3 Beloved Dogs Die in Care of 'Professional' Pet Sitter & People Are Outraged

A group of pet owners were shocked to get a call from their pet sitter that the worst had happened. At least three of the dogs in the care of a pet sitter from Rover.com died over the weekend. Police in Houston, Texas are still investigating what happened, but pet owners said they were alerted to the terrible news via phone call and are still reeling.

Jessica Hayward was heartbroken when she got a breathless call that her dog Goose had faced the worst outcome.

"Goose was one of a kind," she told Click2Houston. "Anyone that’s met him immediately falls in love. His personality was more than just a dog. He was so cute. I loved him so much. We miss him so much."

Related: Dog Mom Finds Out Pet Sitter Lost Her Dog in the Worst Possible Way

Hayward said she was shocked when she got a call from the sitter, who wasn't named, telling her that her dog was one of seven who suffered heat stroke while in the woman's care.

“She was crying and could barely get words out," she recalled. "And all that I said was, ‘Is Goose alive?’ And she said ‘No.’ And we just kept saying what happened? And she didn’t know. We eventually found out that he had died in his crate. It was covered."

The dogs were being held in a shed in the sitter's yard when it happened. Police responded to a call at a home off Clovis in northwest Houston at about 8 pm on June 29. Authorities say they spoke with the sitter, who told them that the air conditioning had gone out in the shed. All seven dogs were rushed to the vet, but three of them sadly died. Four of them are still receiving treatment.

HPD’s Major Offenders Animal Cruelty Unit, along with BARC, are investigating the case. So far no charges have been filed.

Rover has since spoken out about the case. In a statement given to the news outlet, they explained: "At Rover, most of us are pet parents ourselves, and we were deeply concerned to learn of this incident. Our hearts go out to the families of the pets who have passed, and we and we are hoping the dogs currently receiving veterinary care heal quickly and completely," their spokesperson said.

“We are committed to supporting these pet parents throughout this heartbreaking ordeal, including reimbursing the families for related veterinary expenses," the statement continues. "Our 24/7 Trust and Safety team is conducting a thorough investigation, and we will work with local law enforcement to the fullest extent of our ability should they contact us. The safety of our community is a top priority, and we have deactivated this sitter’s profile from our platform.”

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