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ENGLEWOOD, Florida (WBBH) — An Englewood woman is warning pet owners after she says her dogs were neglected and her belongings stolen by a sitter she hired through the Rover app during her trip abroad in early July.
Natalie Jones said her heart broke after witnessing her dogs, Harry and Buddy, being mistreated.
“Just, you know, it was breaking my heart. You know, they would come in and the big dogs, very friendly, goes to welcome you. And they would be screaming at him, kicking him, using their arms to get him away from. And I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ I was like, ‘Why? Why would you do that?'” Jones said.
Jones decided to use the Rover app, which connects pet owners with sitters and walkers in their area, for the first time. She selected Sara Bettencourt, who had 39 recent reviews and appeared qualified as a vet tech and owner of a dog grooming and nail trimming business.
“This lady in particular had 39 recent reviews. So I felt pretty good and she came for a meet-and-greet. She was a vet tech, and she owns her own business that, you know, is dog grooming and nail trimming and stuff. So I thought, well, this sounds pretty good,” Jones said.
However, upon returning from her vacation, Jones reviewed footage from her home cameras and discovered troubling behavior.
During the time Bettencourt cared for the dogs, Jones said they were neglected. According to an arrest report, Bettencourt and another person were seen on video carrying trash bags filled with Jones’ belongings and loading them into a car before leaving the home.
“And then, you see them just going through the cabinets, the refrigerator. You hear him talking about doing coke constantly. You see him sniffing, washing, flushing their nose out in the sink, and I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is like a nightmare.’ So as soon as we walked in the door, first thing I wanted to make sure the dogs were OK,” Jones said.
Jones said her dogs have not been the same since the incident.
Bettencourt was arrested by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for grand theft and has since been released.
Jones is now warning other pet owners to take precautions when leaving their pets in someone else’s care.
“My best advice to someone is get a picture of their ID and get a camera. If they won’t agree to those two things, they’re not the sitter for you, because anyone who loves dogs who isn’t doing anything wrong isn’t going to have any problem with that,” Jones said.
Rover has been contacted to determine whether Bettencourt is still listed as a sitter on the app. They shared a statement saying:
“The safety of our community is a top priority and we take allegations of theft, illicit drug use, and animal mistreatment extremely seriously.
Upon learning of this incident, our 24/7 Trust & Safety team launched a thorough investigation. The account of the sitter involved has been deactivated without the option to appeal, meaning they cannot communicate or book new stays with pet parents via Rover. We have also refunded Ms. Jones’s stay and offered to cover the costs of a house cleaning.
All sitters joining Rover must pass an enhanced background check through an industry leading third-party, which scans federal, state, and county databases for criminal behavior like theft. Any sitter who violates our policies or community standards will face swift action up to permanent removal from the platform. Rover stands ready to assist law enforcement in their investigation should they reach out.”
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