Dog dies under the care of Rover sitter; man wants answers

BUCKEYE, Ariz. - A Buckeye man is seeking justice for his dog who died while in the care of a professional sitter.

"He was a Terrier. Terriers are full of personality. Very smart dog," Bryon Holland said about his dog, Thor.

For more than 16 years, Holland loved Thor. They moved from Wisconsin to Arizona together, going on road trip after road trip. Holland calls Thor his best friend, but the terrier was also aging. His health was in decline, specifically his vision and hearing.

Recently, Holland had plans to drive to the Grand Canyon for the day, and needed someone to watch Thor. He used a well-known pet boarding website, Rover.com, to find a nearby sitter, and planned a meet and greet at a local park the day before his trip.

"Talked about it for a while. She said she didn't think it would be a problem," Holland says.

Just four hours after dropping Thor off, however, Holland says he got a frantic call from the sitter.

"All she kept saying was 'I'm so sorry,'" Holland recounted. "I'm like, 'What do you mean you're sorry?' and she told me she was at the vet, and that he had fallen in her pool."

Holland rushed back home to get to the vet's office.

"He had a little mat under his head. Water was still coming out of his mouth and his nostrils," Holland said.

Holland says the sitter didn't wait for him at the vet's, and he could no longer get a hold of her.

We aren't naming the dog sitter in this case as she has not been charged with a crime. We also tried reaching that sitter at her home, but no one answered.

"She told Rover that she lost track of him, whatever that means," Holland says. "So obviously, she was not paying attention."

From the street, one can see a rock slide in an un-fenced swimming pool. We also found the sitter's social media page that visibly shows an un-fenced pool earlier this month, but Holland missed that during his early morning drop off.

"Had I known about the pool, absolutely not. There is no way I would have let him stay there if I knew she had a pool with no fence," Holland says.

Rover responds

In response to our inquiry, Rover confirmed the tragedy, and released the following statement:

"...We extend our deepest condolences to Thor's family. We will reimburse them for any veterinarian expenses related to this incident in line with our Rover Guarantee program, and we will refund their service. Additionally, while we know a pet can never be replaced, we have offered financial support should Mr. Holland choose to welcome a new pet into his home in the future. A thorough investigation was completed by our 24/7 Trust and Safety team, and the sitter involved is no longer able to offer services through our platform."

A spokesperson for Rover also said that what happened to Thor was an "unusual occurrence."

In addition, Rover says all pet sitters must be cleared through a background check and pass a safety quiz. Ahead of booking care, Rover also recommends meet and greets with potential sitters, and for pet parents to learn about the home where their pets will be staying.

Sitters and owners should also discuss the pet's personality and behavior, as well as any specific habits and care instructions.

Meanwhile, Holland filed a report with Buckeye Police, but wishes he had never brought his beloved dog to the house.

"I blame myself. I mean, I spent all those years taking care of him and making him safe, and I messed up once, and it cost him his life," he said.