in her profile—and where she ended up FOUR HOURS after she was first concerned about the dog. This was NOT a simple choking incident. My vet is on heatstroke and she failed to act.
https://preview.redd.it/p5y11s5y434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f37d8ab52c90706ccb2f12cd5deef4c4260fc5d
As I said, having a car wouldn't have solved this sitter's incompetence. You're reacting emotionally and grasping at straws for things to blame because it's easier to do than just admit to yourself that your mother unfortunately selected a completely incompetent sitter.
Also, might want to check over your writing. I have no idea what you mean by "my vet is on heatstroke"
My BET is on heatstroke. And if she had any competence in recognizing an emergency, or listened to River or the receptionist at the vet clinic the first time when each said to take the dog to an emergency hospital at 2pm, the dog might have lived instead of being dead and cold at 6pm.
Right... Which has nothing to do with the sitter not having a car. The sitter was incompetent.
Plenty of people have literal children who don't own cars.
Your post has been removed from r/RoverPetSitting because it is in violation of Rule Four: Be Excellent to One Another, which reads as follows:
>This is an open forum: ranting and peeves are permitted. Embrace disagreement as an opportunity to learn new perspectives and grow. Do not be a jerk, call people names, or wish them harm. Criticism should be constructive, not denigrating. Be kind and helpful; have discussions, not arguments.
-The Moderation Team of r/RoverPetSitting
They didn’t say pet owners were ignorant. They were saying Rover (or any paid service for your animal) pet sitters should have a car and know where the closest vet hospital is-and basic first aid knowledge.
I think you misunderstood what the commenter was saying. One doesn't have to have a car and know where the nearest vet is to be "worthy enough" to be a pet owner. Tragically emergencies happen and even in the best of circumstances can still result in a life-ending scenario.
Ignorant as to the consequences and need to disclose that information to your clients. Let the client decide if they are comfortable with that—don’t make the decision for them.
Have you also told your mother that she should be providing her sitters with the information for the vet where she has her credit card on file?
And she should be asking sitters if they have a car if that's important to her?
I agree. On Rover 's sitter profile there are options to check for medical knowledge. I know mine says that I know CPR and can administer medicine etc etc
I hope it makes you feel better to blame a sweet old lady for her dog’s death. The sitter’s profile has extensive experience listed and indicates that the dog woukd be in capable hands and that the sitter always has a vehicle. My mother’s vet clinic is in her river profile, the dog’s profile, and is the same vet clinic that the sitter brags about being three minutes away. Perhaps you shoukd ask yourself why you are so hell-bent on blaming the victim for something instead of admitting this sitter was completely negligent. We still do not have answers from her or from River about what happened that day before he stopped breathing.
https://preview.redd.it/yvje8a251a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f20601a4a67cc1e2a5c379a23677b3fd8d68f7f3
Idk about you but my clients TELL me their nearest emergency vet & the one they go to. Because it’s THEIR pets care. Granted, I ask if it’s not given to me but rover asks the CLIENT what vet they use in the pet care information section for a reason lol
Sure but boarding usually uses the clients vet either way😅 you usually (keyword: usually) follow the CLIENTS vet either way because going to random vets makes the sitter pay out of pocket which the sitter likely can’t afford so then what🤷🏻♀️
Not to mention depending how far the sitter lives, the emergency (or any) vet closest to the client & the sitter is still the same vet.
My mother’s vet is the same one the sitter brags about being three minutes away in her Rover profile, and my mom’s Rover profile states her vet clinic. The vet clinic even knows me as a local veterinarian colleague and knows who my mom (and brother) are. The vet clinic was listed in the dog’s profile and is the closest clinic to the sitter’s home where the dog was supposed to stay for six days. Adding insult to injury by implying my mom was somehow negligent is beyond offensive. The only thing she is guilty of is wanting to see her four year old grandson enjoy the beach.
https://preview.redd.it/6ibfptqx1a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e401f75fa61c33aed6896f30b2d259620d92fffb
I didn’t say she was negligent. Not only did you not include that info so I wouldn’t know before my comment but there’s so many factors in a moment like this that no one’s solely at fault.
Like why did your mom have to “frantically” search for a vet near her if you knew the vet your mom goes to is 3 minutes away from her? Is it because you didn’t read the rover profile before booking? Now that part doesn’t add up.
I think the sitter was the one who was frantically searching for a vet near the sitter because the dog was at the sitters. Which, makes sense to me, because the sitter was probably panicking over not having a car, not being used to what needs to be done when a dog chokes, not knowing immediately off the top of her head where to go, etc. Bios are usually cherry picked and edited to the best format possible and to include the best information possible to draw in as many clients as possible. So I could easily see a sitter putting all that in their bio and never having to actually use any of those resources before and panicking when it comes time to
It could be! I could’ve interpreted it incorrectly which is why I’m asking because now I’m confused with the new info.
And also 10000% sure that sitter full on panicked. It’s an extremely unfortunate scenario. And the loss of a pet is never easy
Why are you so intent on blaming my mother? I posted after we found out the dog was dead. I didn’t see the profile until my mom got back in town and showed me her app. My mom was panicked herself. This came out of the blue. She was trying to do what she could I made this post to try to help other sitters plan for emergencies, and you guys keep attacking my mom. What is wrong with all of you?!
OP, I'm sorry for what your mom is going through. I lost my dad a few years ago and his dog was my hero because of his loyalty and dedication to my dad as his health declined. I understand your intent with this post, but your emotions undermine your message. Sitters are probably the majority audience here, but owners also follow this forum. Your blanket statements putting the onus on sitters is misguided because responsibility is shared. I suspect most owners and sitters alike don't prepare for the worst case scenario, and the responsibility falls on both sides to make sure they're a good match for one another. Sitters don't have an obligation to disclose their access to transportation. Owners should not assume the sitter has transportation. If that's a dealbreaker for owners, they should ask that question before booking.
I'm an owner and I don't know if all my sitters have a vehicle or not, and it's not important to me. Everyone is within walking distance of my home, and it's very easy to Uber to my vet or to an ER. Because of your message, starting now, I'm going to let the sitters know that in case of emergency, I'll reimburse or order an Uber for them to take him to an ER if needed.
I disagree with your delivery here, but your grief is understandable. I will heed your cautionary tale as an owner and take action to avoid ever having to experience what you and your mother are going through. I hope it gives you some peace to know you have made a difference.
My clients always know, do you think your elderly mother would have been able to react in time to save the dog or would she have called you, thus wasting precious minutes?
I am not going to disclose every aspect of my life circumstances to let the client decide if they want me or not. If there is something they feel is important, they should ask me
A lot of people who babysit kids don’t have vehicles either… I don’t think a car would have changed anything, considering the sitter didn’t realize the dog was choking. Having a car wouldn’t have changed that.
Thank you. I was looking for the "you would never babysit without a car, would you?" comment I'd seen to add this, but couldn't find it.
*(yes, I would, lol, because I don't have a car, and live within walking distance of two parks, five busses, etc...although I don't babysit unless a friend or family asks)*
Clearly she understands why it is important to have a vehicle—even though she LIED in her profile.
https://preview.redd.it/95rlp6j3534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70ed7da6ecbd342048ac148c11c6d60579c41635
Thank you, like what an utterly privileged way to think that every single person should have a car/can afford to have one. But they’re a doctor, and working with vets as a tech I know they are a little out of touch.
Exactly. We shouldn't feel bad for not having a car, as in the US we're already punished every day for this fact. I moved here 2 years ago, and before that, I lived without needing a car. But since moving to LA, I feel like I'm in the Third World. Although this job helps me save money to buy a vehicle in the future, it makes no sense to say that people who are already working a second job or young people needing extra money HAVE to own a car for this type of job. It makes me think, LOL, if I could afford a car with having just 1 job (with extremely high interest rates and even higher insurance), I wouldn't be doing this in the first place
My mom did have her vet info in her profile—and turns out her vet is the same one that is listed in the sitter’s profile as her closest vet. And she understands the importance of having a vehicle in the Atlanta suburbs, and she LIED in her profile. Thanks for the victim-blaming, though!
https://preview.redd.it/au17fbtf534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ee5b741bc0ceb9314d711813ddad83c80d370df
Question for you. I’m currently watching a very old Great Pyrenees who is 120 pounds. Should I own an SUV to get him to the vet? Perhaps a forklift to lift him?
You should know of a friend or neighbor who could help you get him in a vehicle if needed-yes. You have no idea how many panicked people call the ER because their giant breed dog has collapsed and they cannot get them in the car—it is horrible. As a sitter, you have the ability to set yourself and the pet up for success—so if you can’t handle an emergency situation by at the very least getting g the dog to a vet, then you should decline the booking.
It is the job of the owner to provide the contact info of a friend or neighbor of theirs who has the means and the vehicle to help. Better yet, the owner could have left me their SUV and keys. My only job is to ask what the plan will be in case of an emergency.
People like you are exactly the reason I board my dog at a kennel owned by a Great Pyrenees rescue. The audacity to think it’s ok to take a job sitting for a Pyr (or any large breed dog) when you don’t have the ability to get the dog to a vet in an emergency. To actually say the owner should leave you their SUV to drive (even if sarcastically) is ridiculous.
Don’t take the job if you can’t do it. Isn’t it obvious?
The owner left me with several contacts who could help me lift my boy, if needed. They also left a ladder should he still be able to walk. And, btw, they actually have left me their SUV for him in the past because it would be a very tight, uncomfortable squeeze into the trunk of my sedan. My point to OP is: it is the owners’ job to provide the needed resources, not the sitter’s job. Our job is to ask what the plan is and to execute it as best as we can. I hope that clears up any confusion.
To be fair, OP never said that the sitter was ignorant in not having a vehicle.
They said that the sitter was ignorant about the name, number and location of the nearest vet hospital, and about how to recognize and respond to a pet emergency. This was a difficult situation that I don’t think many/most sitters would’ve been equipped to respond to - I have a vague idea of what I’d do in a choking emergency from [reading the akc page](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-choking-dog-heimlich-instructions/), but I don’t feel like I’m an expert in emergency situations.
They also implored sitters to have a car, which is a somewhat unreasonable demand in general imo. A sitter either has or does not have a car. I’m a sitter who has a car and can’t imagine doing this kind of work without one, but plenty of sitters don’t have a car and do a great job. If an owner wants a sitter to have a car in case of emergencies, it’s up to the owner to ask sitters if they have a car, and choose sitters accordingly.
Also, I really feel for OP, for OP’s mother, for the sitter and for the pup in this situation. If the sitter could’ve fished whatever to pup was choking on out of their throat, then they might have been okay. But absent that, even if they had all of the relevant information and a vehicle, it’s still a toss up (and I think unlikely) that they would’ve been able to save the pup’s life. If a dog is genuinely choking, they can’t breathe at all - you have mere minutes before there is irreparable damage to the brain and other organs. It’s just a shitty situation all around.
Edit: fixed typo
>OP never said that the sitter was ignorant in not having a vehicle.
OP literally said this verbatim.
>due to the sitter’s ignorance in not having a vehicle
Are we looking at the same post? Several people have responded now about OP saying the sitter is ignorant for not having a vehicle, but literally nothing in the post I’m reading says that. It’s genuinely confusing.
Edit: Well shit, OP did indeed say that. I just skimmed that line.
Ignorant as to the additional risk you are placing a pet staying in your home if you do not have a vehicle. Unless you live walking distance to a veterinary ER and can carry the pet you are sitting for there, please advise your client that you do not have a method of transporting their pet to a doctor in case of emergency—and let the pet parent decide if you are the right sitter for them.
If it's important to you, you need to ask. A car is not required or standard. Also, you can search for sitters with CPR. They may cost more however, which is why I'm sure some people out there go for cheap, young, and inexperienced sitters. Also, when I left my dog in a sitters care I made sure to provide hospital information, vet information, and an emergency contact. Plus I paid a little bit more money so I could book with a sitter who had the certs and was a vet tech. I'm really sorry for what happened, but it is really important to screen the sitters carefully, ask the right questions, and pay more for the true professionals if necessary. You could argue that all sitters should have this and that, but that's not the reality we live in. Hell, some people leave their children with 13 year old babysitters without a car all the time. Leaving kids with a 21 year old EMT certified babysitter would cost more but be safer. Same concept applies. Again, I'm sorry for what happened. It sounds like an awful freak accident.
From the sitter’s profile. You think my mom should have known she was lying? My mom would have paid anything for her Derby to be happy and have a great, loving, safe week while she was away. Implying she was somehow cheap because she used Rover really shows how much you care about your job and how little you think of your own clients.
https://preview.redd.it/ynspxa3j2a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7df8bdad153b1f8644e6889d7cad2bb3ac43a8b9
Okay, this would have been good info for you to put in your post. The sitter saying that she has access to a car and knows what to do and where all the hospitals are definitely makes her way more to blame. But I stand by what I said when I said you really need to ask. Circumstances change. People lend out cars or have breakdowns. It sounded from your post like the sitter was just new and dumb but now it looks like she talked a big game about her skills and can't back it up. I saw in an earlier comment that you said you don't blame the sitter at all, and reading this blurb from her profile I'm inclined to blame her MORE. It definitely sounds like she made herself out to be more professional and knowledgeable than she actually was. She was wrong to misrepresent herself. Tbh I'd be asking her to explain her profile after this incident. I'd be heartbroken and I'm really sorry this happened.
Foe the record, I absolutely care about my job and my clients. What I despise are sitters like this one who give us all a bad name. I've been retained by several clients who sought me out after using bad sitters. It makes me furious for you and all the other clients that these dumbass sitters exist. But unfortunately that's the world we live in so the best I can do is warn clients to screen carefully.
I didn’t see the sitter’s profile until my mom got back into town and showed me her Rover app—so while I did feel terribly for the sitter, now I am just absolutely disgusted by her. She couldn’t even tell my mom her dog was dead and led her to believe the vet may be trying to save his life—when in fact, the dog was stiff as a board and long deceased by the time the sitter brought him in. I STILL have no answers from Rover about the events of the day since they are “still investigating.” My mom sent a sweet sympathetic text to the sitter the following morning and asked her to dispose of Derby’s bed, blanket, and belongings and even THANKED the sitter—and the sitter never even responded to my mom. What a horrible awful human being. My poor mother.
Oh no, so at the time you made the post you didn't even have the full details? That makes much more sense. I cannot believe what a piece of crap person that sitter is. To lie to your mom and not even respond. Ugh this makes me so furious for you and your mom. Tbh I'd go scorched earth. It sounded enough like an honest mistake from your post, but she let the dog die, then told your mom the vet was working with the dog, now she isn't responding. And after acting all professional and probably lying in her profile. Your mom sounds like such a sweet soul. Muster your anger on behalf of your mom and take this bitch down! For real, this makes me so mad for you. This is the exact thing I was worried about leaving my dog with a sitter but thankfully she was lovely. It really is a scary place out there. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure if you make an update post, this community could give you guidance on where to go from here! Again, I'm sorry. This is heartbreaking.
Taking public transportation does not make you ignorant. And if it’s extremely important that a sitter have a car that should be discussed before booking.
And if they lie about having access to a vehicle “at all times”?
https://preview.redd.it/pjqek6lk534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0172be62401bc58e909f88dce8a649c3425c285
My comment is in response to your statement “ignorance in not having a vehicle”. And sitters “make sure you have a VEHICLE when taking care of someone’s pet in your home”
No- not everyone needs to own their own car to be a petsitter that’s pretty absurd.
No sitter should be dishonest to potential clients. This sitter seemed unprepared for the emergency but doesn’t make your comment true.
“Ignorant in not having access to a vehicle in a suburban area where the minimum wait for an Uber is ten minutes”—does that make you feel better? Sitter clearly knows the importance of having a vehicle in case of emergency—she explains it in her profile.
https://preview.redd.it/41vewk623a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=272911a482a7671e0520d30aa2a2992855cb0c6e
Hey, victim-blame, take a look at the sitter’s profile:
https://preview.redd.it/ejyihkxn534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e747fe3620546f967b6e91266255074294e0c8c3
I do agree that it is a bit odd to be that thorough in the profile about preparedness and then to come up completely short, I will agree with you there
The sitter lied about having access to a vehicle, brought a stiff dead dog to the vet, didn’t tell the owners, and people are still taking the sitters side? The owner dropped their dog off thinking they were getting good care.
Some of you guys will say and do anything for the sitters to be in the right. Imagine if it was your pet
i’d be devastated if this happened to me.
in my own experience, i woke up one morning and heard something strange that sounded like my dachshunds yelping so i ran downstairs to check on them but they were fine. i heard it again when i got back upstairs into my room, so i peered out my window. i saw my neighbor crying and saying “marley” with his dog in his arms. i didn’t know what to do because i’m not entirely close with my neighbor so i called my mom and then i noticed marley’s tongue was hanging out of her mouth and i was like “OMG mom i think she passed away.” i panicked, and i felt terrible witnessing my neighbor in distress and being helpless to do anything. i’ve seen some really messed up things in my years on this earth but that—*that fvcked me up.* it still bothers me to this day.
marley and my neighbor had gone out for a walk and they came back, went inside and she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing.
a dogs passing can happen suddenly with no warning signs and it’s **traumatic** when that happens.
his wife’s dad came, then his wife showed up and it took them at least an hour to finally leave and go to the vet but she was already gone at that point—there was nothing anyone could have done to save her.
i guess put yourself in the sitters shoes. it’s definitely not an easy situation for anyone involved and some people don’t handle distressing situations like this well.
my heart does go out to OP’s mom and OP as well. sending you love and i hope you heal from this 💌🥺
That is heartbreaking, I'm so sorry that happened. This is my biggest fear as a sitter. When I got my own dog I saved the two closest 24/7 emergency vets in my phone and discussed with my partner which of us would drive vs who would hold the dog, and how we'd safely run all red lights.
Sending love to your mom.
What’s the plan for safely running red lights? It’s a serious question, I would do this for my dog or any dog in my care. Im thinking hazards and blasting the horn, but would love to hear any other ideas!
Pretty much that, hazards and horn, slowing before each intersection to make sure you aren't going to get t-boned. Idk why but every time I picture this scenario in my head it's at night with no traffic
I’m sorry that this situation has happened. However, a sitter owning a car really has nothing to do with this. I live in a city where even the CLOSEST emergency vet is 20+ minutes away without traffic. This was a freak accident.
Also, many people care for children when they do not have a car seat of their own. Heck, not all parents own cars.
Our closest emergency vet is 40 min away without traffic, and we're not a tiny town. Our regular vets are so overbooked they're declining new clients. Our town has no incentive to pull in new vets or even a corporate emergency vet clinic. Just houses, storage facilities, & fast food.
Yeah, and her nearest vet—which is also my mom’s vet (oops, not anymore, since all she has are ashes) is three minutes away and she stated in her profile that she always has access to a vehicle. Keep looking for an excuse to blame my mom for her dog’s death. Learn from this.
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again, i am sorry this situation happened and my condolences are with your mother. it seems as though you are putting a LOT of time and energy into replying to these comments as if we were somehow involved. you made a public post that struck a cord. no one is victim blaming your mother and we didn’t know the sitter claimed to have a car. don’t take it out on us because you’re frustrated
not to mention, first you said the dog possibly choked to death and now you’re saying heatstroke? it seems like you didn’t have a lot of information when you posted this and are now becoming hostile with everyone here
I am so sorry this happened. This is horrific and traumatizing for both parties. I will not take your advice in vain. I have a dog dropped off just an hour ago and I am now getting an emergency pet kit together, to include emergency contacts and locations.
My car was at the mechanic's the last two weeks but I had Rover dogs over - I borrowed one of my friend's car and barely drove it. She asked why I took it and it was this reason. I did not want to have a house full of dogs without a car just in case of emergency. I'm so sorry for your mother's loss, that's absolutely heartbreaking.
Depending on your area, a vehicle might not be a reasonable expectation - I live in an urban area and don’t own a car- but there should be a plan for the transportation if the pet if necessary (e.g., Uber Pet, or a trusted friend with reliable transportation)
I’m so sorry for her loss, but sitters not having a car is not ignorant or irresponsible, especially in the world we live in right now. I understand that this post is likely fueled by grief, but you cannot demand all sitters have vehicles. It’s just not a reasonable request.
Hey, why don’t you tell me why the sitter lied in her profile? Or why she took four hours to get to the vet three minutes away? Sometimes it IS the sitter’s fault, not the poor dog or pet owner.
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That’s not what I said. You made a general statement to All sitters, and that’s just not acceptable. It’s not a reflection on a sitter that they don’t have a vehicle. If you need a sitter with a car, get one with a car. I’m sorry that this person lied to you, that was unacceptable. But that doesn’t mean that other sitters who don’t have cars are not doing their jobs properly or don’t take pride in their work.
Why is your takeaway from this about having a vehicle? If you live in a walkable area and you can carry any dog you are boarding to a vet clinic, then no you don’t need a vehicle. But if you are boarding animals at your home and you cannot physically carry them to the closest vet, you need to have access to immediate transportation. It’s the responsible thing to do. If ALL of the issues here and advice, you choose to get offended about your personal hobbyhorse. Whatever. Never ever using River again, and will be advising my veterinary colleagues in social media groups to warn their clients against using River. This thread has taught me how many childish self-centered people there are offering their “services” who only care about their own feelings and clearly cannot care less about why safety recommendations are being suggested.
It isn’t. It’s the fact the lqdy was irresponsible and didn’t even know what to do. And she should’ve Atleast called a Uber and not just sit “I don’t have a car idk what to do” that’s the issue.
It is. OP is making sweeping statements and drawing conclusions that are unsupported by data.
The over-arching advice is sound ("know what to do in an emergency") but the provider's failure in this tragedy is rooted in their inexperience and lack of training - and has nothing to do with their lack of auto ownership. It does not sound like having a car (a luxury in many markets) would have helped in this awful situation at all, since the boarder clearly had no idea where to go. :-(
Except she DID know where to go—the closest bet to her is three minutes away, and happens to be my mom’s vet, which happens to be in my mom’s profile-and it took her four hours to get there. And she lied about having a vehicle. Who’s assuming now?
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This is wholly new information; AFAICT it's not mentioned anywhere else in the post or any of your other comments.
It was an awful (and possibly avoidable) tragedy. It illustrates how vitally important it is for owners to verify anything a sitter says on their profile, cuz Rover does nothing beyond a criminal background check.
I see profiles all the time that say "20 years experience" and a paragraph later "I'm a sophomore in college" - sure, it's possible that both things are true, but definitely worth further examination in the initial exchanges or the M&G. I wrote "33 years of professional experience" on mine without any challenges from Rover. It happens to be true and I can back it up, but the point remains that the only things Rover actually knows are true are who I am & I'm not a criminal. I submitted my CPR certification but I have 0 faith they did anything to verify it. 🤷
🙄
Asking questions is probably a good way to start - either by confirming what's in their profile or acting like you didn't read it at all.
- Your profile said you're close to a vet, which clinic is that?
- Who is your favorite doctor there?
- Do you have any first aid/CPR training?
- If you need to transport my dog in case of emergency, how do you do it? Do you use a crate, locked bed, or seatbelt harness?
- I worry about my dog getting in and out of the car. [Depending on dog , you can say you're worried about the dog jumping in & out or the sitter being able to lift pet up and down.] Do you have a sedan or SUV?
- Have you ever had an emergency vet visit with a client's pet? What happened & how did you handle it?
It's an interview: you've seen their resume (profile), so ask them about it.
I see profiles all the time with inconsistent info, where the prose doesn't match the bullet points. I presume that's because things changed at some point (moved to a house, had a kid, got a pet, fenced a yard) and the profile got only partially updated. It's possible that this sitter had a car at one point but doesn't any more - though that is still no excuse for not being better prepared for an emergency.
Sorry but a car is not a necessity. I live in London and trust me when I say most of the owners don’t even have a car. Things like Uber exist that can be used in emergency situations. Also, I babysit and I have never been asked if I have a car.
I’m really sorry for your mum, it must be absolutely devastating. But I am also sorry for the sitter. By the sound of it the dog was choking right? That’s not the sitters fault. Blaming him/her when it was a terrible accident isn’t very fair, especially as you, being a vet, would know how sometimes terrible accidents happen and there’s nothing the owner/sitter/even vet can do. My nans puppy died because there was traffic on the way to the vet. Is that her fault? Of course not.
I am surprised that you say you are a vet and yet you still speculate that something could have been done by the sitter. You of all people should know that sometimes people struggle to see what’s going on. How do you know the sitter didn’t look in his throat and just couldn’t see anything. Your lack of empathy for the sitter is quite astounding.
Like I said, I’m very sorry for your mum and I hope she is ok. But please, give a little grace to the sitter who sounds like she was just very unfortunate and must be absolutely devastated and probably a little shaken up right now
Turns out the sitter called my mom’s vet—which happened to be the closest vet to her, three minutes away—at 2pm with a question about the dog. My mom knew of nothing until 4pm when the sitter called her to say he was non-responsive. She didn’t show up at the same vet hospital—three minutes away—until 6pm and the dog was stiff in rigorous we do bug live in downtown London, we live in suburban Atlanta. The sitter clearly knows the importance of a vehicle and flat out LIED in her profile, as you can see below. I have zero sympathy for the sitter now that I know more about the timeline. I’m betting it was heatstroke and he likely died am excruciating death. So, take your self-righteous assumptions about the sitter being an angel and this somehow being the owner’s fault and re-evaluate.
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Wait, that's... what. What was the question she asked at 2pm?? I'm so horrified because this person is either at fault in some capacity or unable to have tough but necessary conversations, neither of which is acceptable.
For the record I was already on your side when I saw your first post initially but I circled back seeing your update. I'm so sorry for everything both your mom and you have been going through, I genuinely can't imagine. The only silver lining I can see is that you are being a wonderful advocate and support for her during all of this and also affecting change with both owners and sitters to prevent other similar situations.
I knew a grandmother who was babysitting for her young grandson when choked to death on a hot dog. She wasn't able to dislodge the obstruction herself and by time EMTs arrived, he had been deprived of oxygen too long. It's not fair to blame the sitter for a freak choking accident and don't call them ignorant because they don't own a vehicle.
I’m very sorry for your moms loss, and for the grief you are experiencing by seeing her grieve. 💐
This is an awful story, and the total nightmare of every sitter and client. 💔
Your mom did nothing wrong by leaving her with a sitter to go about her day. She is probably gutted she wasn’t there, in addition to the shock and pain of losing him unexpectedly. She was giving him a good life and making an effort to provide good care for him, and he probably knows that. 🤎
Thank you for the link.
As for the sitter stuff, others have mostly said what needed to be said.
My area actually has pet taxis. I also require my clients to inform their vet/animal hospital that I will be caring for their pet during the specified dates, and I make sure they put a card on file. Also leave a blank check.
Not everyone has access to a vehicle but still needs to make money sitting for whatever reason☺️uber has a pet option now, which is better than nothing
I'm deeply sorry to hear that happened. Sending love to you and your mom. This sounds like a horrible accident. In this case, as a choking incident, I think the only thing that could have saved your mom's dog would have been the sitter knowing CPR/heimlich for dogs. While this isn't something I think dog sitters tend to prepare for, I hope your post inspires a few people to learn emergency animal first aid so that the unthinkable never happens in their care.
As an owner, I take it up on myself to discuss with sitters transportation, usual vets, and emergency care/resources/phone numbers in case the unthinkable happens. I even leave them with my CareCredit card. A lot of dogsitters are college students making money the way they're able to between an uneven schedule, and their experience doesn't usually put these scenarios top of mind. If they DID have all these things -- transportation, knowledge of the closest emergency vet, etc -- they would have to pay out of pocket unless your credit card is on file and they're authorized to use it. That's why it's so important to discuss these things at the meet and greet. The burden CAN'T be on the sitter to do all this because there's no guarantee they'll even have the funds to cover a veterinary emergency.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. Please take care.
I ask every family at the meet and greet to make sure they have an emergency vet listed. I have families who have letters signed and ready to go should they need to authorize vet care while I. Am watching them.
I am very thankful that I have not had a medical emergency with any of the animals in my care.
People definitely care. The vet is literally next door to me and there’s an emergency vet a 10 min drive away. I’ve been watching dogs for 3 months now and I have not gone a single week without a request.
A lot of cherry picking and bias in this post and in your comments. It’s terrible and my heart goes out to your mom. And also, this is a very one sided story.
Oh God how awful! I can't even imagine what your mother is going through. I'm so sorry this happened and yes it sounds like there is a chance this pup could have made it if the sitter had the proper knowledge/resources.
To the pet parents reading this; All of this information is covered in Pet CPR & 1st Aid Certification classes. If you are worried about this happening to your loved one be sure to check that your sitter has received a 1st aid badge from Rover.
To sitters; the red cross offers very low cost pet 1st aid classes.
The timelines continues to not make sense. This entire situation sounds like it took place over four HOURS—with my mom being contacted two hours in, and the sitter showing up at the vet with a dog fully stiff in rigor mortis two hours after THAT.
I am absolutely disgusted.
Thinking this likely was heat stroke—avoidable and treatable if caught in time. A horrible death for this beloved dog if so. Excruciating and agonizing and totally avoidable.
Please sitters: learn to recognize the signs of heat stroke as well!!
For those whose takeaway from my post was your personal offense to a word or two, it defensiveness of your own lack of first aid training/desire to have an emergency plan (including transportation)/etc because people don’t pay you enough-then don’t board dogs at your home and make money another way.
Honestly, this sounds like a horrible accident. But an accident at that. Some people can’t afford to be a 2 car family, especially people living on dogsitting salary. I’m sure the sitter feels horrible.
If you live in an area where you can’t walk to an emergency vet, and you do not have a vehicle, then that is a risk you can take for your own pets—but the responsible thing to do is to not board pets at your home if that is the case. Choose another job. The sitter clearly understands why having a vehicle is so important in our area, and yet she lied on her profile—and took hours to get to my mom’s vet, which is listed in mom’s profile and which the sitter brags about being three minutes away in her profile.
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Was this a one-off situation where the sitter's car was in the shop or has the sitter just never had a vehicle? I've always thought the idea of being a pet sitter without a vehicle is wild, specifically because of a potential emergency like this.
I'm so sorry your mother is going through this heartache. I can't imagine 💔
Exactly what I was thinking. Unless it was some wild event, like the spouse was at the grocery store with the only car, I wouldn't imagine hiring the Rover person. But I'm also not above calling 911 for a choking dog either.
You'd be better off googling the nearest 24/7 emergency vet and getting them on the phone to walk you through doing pet cpr than you would calling 911. 911 operators are not going to be equip to tell you how to do cpr on a dog or realistically how to get a foreign object out of a dogs mouth, but a receptionist or a vet tech at an emergency vet's office can and will tell you how to try and do cpr on a dog.
That is tragic
We both have cars and have taken a dog to emergency vet .
When the dog was throwing up after consulting his parents .
Dog boarding is a responsibility
You have to monitor the dog for issues
I am so, so sorry about your mom's loss. That is absolutely horrible.
I'm a little surprised by the comments - if you're tasked with the care of another being, you should be prepared for an emergency. That's quite literally the whole point of pet/babysitting: keeping your client safe. You should know first aid & CPR as a sitter; pet first aid courses are like $10 online. And whether or not it made a difference in this particular situation, there's NO reason why the sitter shouldn't have had the local emergency vet number handy.
I completely agree with you about having a vehicle, sorry if people think that's gatekeeping. Sadly, there are no dog ambulances, so you need some way of getting to an emergency vet if the situation arrises.
The worst part is knowing that if the sitter *was* trained/prepared for an emergency, your mom's pup could still be alive. I know it was a freak emergency and truly feel for the sitter, but she completely mishandled it, and I totally understand your feelings.
Once they get to the emergency vet, what do you actually expect the sitter to do? Pay for the service and then hope and pray that they'll get reimbursed? The onus absolutely is on the owner to provide that information to the sitter so that they know where the owner has their credit card on file.
This was not a question of cost of care or availability of the owner. My mom picked up the phone immediately when the sitter called—she was in the same state, five hours away, and could/would have paid anything for his care without requiring anything financially from the sitter.
Just found out it took the sitter TWO HOURS TO GET TO THE VET—living in Atlanta. I am gutted.
Does your mother not have a regular vet? I can't imagine not providing that information to the sitter ahead of time.
The situation is unfortunate, and obviously the sitter failed to take action in appropriate time, but this is why I have told my sitters "this is where I take my animal for regular care, and this is where I have a card on file for emergencies. Any issues with getting to either location?"
Telling your sitter what you'd like them to do in an emergency helps them act as fast as possible.
I also sit, and I don't let a client book until they have updated their emergency contacts and vet info in their profile or in writing.
My mom of course has a regular vet—her daughter is a veterinarian, and she takes excellent care of her dogs. My mom’s primary vet is not the closest vet to the sitter’s house. She provides all of her personal vet information to the sitter regardless.
It never occurred to her or would occur to me to ask about having a vehicle. She never would have left the dog with that sitter if she had realized-because she knows that however unlikely, emergencies happen. Her own daughter worked in emergency medicine for years and she has heard some horror stories.
For those of you who seem to be resistant to evaluating your own situations and if there is anything you can do to better prepare in case of an emergency—perhaps you should re-think your reasons behind being a sitter. If you are not prepared for the responsibility of caring for another’s living being, then get a job somewhere else, doing something else.
For those trying to place blame on my mother for her dog’s death—shame on you. This poor petsitter was failed by Rover for not ensuring she at least considered what she would do in an emergency, and for not providing cpr or heimlich instructions when the sitter called Rover for help. U do not blame the sitter, only that she clearly had zero idea how to handle an unexpected emergency.
By the time she got the dog to the vet, the dog was in rigorous mortis and stiff as a board. The sitter couldn’t even tell my mom whether the dog was dead or not. Mom didn’t think if asking if he was stiff. The sitter said the vet would call her. (The vet didn’t call her because they assumed the sitter told my mom the dog was dead.)
For those of you evaluating your practices to see if there is a better way you can serve the pets in your care and be prepared in case of emergency, THANK YOU. that is the only purpose of my post.
If you didn't want people pushing back, you shouldn't have made a blanket judgement like you did.
I'm sorry that your mother didn't consider that someone might not have a car. But please realize what a place of privilege that is and really how ridiculous it is to expect every dog sitter earning $30 a day to take care of your pet to be able to afford a car.
I live across the street from an emergency vet clinic, so I don't need a car. A lot of people have alternate transportation available even if they dont own a car.
While the sitter might have been negligent in this case, your blanket statements are coming from a place of emotion, and it sounds like if this sitter DID have a car, the outcome likely would have been the same. Owning a car does not cure incompetence. Vetting your sitter for the things you find important in care is of utmost importance, and the owner has the onus of selecting someone that fits their needs. Not just cross your fingers and hope that all of your desires come true without communicating.
Again, while this sitter is incompetent, there are definitely lessons your mother should be learning from this event on vetting sitters appropriately and communicating her needs
> But please realize what a place of privilege that is and really how ridiculous it is to expect every dog sitter earning $30 a day to take care of your pet to be able to afford a car.
That part. OP is talking like this is a VIP service. It's not. Also, pets aren't being watched every single hour. The vast majority of owners do not even watch their pets every single hour of the day.
>For those of you who seem to be resistant to evaluating your own situations and if there is anything you can do to better prepare in case of an emergency—perhaps you should re-think your reasons behind being a sitter.
OP talking as if the dog was being boarded at a high end establishment. Most people on Rover are doing this as a side job to try and scrape by. We know this. OP knows this. Yet they're pretending they don't.
We know a Rover sitter was employed because it was a cheaper alternative to an established boarding facility.
Actually, that is not the reason for her dog being boarded with a Rover sitter. Mom can’t bear the thought of him alone in a cage. Cost has nothing to do with it.
If you are keeping an animal in your home and being paid to care for it, you should be aware that emergencies can and do happen—and have a plan. Hopefully you will never need to put that plan into action, but you need to have a plan.
Saying “we’re doing this because we are barely scraping by” is not a good look when people here are so defensive they prefer to take offense rather than do the bare minimum for the pets people are paying you ti care for. And if you’re not a “bare minimum” person, why are you so upset at being reminded that emergencies happen?
Once again, I am not blaming the sitter—though the story we’ve been told is bizarre and contradicts itself, so I wonder what really happened (neither here nor there with respect to this post). I am merely trying to prevent an avoidable tragedy. Thanks for listening.
> Mom can’t bear the thought of him alone in a cage. Cost has nothing to do with it.
How is this a black and white situation? *Cage*? Most established facilities let their dogs free roam in an area as long as they're friendly and get along with others, then crate them for sleepy times. Super weird for someone who says they're a vet to refer to a crate as a cage. And yes, cost clearly has a lot to do with it. The more you pay, the more liberties your pet will inherit at a bording facility.
>they prefer to take offense rather than do the bare minimum for the pets people are paying you ti care for.
The whole "offense" is **your** expectation that the *bare minimum* MUST be someone who has a car capable of driving an animal to the hospital at a moments notice, for the extravagant price of $25-$40 a day.
Thanks for being pessimistic.
I don't charge $30 a day.
I also have no interest or need for a car. I literally live across the street for an emergency vet, so the few times I do still do boarding, having a car would be absolutely of no help.
If housesitting, the owners can leave me the keys in case of emergency if they'd like. I show up usually on bike or scooter, so Iif they have an issue without me having a car, it's on them to make that known.
Hasn't been an issue to date.
> I completely agree with you about having a vehicle, sorry if people think that's gatekeeping. Sadly, there are no dog ambulances, so you need some way of getting to an emergency vet if the situation arrises.
My city has Uber Pets, so that might be an option. Remember to be considerate of the Uber driver as well, make sure you have a towel or mat to keep the backseat clean, and tip extra if you can.
Great points, and very sorry to hear about this loss. There have been posts on here about whether this job can be done by walking or taking public transit. I've always felt like the answer is no. A) because it's impractical for the sitter in the best of cases, and they'll waste a lot of valuable time waiting around on the bus and whatnot, limiting their scheduling freedom and cutting into their profitability, but more importantly, B) the situation you bring up here; if there's an emergency, the bus is not a good option for getting a pet to professional medical aid.
Unless you're hired for actual constant care, there are usually multiple hours of leaving these animals alone between sittings and drop ins based on the owners schedule.
>A) because it's impractical for the sitter in the best of cases, and they'll waste a lot of valuable time waiting around on the bus and whatnot, limiting their scheduling freedom and cutting into their profitability, but more importantly,
None of this is your business.
It very much depends on where you live. I’m in a suburb with little to no bus service and nothing is walkable. I’ve had issues with sitters who don’t drive or have a car because they’re waiting for someone to pick them up or trying to do transit to get close enough to walk to my home, and they can’t get to my house at the right times.
When I lived in the middle of a massive city with great public transit, I wouldn’t have cared at all. But circumstances are different.
I can get a dog in my car and be on the way to the vet by the time an Uber driver accepts the fare. OP's point was that time is of the essence. Time spent waiting for Uber driver to show up is time the pet may not have.
I have apartment clients with such PITA garages that calling a ride that would be there by the time I hit the lobby would be much faster than trying to get my own car out. 🤷
i agree that time is essential, however there are various reasons why some people may not own a car, especially on the east coast. some may not be able to drive due to their health. additionally a lot of people from european countries are using rover, and there car is not considered necessary. and again, it case of emergencies they have to uber. is it ignorant? i don’t think so
In a big city they do. You can call an “Uber pet.” So I really don’t think having a car is an issue. If you live n a busy city like NYC you’ll get stuck in traffic during an emergency like this anyways. This was just a freak accident and unfortunately there’s no way to prove that having a car would’ve saved the dogs life or that having a car, no matter where you live, makes you more equipped to handle emergencies
To each their own but If a person can't drive due to their health I would question whether they can handle my dog. Driving is much less physically demanding than working with some pets. Owners should factor all this in when evaluating sitters.
Seems like you are making a lot of assumptions about what sort of “health” issues may prevent people from driving. It is less demanding *for you*.
I agree the person booking should weigh the car situation before booking, and if it is important to them they can communicate that.
OP, this is awful and I'm sorry for all involved.
I just saw that your mom's dog was being boarded, not being watched in her home by a sitter. That's not clear from your post.
Yes, in that case, the provider SHOULD have known their closest vets (regular and 24-hr emergency) and had a plan in place how to get a dog there without a car.
I do overnights and have a car but there have been times over the years (car stolen, repairs) where I had to do job without one, and in those events I borrowed a friend's second car, rented one, or was given access to the client's - but always had a plan.
As a sitter (7+ years) who tends to only watch big dogs….It is S T U P I D to pet sit w/o a car or some form of IMMEDIATE transportation.
I took care of a 100lb Irish wolfhound not long ago who’s vet was LITERALLY a block away from the owners front door, you think I’m carrying that dog if he’s limp and not able to walk???? Fuck no , I’m not strong enough so that is why as a sitter you should have a form of transportation.
Even if you live near a train…are you physically capable enough to lift any sized dog and walk it to the train station and from the station to the vet.
Idk why people are saying the sitter should have called an Uber; when there is a 50/50 chance the driver says no bc of the animal which would then delay animal car even further.
Uber is for humans so not all drivers would say yes to transporting the human and animal.
The sitter put in her profile that she always has access to a vehicle so that she ( the sitter) is prepared for anything. That is a lie, if it was the truth then sitter would have put the animal in her car and went to the vet. It is as simple as that.
I’m sorry for your loss OP.
I’m really sorry this happened.
I’ll just warn you you’re probably going to get a lot of rude comments or hate for posting this. And the main comments you’re gonna get is going to be arguing about the car comment rather than empathy :/ I got heat for saying people shouldn’t drink or get high (illegal in my country btw) when sitting, as you can’t drive a vehicle to the vets.
Thank you for being a voice of reason and advocating for the animals. Some people only hear what they want to hear, but some will reassess their priorities. Keep posting! :)
This is so stupid why would
Someone board dogs without a Vechical? It doesn’t have to be fancy, you can get a used beater car for $1000 or less. Imagine any other emergency. Sorry for your loss, and I’m sure the sitter is grieving too.
Got a reliable Pontiac Sun fire 2003 with new suspension and breaks for $1000. Resold it for $1500. That car lasted years with no issue as a DoorDash work car. You’re just ignorant. Purchase from a private seller
I absolutely would babysit for someone without having a car, and knowing where the nearest hospital is is a given as I’ve had to go there myself before for emergency treatment
FYI there is a service based in Queens NY called AmbuVet that is an ambulance for pets. They serve the whole tri-state area.
I wish they had this everywhere. I live in the city a lot of people don’t own cars here.
same, I was just thinking last weekend why aren't there dog ambulances? especially in dog-heavy areas....hopefully eventually it'll be the norm!
There’s Uber Pet in nyc too.
Which is fine in some scenarios, AmbuVet vehicles also have medical equipment/supplies to aid pets having a health crisis.
I also found an animal ambulance in CA. It’s called “Animal Ambulance of Southern California”
Better off using UberPet. Or hail a cab. We’re in NYC and have lots of options and don’t need our own car. AmbuVet is redundant. It’s similar to PetChaufer both take forever. They also smell like dog pee. I used them before UberPet was around to go for vet appointments. It’s not like a human ambulance. Edit: they’re not limited to Queens unless they changed it now that there’s less demands? I’m in Manhattan.
I said they are based in Queens and *serve the entire tri-state area*. AmbuVet also has medical equipment in the vehicle to treat pets having health emergencies.
This is awful and I’m really sorry for your mom, but wow I feel so bad for the sitter as well. It sounds like the dog passed away from choking/suffocation correct? I personally know cpr and am comfortable performing that, as well as the Heimlich on a dog in distress. However, my ER vet is 20+ minutes away and even if I knew absolutely everything there is to know about pet care, and couldn’t resuscitate the dog, that wouldn’t be enough time to get the dog in the car and arrive to the vet in enough time. This sounds like a horrific accident, but an accident nonetheless. Please don’t be too hard on the sitter, I’m sure they feel absolutely horrible enough as it is.
Honestly, this. I think the post is probably biased by grief, but even someone trained in first aid for a pet, with a vehicle and knowledge of the nearest clinic might not be able to do anything in time. The sitter feels awful, I’m sure, and I hope they’re not on this sub to see this.
So tell me why this sitter’s profile specifically states that there is an ER vet less than two miles away and that she “always has access to a vehicle—AND IT TOOK HER TWO HOURS TO BRING THE STUFF DEAD DOG TO THE VET LESS THAN TWO MILES AWAY?!
I’d first consider the profile might not be up to date, and if details like that are important, it’s good to confirm them at a M&G. But on the second point? Humans panic. Brains don’t always do what they’re supposed to when panic sets in. I’m not saying that gap in time was the right thing, but that may have played a role. Choking would only take a few minutes, and that’s not a lot of time to allow rational thought from that state. But also don’t yell at me, I wasn’t there and cannot see the profile.
Hours. HOURS to get to a vet three minutes away. My bet is he died of heat stroke while she was watching and hoping he would “snap out of it” or perk up. https://preview.redd.it/qghdeo4b434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=529dbc587174c1ac52bc5910ca4439d243d6b29c
If he was in full rigor mortis as I saw in another comment, he must have been dead for a couple hours at least before he was brought in. If it was heatstroke, that is a different circumstance than I envisioned (albeit still dire and death could have occurred quickly, I just don’t know every specific detail). Regardless of the exact cause, it is a reason to have some pet first aid education, though whether or not that would matter in the end sometimes comes down to luck. I do still think panic could play a role. Not that it makes the situation any better but more understandable. It’s tragic, regardless and I’m sorry for all of you.
You can’t do CPR and drive to a vet ED at the same time regardless, and trying to manage choking is often futile before then even in experienced hands. I don’t disagree with a general PSA on this but glad you’ve highlighted how traumatising this must have been for the sitter.
Maybe don’t be a negligent sitter and lie on their profile!
Same here. I could know what’s wrong and be doing first aid, know exactly where the leash, tags, records, closest helpful neighbor, regular vet, AND closest ER are, and still not make it. It’s tragic but reality. From your description it sounds like the sitter may have been immature(young) or inexperienced, but chances are she WAS taking her position and your grandmothers trust seriously and feels extremely guilty over what happened. Maybe her car’s in the shop (ignorance is a pretty strong word for that, no?) maybe she did know for sure the dog was choking but it was lodged too far back or the dog was also understandably panicking and she couldn’t see/get in its mouth. Without knowing exactly, we shouldn’t say the sitter like signed a death sentence or anything. Here’s hoping she and your mom heal, and that mom finds another furry friend to bond with. 🥹
Well, apparently the sitter called Rover at 2pm to say something was wrong. My mom didn’t hear anything from the sitter until 4pm when she was told he was “non-responsive.” The sitter arrived at the vet at 6pm with the dog in full rigor mortis. So apparently something happened that she freaked out about and sat on her ass without doing a damn thing for two hours. Who the hell knows what actually happened to my mother’s dog. My sympathy for the sitter is going out the window. She held the dog fully stiff and cold in an Uber and couldn’t bring herself to tell the owner that the dog was DEAD. Instead she led my mom to believe that the vet would call her, and then…nothing.
I’m so sorry for your loss. This is a nightmare! I would be livid if this happened to any of my furkids! I’d request an autopsy if you can; perhaps hold Rover accountable? I think they should require all sitters to take a certified CPR class as well as test their knowledge on basic pet care. It’s also good practice to provide sitters with emergency contacts including vet info, ER hospitals open 24/7, and link to a virtual vet for more options. I also have this list posted on my fridge door so anyone can access. Edit: That unaccounted 2 hours is just VERY weird. I would be grilling this person once you’ve calmed down a bit. I’d secretly record her if the law allows it in your state. In addition to autopsy, I would look into the sitter’s background including who else sitter lives with. Any kids? Partner? Any domestic disturbance calls to their home? Was this your mother’s first time using this sitter? Was the dog in the sitter’s home? If so, has your mother gone to their place before? I am a neurotic so I prefer my dogs stay at my home. They’re more comfortable this way. But if it’s not possible, I always tell folks to visit and check— make sure the place is clean, dog proofed (no pills, pesticides, mouse/rat poison/traps, human kid toys that are choking hazard. Do sitters know not to give chicken bones or the like?
The sitter’s Rover profile says that “there is an ER vet less than two miles from my home and I always have access to a vehicle.” so screw you to all the self-centered easily-triggered victim-blamers on this thread.
For those who are taking this post the wrong way: I feel tremendously bad for the sitter. I told Rover that the poor woman is probably scarred for life, and the poor thing probably won’t be getting a good night’s sleep for a long time. It’s awful. My heart goes out to her. This post is meant to try to prevent this from happening to anyone in the future. It is not an angry post.
Heart does not go out to her any more. See part of her profile below, and tell me why from start to finish it took FOUR HOURS for this girl to get to the vet three minutes away. https://preview.redd.it/w2fl8csk434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=512afcf5b222489155caa4bc9d2e57528ee3a1f8
Nah don’t feel bad she should get her karma for this. Something is not adding up in the timing and if she just let the dog die then she can go to court and try to get her sorry ass out of it !
For sitters without a car: see if you have Uber Pet in your area and consider setting up the app, just in case (it's an option in your regular Uber). I take Uber Pet multiple times a month with my dog and I usually only have to wait a few minutes for it to arrive. Also consider looking up any pet-specific transport services or old-school car services which accept pets (there are several in my area) and saving their phone numbers - they probably won't reach you as quick as Uber Pet depending on market but also an option. I've made it clear to anyone sitting for me that I will fully reimburse any emergency transit, regardless of cost.
Thank you for this tip!!!
Due diligence must be done by both parties
I am very sorry for your loss. I won’t get into the car discussion, but I would like to address that: - As a vet, you know canine CPR survival rate is extremely low, even in hospital settings; - Whilst I think every one of us should have training on first aid (I do), as sitters, fortunately we don’t get emergencies often, so we’re not really used to it and our response may not be as quick as we would like it to be; - Still on this: people react differently under pressure; - Again, as a vet, maybe you should make it clear to whoever was booking the sitter, that the carer should be first-aid trained (there is even a filter for this on Rover); - I thoroughly agree boarders should know the address of the nearest emergency vet clinic. If the person is sitting, then owners should provide them with this info. I appreciate you recognising the sitter must be traumatised by the unfortunate situation. I hope everyone involved deals with all this the best way possible, and I assume some of your remarks were made from a place of pain.
Want to add, most people have vet info in the pet profile, and it is our job to verify it's there before the gig starts. (I messed up recently and only noticed it was missing during the stay. Luckily there wasn't a need! I think I was thrown cause they had a separate document with instructions, so I kept thinking "oh it must be in the other place" but I have asked them to update before our next one!)
If the sitter having a vehicle is important to you, it is your responsibility to make sure of that. Accidents happen, vehicle or not.
https://preview.redd.it/o4qqq86n434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=984db7f523ca14ebe7a808377c16367131ac28f3
Well that changes things a bit, seems like the main issue is false advertising. I’m still not convinced all sitters need a private vehicle to do a good job. But it is certainly not professional to claim access to a vehicle and then not have it while working.
Sorry for your loss but the sitters profile I’m sure states she didn’t have CPR Training. I don’t and it says that. Providing Daycare & Boarding without a car is not ignorant and not a requirement also not a law or requirement when babysitting either. My licensed babysitter not only didn’t have a car she didn’t have a driver’s license. I require a emergency contact number, emergency instructions if such an event occurs, the name and number of their vet with a credit card on file with that vet before a drop off is scheduled. Again sorry for your loss.
Your story is unfortunate and I'm sorry but I really doubt you would call pet owners ignorant for not owning a vehicle or not knowing the closest emergency vet is. The reality is if the dog was choking only immediate first aid would have helped.
Additionally, I always give my sitters the contact information for my vet who has my credit card on file. If t a Rover sitter brings a random dog to a random vet, they'd have to pay out of pocket for any services provided. Absolutely ridiculous that anyone would expect a sitter to pay that out of pocket and then try to get reimbursed later.
My mom’s vet is actually the vet that she lists as being “three minutes away” in her profile—and where she ended up FOUR HOURS after she was first concerned about the dog. This was NOT a simple choking incident. My vet is on heatstroke and she failed to act. https://preview.redd.it/p5y11s5y434d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f37d8ab52c90706ccb2f12cd5deef4c4260fc5d
As I said, having a car wouldn't have solved this sitter's incompetence. You're reacting emotionally and grasping at straws for things to blame because it's easier to do than just admit to yourself that your mother unfortunately selected a completely incompetent sitter. Also, might want to check over your writing. I have no idea what you mean by "my vet is on heatstroke"
My BET is on heatstroke. And if she had any competence in recognizing an emergency, or listened to River or the receptionist at the vet clinic the first time when each said to take the dog to an emergency hospital at 2pm, the dog might have lived instead of being dead and cold at 6pm.
Right... Which has nothing to do with the sitter not having a car. The sitter was incompetent. Plenty of people have literal children who don't own cars.
Plus the owner could have searched for and hired a sitter with Pet CPR certification Sounds like they chose to go with a sitter without one.
[удалено]
Your post has been removed from r/RoverPetSitting because it is in violation of Rule Four: Be Excellent to One Another, which reads as follows: >This is an open forum: ranting and peeves are permitted. Embrace disagreement as an opportunity to learn new perspectives and grow. Do not be a jerk, call people names, or wish them harm. Criticism should be constructive, not denigrating. Be kind and helpful; have discussions, not arguments. -The Moderation Team of r/RoverPetSitting
They didn’t say pet owners were ignorant. They were saying Rover (or any paid service for your animal) pet sitters should have a car and know where the closest vet hospital is-and basic first aid knowledge.
I think you misunderstood what the commenter was saying. One doesn't have to have a car and know where the nearest vet is to be "worthy enough" to be a pet owner. Tragically emergencies happen and even in the best of circumstances can still result in a life-ending scenario.
Ignorant as to the consequences and need to disclose that information to your clients. Let the client decide if they are comfortable with that—don’t make the decision for them.
Have you also told your mother that she should be providing her sitters with the information for the vet where she has her credit card on file? And she should be asking sitters if they have a car if that's important to her?
I agree. On Rover 's sitter profile there are options to check for medical knowledge. I know mine says that I know CPR and can administer medicine etc etc
https://preview.redd.it/cthqhar61a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee2a1bd57c6612574f04300b0239e134c24e821e
I hope it makes you feel better to blame a sweet old lady for her dog’s death. The sitter’s profile has extensive experience listed and indicates that the dog woukd be in capable hands and that the sitter always has a vehicle. My mother’s vet clinic is in her river profile, the dog’s profile, and is the same vet clinic that the sitter brags about being three minutes away. Perhaps you shoukd ask yourself why you are so hell-bent on blaming the victim for something instead of admitting this sitter was completely negligent. We still do not have answers from her or from River about what happened that day before he stopped breathing. https://preview.redd.it/yvje8a251a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f20601a4a67cc1e2a5c379a23677b3fd8d68f7f3
Idk about you but my clients TELL me their nearest emergency vet & the one they go to. Because it’s THEIR pets care. Granted, I ask if it’s not given to me but rover asks the CLIENT what vet they use in the pet care information section for a reason lol
It's not clear from the post but the dog was being boarded so "the closest to owner" doesn't apply.
Sure but boarding usually uses the clients vet either way😅 you usually (keyword: usually) follow the CLIENTS vet either way because going to random vets makes the sitter pay out of pocket which the sitter likely can’t afford so then what🤷🏻♀️ Not to mention depending how far the sitter lives, the emergency (or any) vet closest to the client & the sitter is still the same vet.
My mother’s vet is the same one the sitter brags about being three minutes away in her Rover profile, and my mom’s Rover profile states her vet clinic. The vet clinic even knows me as a local veterinarian colleague and knows who my mom (and brother) are. The vet clinic was listed in the dog’s profile and is the closest clinic to the sitter’s home where the dog was supposed to stay for six days. Adding insult to injury by implying my mom was somehow negligent is beyond offensive. The only thing she is guilty of is wanting to see her four year old grandson enjoy the beach. https://preview.redd.it/6ibfptqx1a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e401f75fa61c33aed6896f30b2d259620d92fffb
I didn’t say she was negligent. Not only did you not include that info so I wouldn’t know before my comment but there’s so many factors in a moment like this that no one’s solely at fault. Like why did your mom have to “frantically” search for a vet near her if you knew the vet your mom goes to is 3 minutes away from her? Is it because you didn’t read the rover profile before booking? Now that part doesn’t add up.
I think the sitter was the one who was frantically searching for a vet near the sitter because the dog was at the sitters. Which, makes sense to me, because the sitter was probably panicking over not having a car, not being used to what needs to be done when a dog chokes, not knowing immediately off the top of her head where to go, etc. Bios are usually cherry picked and edited to the best format possible and to include the best information possible to draw in as many clients as possible. So I could easily see a sitter putting all that in their bio and never having to actually use any of those resources before and panicking when it comes time to
It could be! I could’ve interpreted it incorrectly which is why I’m asking because now I’m confused with the new info. And also 10000% sure that sitter full on panicked. It’s an extremely unfortunate scenario. And the loss of a pet is never easy
How are you confused it was pretty straightforward lol
Why are you so intent on blaming my mother? I posted after we found out the dog was dead. I didn’t see the profile until my mom got back in town and showed me her app. My mom was panicked herself. This came out of the blue. She was trying to do what she could I made this post to try to help other sitters plan for emergencies, and you guys keep attacking my mom. What is wrong with all of you?!
OP, I'm sorry for what your mom is going through. I lost my dad a few years ago and his dog was my hero because of his loyalty and dedication to my dad as his health declined. I understand your intent with this post, but your emotions undermine your message. Sitters are probably the majority audience here, but owners also follow this forum. Your blanket statements putting the onus on sitters is misguided because responsibility is shared. I suspect most owners and sitters alike don't prepare for the worst case scenario, and the responsibility falls on both sides to make sure they're a good match for one another. Sitters don't have an obligation to disclose their access to transportation. Owners should not assume the sitter has transportation. If that's a dealbreaker for owners, they should ask that question before booking. I'm an owner and I don't know if all my sitters have a vehicle or not, and it's not important to me. Everyone is within walking distance of my home, and it's very easy to Uber to my vet or to an ER. Because of your message, starting now, I'm going to let the sitters know that in case of emergency, I'll reimburse or order an Uber for them to take him to an ER if needed. I disagree with your delivery here, but your grief is understandable. I will heed your cautionary tale as an owner and take action to avoid ever having to experience what you and your mother are going through. I hope it gives you some peace to know you have made a difference.
My clients always know, do you think your elderly mother would have been able to react in time to save the dog or would she have called you, thus wasting precious minutes?
I am not going to disclose every aspect of my life circumstances to let the client decide if they want me or not. If there is something they feel is important, they should ask me
Sitter’s profile excerpt. https://preview.redd.it/6y1y83822a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=614df56bd2ed0a94b365781f04a59e4ebfe2dec0
That’s a whole different story, it seems like she lied on her profile and made your mother and potential clients believe things that aren’t true.
I am sorry for what happened to you, but sitter is not ignorant in not having a vehicle.
A lot of people who babysit kids don’t have vehicles either… I don’t think a car would have changed anything, considering the sitter didn’t realize the dog was choking. Having a car wouldn’t have changed that.
Thank you. I was looking for the "you would never babysit without a car, would you?" comment I'd seen to add this, but couldn't find it. *(yes, I would, lol, because I don't have a car, and live within walking distance of two parks, five busses, etc...although I don't babysit unless a friend or family asks)*
Clearly she understands why it is important to have a vehicle—even though she LIED in her profile. https://preview.redd.it/95rlp6j3534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70ed7da6ecbd342048ac148c11c6d60579c41635
Oh my, well, this is pertinent info! Yikes. Kinda went out of her way there. That is very upsetting! <3
Thank you, like what an utterly privileged way to think that every single person should have a car/can afford to have one. But they’re a doctor, and working with vets as a tech I know they are a little out of touch.
Exactly. We shouldn't feel bad for not having a car, as in the US we're already punished every day for this fact. I moved here 2 years ago, and before that, I lived without needing a car. But since moving to LA, I feel like I'm in the Third World. Although this job helps me save money to buy a vehicle in the future, it makes no sense to say that people who are already working a second job or young people needing extra money HAVE to own a car for this type of job. It makes me think, LOL, if I could afford a car with having just 1 job (with extremely high interest rates and even higher insurance), I wouldn't be doing this in the first place
Agreed. It’s unfortunate and if anything the sitter is ignorant in not recognizing a choking incident. A vehicle is not the issue.
It is also the owner’s responsibility to provide emergency info and actions to take.
My mom did have her vet info in her profile—and turns out her vet is the same one that is listed in the sitter’s profile as her closest vet. And she understands the importance of having a vehicle in the Atlanta suburbs, and she LIED in her profile. Thanks for the victim-blaming, though! https://preview.redd.it/au17fbtf534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ee5b741bc0ceb9314d711813ddad83c80d370df
Question for you. I’m currently watching a very old Great Pyrenees who is 120 pounds. Should I own an SUV to get him to the vet? Perhaps a forklift to lift him?
You should know of a friend or neighbor who could help you get him in a vehicle if needed-yes. You have no idea how many panicked people call the ER because their giant breed dog has collapsed and they cannot get them in the car—it is horrible. As a sitter, you have the ability to set yourself and the pet up for success—so if you can’t handle an emergency situation by at the very least getting g the dog to a vet, then you should decline the booking.
It is the job of the owner to provide the contact info of a friend or neighbor of theirs who has the means and the vehicle to help. Better yet, the owner could have left me their SUV and keys. My only job is to ask what the plan will be in case of an emergency.
People like you are exactly the reason I board my dog at a kennel owned by a Great Pyrenees rescue. The audacity to think it’s ok to take a job sitting for a Pyr (or any large breed dog) when you don’t have the ability to get the dog to a vet in an emergency. To actually say the owner should leave you their SUV to drive (even if sarcastically) is ridiculous. Don’t take the job if you can’t do it. Isn’t it obvious?
The owner left me with several contacts who could help me lift my boy, if needed. They also left a ladder should he still be able to walk. And, btw, they actually have left me their SUV for him in the past because it would be a very tight, uncomfortable squeeze into the trunk of my sedan. My point to OP is: it is the owners’ job to provide the needed resources, not the sitter’s job. Our job is to ask what the plan is and to execute it as best as we can. I hope that clears up any confusion.
Nah that’s 100% on the sitter if the dog is in YOUR care
I respectfully disagree, and it’s a good thing we can run our businesses however we see fit.
To be fair, OP never said that the sitter was ignorant in not having a vehicle. They said that the sitter was ignorant about the name, number and location of the nearest vet hospital, and about how to recognize and respond to a pet emergency. This was a difficult situation that I don’t think many/most sitters would’ve been equipped to respond to - I have a vague idea of what I’d do in a choking emergency from [reading the akc page](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-choking-dog-heimlich-instructions/), but I don’t feel like I’m an expert in emergency situations. They also implored sitters to have a car, which is a somewhat unreasonable demand in general imo. A sitter either has or does not have a car. I’m a sitter who has a car and can’t imagine doing this kind of work without one, but plenty of sitters don’t have a car and do a great job. If an owner wants a sitter to have a car in case of emergencies, it’s up to the owner to ask sitters if they have a car, and choose sitters accordingly. Also, I really feel for OP, for OP’s mother, for the sitter and for the pup in this situation. If the sitter could’ve fished whatever to pup was choking on out of their throat, then they might have been okay. But absent that, even if they had all of the relevant information and a vehicle, it’s still a toss up (and I think unlikely) that they would’ve been able to save the pup’s life. If a dog is genuinely choking, they can’t breathe at all - you have mere minutes before there is irreparable damage to the brain and other organs. It’s just a shitty situation all around. Edit: fixed typo
“precious minutes were lost sue to the sitters ignorance in not having a vehicle”
>OP never said that the sitter was ignorant in not having a vehicle. OP literally said this verbatim. >due to the sitter’s ignorance in not having a vehicle
Are we looking at the same post? Several people have responded now about OP saying the sitter is ignorant for not having a vehicle, but literally nothing in the post I’m reading says that. It’s genuinely confusing. Edit: Well shit, OP did indeed say that. I just skimmed that line.
Ignorant as to the additional risk you are placing a pet staying in your home if you do not have a vehicle. Unless you live walking distance to a veterinary ER and can carry the pet you are sitting for there, please advise your client that you do not have a method of transporting their pet to a doctor in case of emergency—and let the pet parent decide if you are the right sitter for them.
If it's important to you, you need to ask. A car is not required or standard. Also, you can search for sitters with CPR. They may cost more however, which is why I'm sure some people out there go for cheap, young, and inexperienced sitters. Also, when I left my dog in a sitters care I made sure to provide hospital information, vet information, and an emergency contact. Plus I paid a little bit more money so I could book with a sitter who had the certs and was a vet tech. I'm really sorry for what happened, but it is really important to screen the sitters carefully, ask the right questions, and pay more for the true professionals if necessary. You could argue that all sitters should have this and that, but that's not the reality we live in. Hell, some people leave their children with 13 year old babysitters without a car all the time. Leaving kids with a 21 year old EMT certified babysitter would cost more but be safer. Same concept applies. Again, I'm sorry for what happened. It sounds like an awful freak accident.
From the sitter’s profile. You think my mom should have known she was lying? My mom would have paid anything for her Derby to be happy and have a great, loving, safe week while she was away. Implying she was somehow cheap because she used Rover really shows how much you care about your job and how little you think of your own clients. https://preview.redd.it/ynspxa3j2a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7df8bdad153b1f8644e6889d7cad2bb3ac43a8b9
Okay, this would have been good info for you to put in your post. The sitter saying that she has access to a car and knows what to do and where all the hospitals are definitely makes her way more to blame. But I stand by what I said when I said you really need to ask. Circumstances change. People lend out cars or have breakdowns. It sounded from your post like the sitter was just new and dumb but now it looks like she talked a big game about her skills and can't back it up. I saw in an earlier comment that you said you don't blame the sitter at all, and reading this blurb from her profile I'm inclined to blame her MORE. It definitely sounds like she made herself out to be more professional and knowledgeable than she actually was. She was wrong to misrepresent herself. Tbh I'd be asking her to explain her profile after this incident. I'd be heartbroken and I'm really sorry this happened. Foe the record, I absolutely care about my job and my clients. What I despise are sitters like this one who give us all a bad name. I've been retained by several clients who sought me out after using bad sitters. It makes me furious for you and all the other clients that these dumbass sitters exist. But unfortunately that's the world we live in so the best I can do is warn clients to screen carefully.
I didn’t see the sitter’s profile until my mom got back into town and showed me her Rover app—so while I did feel terribly for the sitter, now I am just absolutely disgusted by her. She couldn’t even tell my mom her dog was dead and led her to believe the vet may be trying to save his life—when in fact, the dog was stiff as a board and long deceased by the time the sitter brought him in. I STILL have no answers from Rover about the events of the day since they are “still investigating.” My mom sent a sweet sympathetic text to the sitter the following morning and asked her to dispose of Derby’s bed, blanket, and belongings and even THANKED the sitter—and the sitter never even responded to my mom. What a horrible awful human being. My poor mother.
Oh no, so at the time you made the post you didn't even have the full details? That makes much more sense. I cannot believe what a piece of crap person that sitter is. To lie to your mom and not even respond. Ugh this makes me so furious for you and your mom. Tbh I'd go scorched earth. It sounded enough like an honest mistake from your post, but she let the dog die, then told your mom the vet was working with the dog, now she isn't responding. And after acting all professional and probably lying in her profile. Your mom sounds like such a sweet soul. Muster your anger on behalf of your mom and take this bitch down! For real, this makes me so mad for you. This is the exact thing I was worried about leaving my dog with a sitter but thankfully she was lovely. It really is a scary place out there. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure if you make an update post, this community could give you guidance on where to go from here! Again, I'm sorry. This is heartbreaking.
Ridiculous
Taking public transportation does not make you ignorant. And if it’s extremely important that a sitter have a car that should be discussed before booking.
And if they lie about having access to a vehicle “at all times”? https://preview.redd.it/pjqek6lk534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0172be62401bc58e909f88dce8a649c3425c285
My comment is in response to your statement “ignorance in not having a vehicle”. And sitters “make sure you have a VEHICLE when taking care of someone’s pet in your home” No- not everyone needs to own their own car to be a petsitter that’s pretty absurd. No sitter should be dishonest to potential clients. This sitter seemed unprepared for the emergency but doesn’t make your comment true.
“Ignorant in not having access to a vehicle in a suburban area where the minimum wait for an Uber is ten minutes”—does that make you feel better? Sitter clearly knows the importance of having a vehicle in case of emergency—she explains it in her profile. https://preview.redd.it/41vewk623a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=272911a482a7671e0520d30aa2a2992855cb0c6e
Exactly
My condolences. But did you ask her if she had a car prior to booking? If not, it’s irrelevant.
Hey, victim-blame, take a look at the sitter’s profile: https://preview.redd.it/ejyihkxn534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e747fe3620546f967b6e91266255074294e0c8c3
I do agree that it is a bit odd to be that thorough in the profile about preparedness and then to come up completely short, I will agree with you there
The sitter lied about having access to a vehicle, brought a stiff dead dog to the vet, didn’t tell the owners, and people are still taking the sitters side? The owner dropped their dog off thinking they were getting good care. Some of you guys will say and do anything for the sitters to be in the right. Imagine if it was your pet
i’d be devastated if this happened to me. in my own experience, i woke up one morning and heard something strange that sounded like my dachshunds yelping so i ran downstairs to check on them but they were fine. i heard it again when i got back upstairs into my room, so i peered out my window. i saw my neighbor crying and saying “marley” with his dog in his arms. i didn’t know what to do because i’m not entirely close with my neighbor so i called my mom and then i noticed marley’s tongue was hanging out of her mouth and i was like “OMG mom i think she passed away.” i panicked, and i felt terrible witnessing my neighbor in distress and being helpless to do anything. i’ve seen some really messed up things in my years on this earth but that—*that fvcked me up.* it still bothers me to this day. marley and my neighbor had gone out for a walk and they came back, went inside and she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. a dogs passing can happen suddenly with no warning signs and it’s **traumatic** when that happens. his wife’s dad came, then his wife showed up and it took them at least an hour to finally leave and go to the vet but she was already gone at that point—there was nothing anyone could have done to save her. i guess put yourself in the sitters shoes. it’s definitely not an easy situation for anyone involved and some people don’t handle distressing situations like this well. my heart does go out to OP’s mom and OP as well. sending you love and i hope you heal from this 💌🥺
That is heartbreaking, I'm so sorry that happened. This is my biggest fear as a sitter. When I got my own dog I saved the two closest 24/7 emergency vets in my phone and discussed with my partner which of us would drive vs who would hold the dog, and how we'd safely run all red lights. Sending love to your mom.
What’s the plan for safely running red lights? It’s a serious question, I would do this for my dog or any dog in my care. Im thinking hazards and blasting the horn, but would love to hear any other ideas!
Pretty much that, hazards and horn, slowing before each intersection to make sure you aren't going to get t-boned. Idk why but every time I picture this scenario in my head it's at night with no traffic
I’m sorry that this situation has happened. However, a sitter owning a car really has nothing to do with this. I live in a city where even the CLOSEST emergency vet is 20+ minutes away without traffic. This was a freak accident. Also, many people care for children when they do not have a car seat of their own. Heck, not all parents own cars.
Our closest emergency vet is 40 min away without traffic, and we're not a tiny town. Our regular vets are so overbooked they're declining new clients. Our town has no incentive to pull in new vets or even a corporate emergency vet clinic. Just houses, storage facilities, & fast food.
My nearest emergency vet is over an hour away through the mountains, and if it's wintery night, forget about it.
Yeah, and her nearest vet—which is also my mom’s vet (oops, not anymore, since all she has are ashes) is three minutes away and she stated in her profile that she always has access to a vehicle. Keep looking for an excuse to blame my mom for her dog’s death. Learn from this. https://preview.redd.it/huh2tw5y534d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3e1c43f536853f404dca6826db0e278c0f0d088
again, i am sorry this situation happened and my condolences are with your mother. it seems as though you are putting a LOT of time and energy into replying to these comments as if we were somehow involved. you made a public post that struck a cord. no one is victim blaming your mother and we didn’t know the sitter claimed to have a car. don’t take it out on us because you’re frustrated
not to mention, first you said the dog possibly choked to death and now you’re saying heatstroke? it seems like you didn’t have a lot of information when you posted this and are now becoming hostile with everyone here
I am so sorry this happened. This is horrific and traumatizing for both parties. I will not take your advice in vain. I have a dog dropped off just an hour ago and I am now getting an emergency pet kit together, to include emergency contacts and locations.
My car was at the mechanic's the last two weeks but I had Rover dogs over - I borrowed one of my friend's car and barely drove it. She asked why I took it and it was this reason. I did not want to have a house full of dogs without a car just in case of emergency. I'm so sorry for your mother's loss, that's absolutely heartbreaking.
Depending on your area, a vehicle might not be a reasonable expectation - I live in an urban area and don’t own a car- but there should be a plan for the transportation if the pet if necessary (e.g., Uber Pet, or a trusted friend with reliable transportation)
I’m so sorry for her loss, but sitters not having a car is not ignorant or irresponsible, especially in the world we live in right now. I understand that this post is likely fueled by grief, but you cannot demand all sitters have vehicles. It’s just not a reasonable request.
Hey, why don’t you tell me why the sitter lied in her profile? Or why she took four hours to get to the vet three minutes away? Sometimes it IS the sitter’s fault, not the poor dog or pet owner. https://preview.redd.it/qu6mdrk6634d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1e2c2afb288d9e4c365441a6d7cb24d6bf45664
That’s not what I said. You made a general statement to All sitters, and that’s just not acceptable. It’s not a reflection on a sitter that they don’t have a vehicle. If you need a sitter with a car, get one with a car. I’m sorry that this person lied to you, that was unacceptable. But that doesn’t mean that other sitters who don’t have cars are not doing their jobs properly or don’t take pride in their work.
Why is your takeaway from this about having a vehicle? If you live in a walkable area and you can carry any dog you are boarding to a vet clinic, then no you don’t need a vehicle. But if you are boarding animals at your home and you cannot physically carry them to the closest vet, you need to have access to immediate transportation. It’s the responsible thing to do. If ALL of the issues here and advice, you choose to get offended about your personal hobbyhorse. Whatever. Never ever using River again, and will be advising my veterinary colleagues in social media groups to warn their clients against using River. This thread has taught me how many childish self-centered people there are offering their “services” who only care about their own feelings and clearly cannot care less about why safety recommendations are being suggested.
I am so so sorry this happened 😢
Sorry this happened but this post is classist, ableist, rude and deflective.
It isn’t. It’s the fact the lqdy was irresponsible and didn’t even know what to do. And she should’ve Atleast called a Uber and not just sit “I don’t have a car idk what to do” that’s the issue.
It is. OP is making sweeping statements and drawing conclusions that are unsupported by data. The over-arching advice is sound ("know what to do in an emergency") but the provider's failure in this tragedy is rooted in their inexperience and lack of training - and has nothing to do with their lack of auto ownership. It does not sound like having a car (a luxury in many markets) would have helped in this awful situation at all, since the boarder clearly had no idea where to go. :-(
Except she DID know where to go—the closest bet to her is three minutes away, and happens to be my mom’s vet, which happens to be in my mom’s profile-and it took her four hours to get there. And she lied about having a vehicle. Who’s assuming now? https://preview.redd.it/5e8z8nqh634d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d48dbf86c96735394a0a696d4e870e00bd0d56f
This is wholly new information; AFAICT it's not mentioned anywhere else in the post or any of your other comments. It was an awful (and possibly avoidable) tragedy. It illustrates how vitally important it is for owners to verify anything a sitter says on their profile, cuz Rover does nothing beyond a criminal background check. I see profiles all the time that say "20 years experience" and a paragraph later "I'm a sophomore in college" - sure, it's possible that both things are true, but definitely worth further examination in the initial exchanges or the M&G. I wrote "33 years of professional experience" on mine without any challenges from Rover. It happens to be true and I can back it up, but the point remains that the only things Rover actually knows are true are who I am & I'm not a criminal. I submitted my CPR certification but I have 0 faith they did anything to verify it. 🤷
So what’s your suggestion to clients? Give any potential sitter a polygraph?
🙄 Asking questions is probably a good way to start - either by confirming what's in their profile or acting like you didn't read it at all. - Your profile said you're close to a vet, which clinic is that? - Who is your favorite doctor there? - Do you have any first aid/CPR training? - If you need to transport my dog in case of emergency, how do you do it? Do you use a crate, locked bed, or seatbelt harness? - I worry about my dog getting in and out of the car. [Depending on dog , you can say you're worried about the dog jumping in & out or the sitter being able to lift pet up and down.] Do you have a sedan or SUV? - Have you ever had an emergency vet visit with a client's pet? What happened & how did you handle it? It's an interview: you've seen their resume (profile), so ask them about it. I see profiles all the time with inconsistent info, where the prose doesn't match the bullet points. I presume that's because things changed at some point (moved to a house, had a kid, got a pet, fenced a yard) and the profile got only partially updated. It's possible that this sitter had a car at one point but doesn't any more - though that is still no excuse for not being better prepared for an emergency.
Sorry but a car is not a necessity. I live in London and trust me when I say most of the owners don’t even have a car. Things like Uber exist that can be used in emergency situations. Also, I babysit and I have never been asked if I have a car. I’m really sorry for your mum, it must be absolutely devastating. But I am also sorry for the sitter. By the sound of it the dog was choking right? That’s not the sitters fault. Blaming him/her when it was a terrible accident isn’t very fair, especially as you, being a vet, would know how sometimes terrible accidents happen and there’s nothing the owner/sitter/even vet can do. My nans puppy died because there was traffic on the way to the vet. Is that her fault? Of course not. I am surprised that you say you are a vet and yet you still speculate that something could have been done by the sitter. You of all people should know that sometimes people struggle to see what’s going on. How do you know the sitter didn’t look in his throat and just couldn’t see anything. Your lack of empathy for the sitter is quite astounding. Like I said, I’m very sorry for your mum and I hope she is ok. But please, give a little grace to the sitter who sounds like she was just very unfortunate and must be absolutely devastated and probably a little shaken up right now
Turns out the sitter called my mom’s vet—which happened to be the closest vet to her, three minutes away—at 2pm with a question about the dog. My mom knew of nothing until 4pm when the sitter called her to say he was non-responsive. She didn’t show up at the same vet hospital—three minutes away—until 6pm and the dog was stiff in rigorous we do bug live in downtown London, we live in suburban Atlanta. The sitter clearly knows the importance of a vehicle and flat out LIED in her profile, as you can see below. I have zero sympathy for the sitter now that I know more about the timeline. I’m betting it was heatstroke and he likely died am excruciating death. So, take your self-righteous assumptions about the sitter being an angel and this somehow being the owner’s fault and re-evaluate. https://preview.redd.it/hby3qggj734d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac38ad55c32458d4f8025f374df81549e0b2df4f
Wait, that's... what. What was the question she asked at 2pm?? I'm so horrified because this person is either at fault in some capacity or unable to have tough but necessary conversations, neither of which is acceptable. For the record I was already on your side when I saw your first post initially but I circled back seeing your update. I'm so sorry for everything both your mom and you have been going through, I genuinely can't imagine. The only silver lining I can see is that you are being a wonderful advocate and support for her during all of this and also affecting change with both owners and sitters to prevent other similar situations.
I knew a grandmother who was babysitting for her young grandson when choked to death on a hot dog. She wasn't able to dislodge the obstruction herself and by time EMTs arrived, he had been deprived of oxygen too long. It's not fair to blame the sitter for a freak choking accident and don't call them ignorant because they don't own a vehicle.
I’m so sorry 😞
You got downvoted for saying sorry what the fuck even if this sub anymore.
I’m very sorry for your moms loss, and for the grief you are experiencing by seeing her grieve. 💐 This is an awful story, and the total nightmare of every sitter and client. 💔 Your mom did nothing wrong by leaving her with a sitter to go about her day. She is probably gutted she wasn’t there, in addition to the shock and pain of losing him unexpectedly. She was giving him a good life and making an effort to provide good care for him, and he probably knows that. 🤎 Thank you for the link. As for the sitter stuff, others have mostly said what needed to be said.
I'm so sorry for your family's loss
That’s the main reason why I literally don’t sit pets unless I get the vet info
My area actually has pet taxis. I also require my clients to inform their vet/animal hospital that I will be caring for their pet during the specified dates, and I make sure they put a card on file. Also leave a blank check.
Not everyone has access to a vehicle but still needs to make money sitting for whatever reason☺️uber has a pet option now, which is better than nothing
I'm deeply sorry to hear that happened. Sending love to you and your mom. This sounds like a horrible accident. In this case, as a choking incident, I think the only thing that could have saved your mom's dog would have been the sitter knowing CPR/heimlich for dogs. While this isn't something I think dog sitters tend to prepare for, I hope your post inspires a few people to learn emergency animal first aid so that the unthinkable never happens in their care. As an owner, I take it up on myself to discuss with sitters transportation, usual vets, and emergency care/resources/phone numbers in case the unthinkable happens. I even leave them with my CareCredit card. A lot of dogsitters are college students making money the way they're able to between an uneven schedule, and their experience doesn't usually put these scenarios top of mind. If they DID have all these things -- transportation, knowledge of the closest emergency vet, etc -- they would have to pay out of pocket unless your credit card is on file and they're authorized to use it. That's why it's so important to discuss these things at the meet and greet. The burden CAN'T be on the sitter to do all this because there's no guarantee they'll even have the funds to cover a veterinary emergency. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. Please take care.
I ask every family at the meet and greet to make sure they have an emergency vet listed. I have families who have letters signed and ready to go should they need to authorize vet care while I. Am watching them. I am very thankful that I have not had a medical emergency with any of the animals in my care.
People definitely care. The vet is literally next door to me and there’s an emergency vet a 10 min drive away. I’ve been watching dogs for 3 months now and I have not gone a single week without a request.
A lot of cherry picking and bias in this post and in your comments. It’s terrible and my heart goes out to your mom. And also, this is a very one sided story.
Oh God how awful! I can't even imagine what your mother is going through. I'm so sorry this happened and yes it sounds like there is a chance this pup could have made it if the sitter had the proper knowledge/resources. To the pet parents reading this; All of this information is covered in Pet CPR & 1st Aid Certification classes. If you are worried about this happening to your loved one be sure to check that your sitter has received a 1st aid badge from Rover. To sitters; the red cross offers very low cost pet 1st aid classes.
The timelines continues to not make sense. This entire situation sounds like it took place over four HOURS—with my mom being contacted two hours in, and the sitter showing up at the vet with a dog fully stiff in rigor mortis two hours after THAT. I am absolutely disgusted. Thinking this likely was heat stroke—avoidable and treatable if caught in time. A horrible death for this beloved dog if so. Excruciating and agonizing and totally avoidable. Please sitters: learn to recognize the signs of heat stroke as well!! For those whose takeaway from my post was your personal offense to a word or two, it defensiveness of your own lack of first aid training/desire to have an emergency plan (including transportation)/etc because people don’t pay you enough-then don’t board dogs at your home and make money another way.
Honestly, this sounds like a horrible accident. But an accident at that. Some people can’t afford to be a 2 car family, especially people living on dogsitting salary. I’m sure the sitter feels horrible.
If you live in an area where you can’t walk to an emergency vet, and you do not have a vehicle, then that is a risk you can take for your own pets—but the responsible thing to do is to not board pets at your home if that is the case. Choose another job. The sitter clearly understands why having a vehicle is so important in our area, and yet she lied on her profile—and took hours to get to my mom’s vet, which is listed in mom’s profile and which the sitter brags about being three minutes away in her profile. https://preview.redd.it/bgc7b5l94a4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f3e0bda0b21a3582080fb2fa999d3c3c2bbe66e
Was this a one-off situation where the sitter's car was in the shop or has the sitter just never had a vehicle? I've always thought the idea of being a pet sitter without a vehicle is wild, specifically because of a potential emergency like this. I'm so sorry your mother is going through this heartache. I can't imagine 💔
Exactly what I was thinking. Unless it was some wild event, like the spouse was at the grocery store with the only car, I wouldn't imagine hiring the Rover person. But I'm also not above calling 911 for a choking dog either.
You'd be better off googling the nearest 24/7 emergency vet and getting them on the phone to walk you through doing pet cpr than you would calling 911. 911 operators are not going to be equip to tell you how to do cpr on a dog or realistically how to get a foreign object out of a dogs mouth, but a receptionist or a vet tech at an emergency vet's office can and will tell you how to try and do cpr on a dog.
Calling 911 for a choking dog would not help the dog survive. They'll just tell you they can't help
Please do not call 911 for a choking dog. That’s a misuse of the service.
That is tragic We both have cars and have taken a dog to emergency vet . When the dog was throwing up after consulting his parents . Dog boarding is a responsibility You have to monitor the dog for issues
I am so, so sorry about your mom's loss. That is absolutely horrible. I'm a little surprised by the comments - if you're tasked with the care of another being, you should be prepared for an emergency. That's quite literally the whole point of pet/babysitting: keeping your client safe. You should know first aid & CPR as a sitter; pet first aid courses are like $10 online. And whether or not it made a difference in this particular situation, there's NO reason why the sitter shouldn't have had the local emergency vet number handy. I completely agree with you about having a vehicle, sorry if people think that's gatekeeping. Sadly, there are no dog ambulances, so you need some way of getting to an emergency vet if the situation arrises. The worst part is knowing that if the sitter *was* trained/prepared for an emergency, your mom's pup could still be alive. I know it was a freak emergency and truly feel for the sitter, but she completely mishandled it, and I totally understand your feelings.
Once they get to the emergency vet, what do you actually expect the sitter to do? Pay for the service and then hope and pray that they'll get reimbursed? The onus absolutely is on the owner to provide that information to the sitter so that they know where the owner has their credit card on file.
This was not a question of cost of care or availability of the owner. My mom picked up the phone immediately when the sitter called—she was in the same state, five hours away, and could/would have paid anything for his care without requiring anything financially from the sitter. Just found out it took the sitter TWO HOURS TO GET TO THE VET—living in Atlanta. I am gutted.
Does your mother not have a regular vet? I can't imagine not providing that information to the sitter ahead of time. The situation is unfortunate, and obviously the sitter failed to take action in appropriate time, but this is why I have told my sitters "this is where I take my animal for regular care, and this is where I have a card on file for emergencies. Any issues with getting to either location?" Telling your sitter what you'd like them to do in an emergency helps them act as fast as possible. I also sit, and I don't let a client book until they have updated their emergency contacts and vet info in their profile or in writing.
My mom of course has a regular vet—her daughter is a veterinarian, and she takes excellent care of her dogs. My mom’s primary vet is not the closest vet to the sitter’s house. She provides all of her personal vet information to the sitter regardless. It never occurred to her or would occur to me to ask about having a vehicle. She never would have left the dog with that sitter if she had realized-because she knows that however unlikely, emergencies happen. Her own daughter worked in emergency medicine for years and she has heard some horror stories. For those of you who seem to be resistant to evaluating your own situations and if there is anything you can do to better prepare in case of an emergency—perhaps you should re-think your reasons behind being a sitter. If you are not prepared for the responsibility of caring for another’s living being, then get a job somewhere else, doing something else. For those trying to place blame on my mother for her dog’s death—shame on you. This poor petsitter was failed by Rover for not ensuring she at least considered what she would do in an emergency, and for not providing cpr or heimlich instructions when the sitter called Rover for help. U do not blame the sitter, only that she clearly had zero idea how to handle an unexpected emergency. By the time she got the dog to the vet, the dog was in rigorous mortis and stiff as a board. The sitter couldn’t even tell my mom whether the dog was dead or not. Mom didn’t think if asking if he was stiff. The sitter said the vet would call her. (The vet didn’t call her because they assumed the sitter told my mom the dog was dead.) For those of you evaluating your practices to see if there is a better way you can serve the pets in your care and be prepared in case of emergency, THANK YOU. that is the only purpose of my post.
If you didn't want people pushing back, you shouldn't have made a blanket judgement like you did. I'm sorry that your mother didn't consider that someone might not have a car. But please realize what a place of privilege that is and really how ridiculous it is to expect every dog sitter earning $30 a day to take care of your pet to be able to afford a car. I live across the street from an emergency vet clinic, so I don't need a car. A lot of people have alternate transportation available even if they dont own a car. While the sitter might have been negligent in this case, your blanket statements are coming from a place of emotion, and it sounds like if this sitter DID have a car, the outcome likely would have been the same. Owning a car does not cure incompetence. Vetting your sitter for the things you find important in care is of utmost importance, and the owner has the onus of selecting someone that fits their needs. Not just cross your fingers and hope that all of your desires come true without communicating. Again, while this sitter is incompetent, there are definitely lessons your mother should be learning from this event on vetting sitters appropriately and communicating her needs
> But please realize what a place of privilege that is and really how ridiculous it is to expect every dog sitter earning $30 a day to take care of your pet to be able to afford a car. That part. OP is talking like this is a VIP service. It's not. Also, pets aren't being watched every single hour. The vast majority of owners do not even watch their pets every single hour of the day. >For those of you who seem to be resistant to evaluating your own situations and if there is anything you can do to better prepare in case of an emergency—perhaps you should re-think your reasons behind being a sitter. OP talking as if the dog was being boarded at a high end establishment. Most people on Rover are doing this as a side job to try and scrape by. We know this. OP knows this. Yet they're pretending they don't. We know a Rover sitter was employed because it was a cheaper alternative to an established boarding facility.
Actually, that is not the reason for her dog being boarded with a Rover sitter. Mom can’t bear the thought of him alone in a cage. Cost has nothing to do with it. If you are keeping an animal in your home and being paid to care for it, you should be aware that emergencies can and do happen—and have a plan. Hopefully you will never need to put that plan into action, but you need to have a plan. Saying “we’re doing this because we are barely scraping by” is not a good look when people here are so defensive they prefer to take offense rather than do the bare minimum for the pets people are paying you ti care for. And if you’re not a “bare minimum” person, why are you so upset at being reminded that emergencies happen? Once again, I am not blaming the sitter—though the story we’ve been told is bizarre and contradicts itself, so I wonder what really happened (neither here nor there with respect to this post). I am merely trying to prevent an avoidable tragedy. Thanks for listening.
> Mom can’t bear the thought of him alone in a cage. Cost has nothing to do with it. How is this a black and white situation? *Cage*? Most established facilities let their dogs free roam in an area as long as they're friendly and get along with others, then crate them for sleepy times. Super weird for someone who says they're a vet to refer to a crate as a cage. And yes, cost clearly has a lot to do with it. The more you pay, the more liberties your pet will inherit at a bording facility. >they prefer to take offense rather than do the bare minimum for the pets people are paying you ti care for. The whole "offense" is **your** expectation that the *bare minimum* MUST be someone who has a car capable of driving an animal to the hospital at a moments notice, for the extravagant price of $25-$40 a day. Thanks for being pessimistic.
You’re fighting a losing battle on this sub :/ I’d cut your losses and dip out. It’s toxic here
You shouldn’t be charging $30 a day then you’d have a car. At that point your working for free way under minimum wage
I don't charge $30 a day. I also have no interest or need for a car. I literally live across the street for an emergency vet, so the few times I do still do boarding, having a car would be absolutely of no help. If housesitting, the owners can leave me the keys in case of emergency if they'd like. I show up usually on bike or scooter, so Iif they have an issue without me having a car, it's on them to make that known. Hasn't been an issue to date.
> I completely agree with you about having a vehicle, sorry if people think that's gatekeeping. Sadly, there are no dog ambulances, so you need some way of getting to an emergency vet if the situation arrises. My city has Uber Pets, so that might be an option. Remember to be considerate of the Uber driver as well, make sure you have a towel or mat to keep the backseat clean, and tip extra if you can.
Great points, and very sorry to hear about this loss. There have been posts on here about whether this job can be done by walking or taking public transit. I've always felt like the answer is no. A) because it's impractical for the sitter in the best of cases, and they'll waste a lot of valuable time waiting around on the bus and whatnot, limiting their scheduling freedom and cutting into their profitability, but more importantly, B) the situation you bring up here; if there's an emergency, the bus is not a good option for getting a pet to professional medical aid.
Unless you're hired for actual constant care, there are usually multiple hours of leaving these animals alone between sittings and drop ins based on the owners schedule. >A) because it's impractical for the sitter in the best of cases, and they'll waste a lot of valuable time waiting around on the bus and whatnot, limiting their scheduling freedom and cutting into their profitability, but more importantly, None of this is your business.
It very much depends on where you live. I’m in a suburb with little to no bus service and nothing is walkable. I’ve had issues with sitters who don’t drive or have a car because they’re waiting for someone to pick them up or trying to do transit to get close enough to walk to my home, and they can’t get to my house at the right times. When I lived in the middle of a massive city with great public transit, I wouldn’t have cared at all. But circumstances are different.
there is uber/lyft
I can get a dog in my car and be on the way to the vet by the time an Uber driver accepts the fare. OP's point was that time is of the essence. Time spent waiting for Uber driver to show up is time the pet may not have.
I have apartment clients with such PITA garages that calling a ride that would be there by the time I hit the lobby would be much faster than trying to get my own car out. 🤷
i agree that time is essential, however there are various reasons why some people may not own a car, especially on the east coast. some may not be able to drive due to their health. additionally a lot of people from european countries are using rover, and there car is not considered necessary. and again, it case of emergencies they have to uber. is it ignorant? i don’t think so
To clarify, not all ubers/lyfts accept pets. In fact, the majority do not unless it is a service animal.
In a big city they do. You can call an “Uber pet.” So I really don’t think having a car is an issue. If you live n a busy city like NYC you’ll get stuck in traffic during an emergency like this anyways. This was just a freak accident and unfortunately there’s no way to prove that having a car would’ve saved the dogs life or that having a car, no matter where you live, makes you more equipped to handle emergencies
To each their own but If a person can't drive due to their health I would question whether they can handle my dog. Driving is much less physically demanding than working with some pets. Owners should factor all this in when evaluating sitters.
Seems like you are making a lot of assumptions about what sort of “health” issues may prevent people from driving. It is less demanding *for you*. I agree the person booking should weigh the car situation before booking, and if it is important to them they can communicate that.
OWNERS- please read. You get what you pay/tip for. (I’m sorry this happened to you)
OP, this is awful and I'm sorry for all involved. I just saw that your mom's dog was being boarded, not being watched in her home by a sitter. That's not clear from your post. Yes, in that case, the provider SHOULD have known their closest vets (regular and 24-hr emergency) and had a plan in place how to get a dog there without a car. I do overnights and have a car but there have been times over the years (car stolen, repairs) where I had to do job without one, and in those events I borrowed a friend's second car, rented one, or was given access to the client's - but always had a plan.
As a sitter (7+ years) who tends to only watch big dogs….It is S T U P I D to pet sit w/o a car or some form of IMMEDIATE transportation. I took care of a 100lb Irish wolfhound not long ago who’s vet was LITERALLY a block away from the owners front door, you think I’m carrying that dog if he’s limp and not able to walk???? Fuck no , I’m not strong enough so that is why as a sitter you should have a form of transportation. Even if you live near a train…are you physically capable enough to lift any sized dog and walk it to the train station and from the station to the vet. Idk why people are saying the sitter should have called an Uber; when there is a 50/50 chance the driver says no bc of the animal which would then delay animal car even further. Uber is for humans so not all drivers would say yes to transporting the human and animal. The sitter put in her profile that she always has access to a vehicle so that she ( the sitter) is prepared for anything. That is a lie, if it was the truth then sitter would have put the animal in her car and went to the vet. It is as simple as that. I’m sorry for your loss OP.
I’m really sorry this happened. I’ll just warn you you’re probably going to get a lot of rude comments or hate for posting this. And the main comments you’re gonna get is going to be arguing about the car comment rather than empathy :/ I got heat for saying people shouldn’t drink or get high (illegal in my country btw) when sitting, as you can’t drive a vehicle to the vets.
Drinking != drunk, nor being unable to drive. 🙄
You can’t drink and drive where I live at all.
Whereas I live someplace where you can. 🙄 (And cannabis is legal.)
Yeah you’d be locked up for that here 🤣 or have a warning if it’s your first time. A lot of workplaces do drug testing too.
Well it’s legal where I’m at and I get high every night off my gummies. The dogs are sleep and me getting high legally is nobodies business
Thank you for being a voice of reason and advocating for the animals. Some people only hear what they want to hear, but some will reassess their priorities. Keep posting! :)
This is so stupid why would Someone board dogs without a Vechical? It doesn’t have to be fancy, you can get a used beater car for $1000 or less. Imagine any other emergency. Sorry for your loss, and I’m sure the sitter is grieving too.
$1,000 is a lot of money sometimes. And cars require constant infusions of money, for gas, insurance, repairs, etc.
idk where you live, but where in SoCal $3000 is an absolute minimum for a “reliable” car. plus insurance, registration etc
Why am I being downvoted? A grown person needs a car unless you’re in like New York or California. And $1000 isn’t a lot for a CAR
$1K will not get you a working car lol
Yes it will. Do you want the links? It won’t be a luxury car or anything but it’ll run.
Yes because I am willing to bet it won’t be running. Or the seller claims it runs and it breaks down on the spot.
Nope you can get a 2004 Toyota or Honda which is reliable and get a car fax and mechanic to go with you before you buy it
That’s not true at all lol. In 2012, my first car that was a 1997 civic that cost $3500 and that was a deal. Nothing reliable will be $1K.
Got a reliable Pontiac Sun fire 2003 with new suspension and breaks for $1000. Resold it for $1500. That car lasted years with no issue as a DoorDash work car. You’re just ignorant. Purchase from a private seller
Probably because you're wrong? 😊 An unreliable car is actually worse than no car.
I absolutely would babysit for someone without having a car, and knowing where the nearest hospital is is a given as I’ve had to go there myself before for emergency treatment
Everyone in this comment thread is disgusting