Beware of dog-sitting apps

Your dog is not your child, but it sure doesn’t feel that way. For dog owners everywhere, that beloved pet is just like part of the family, and it is tragic for dog-owners when something happens to their dogs.

Dog-sitter found on app loses dog

Recently, as reported by NBC Los Angeles, a popular dog-sitting service lost a customer’s dog, and didn’t inform the dog-owners until hours after the dog was lost. Then, the dog-sitting service actually charged the customer with the ensuing veterinarian bill. What can you as a customer do if your dog gets lost by a dog-sitting service?

Who is responsible?

NBC Los Angeles discussed the issue of liability in this of case with attorney Todd M. Friedman.

See the video here.

Apps like Rover are simply third-party tools. They connect the pet owner with the pet sitters. Thus the app itself and the apps operators are not responsible for instances of lost, injured or killed dogs. That is the responsibility of the actual people who are watching the dogs.

However, you always have rights and there are options to obtain compensation for your losses. Further, there are usually legal nuances and possibilities that most people won’t see without legal training and experience. It is important to talk with an experienced lawyer who can help you understand your rights and options.

In the meantime, be extremely careful when hiring dog sitters. Online reviews can be helpful, but in most cases it is probably safer to hire someone you know and trust personally or to get a recommendation from a friend.