In Akron, Ohio, the owner of two dogs has decided to post her story, hoping that no one else has to undergo the same hurtful experience.
Hannah Sexton, a traveling nurse, needed to go out of town in December for the weekend and needed someone to watch her two dogs, Luna and Cash. Normally, Hannah’s family had been able to watch the dogs, but this time it wasn’t possible.
Hannah had downloaded the app for “Rover” service in the past, and so she then decided to message the dog sitter and ask her questions. There was also a meet and greet, and Hannah was sure she had done the right background check to ensure the welfare of her beloved pups.
Tragically that was not to be:
Not even 36 hrs after I dropped them off I got a call that luna had been injured ‘pretty badly’ but not to worry ‘nothing was broken.’ I obviously was worried so immediately had my dad pick up luna and take her to the nearest emergency vet. What the sitter Did not mention was that Luna’s wound was so severe that her bones and tendons were exposed. the sitter did not cover the wound or try to perform any first aid on Luna or take her to the vet. Because of the negligence of Rover and the pet sitter, Luna has had to go through multiple skin grafts, 15+ wound debridments and dressing changes, and I have spent $21,000 on her treatment so far. Rover agreed to pay for 30 days of treatment, but that covers almost nothing considering she will require a minimum of 4-5 months of constant care.
Facebook Hannah Sexton
As for how the injury occurred, Luna’s leg accidentally became wrapped in her other dog’s leash and when Luna tried to pull her leg away, the dog’s skin peeled away from the muscle and bone which left her Archilles tendon and bone completely exposed. When Luna arrived at the vet, the dog’s entire lower leg had been degloved.
Obviously I wasn’t there and will never know what happened but the vet said the injury could be consistent with something being wrapped around her leg and ripped off causing a degloving injury, but only one person knows if it was truly a freak accident or Something else.
Hannah
Amputation has been an option, but Hannah is doing everything possible to avoid that.
As for Rover, Hannah believes there should be some first aid training or at least an emergency awareness course. Dog sitters should have some training in what to do and how to keep a dog safe in case of emergencies.
That particular dog sitter is still listed as active on the Rover app, even though Luna’s injuries were far past superficial and “not to worry.”
Luna is in a cast and recently underwent a bone fusion procedure so that she’ll be able to eventually walk on the injured leg since it no longer has an Achilles tendon. It is hoped the bone fuses together and the dog will be able to walk with no complications even though she will not have any mobility in that joint.
More than two million “pet parents” have used Rover’s network of “trusted sitters and dog walkers” to book house sitting, boarding and day care, but as with any platform, independent contractors often come with limited experiences an d background information, so every pet owner has to take special care to ensure the safety of their pets.
And thank you for those that want to pay her bills. I appreciate it so much but i am fortunate enough to be able to afford to pay for her care right now and would much rather the money go to pets that can’t afford the care that they need.
Hannah on Facebook
Get well soon Luna. We are all pulling for your recovery.
Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook for the latest animal related news.
