What are we suppose to do?

[Nitroboy91]

Okay, so me and my family went on a two week vacation and left our cats and dogs at the house in care of my neighbor, who's about 25 and has always seemed like a really trustworthy person that we've always got along with. Well we got home tonight and found out that she had checked the mail, but thats about it, hadn't feed the dogs or cats at all or taken them outside. We have 2 little dogs and a big Lab and they were all noticeably skinnier then when we left and had pooped and peed all throughout the house-everywhere. Also, our three cats had no food the whole time, and two of the three cats, you can count every bone on their body because they are so skinny and there is no shine whatsoever in their coat anymore. And then to top it off, we had just installed about $2,000 worth of hardwood floors in the lower level of the house, and since the pee had sat there for two weeks it leaked under the floors and into the wood bowing the wood and peeling the upper layer in parts of the floor. The thing that pisses me off is that she had called like three days ago and told us that everything had been going really well and that she was taking care of them all. Pretty much we payed her $100 to check our mail for two weeks. The real question is, what are we suppose to do about it?

 

[jts5555]

call a lawyer

 

[bishiman]

Do you have anything in writing saying that she is going to take care of them. If not then it's your word against theirs.

 

[LBSinGTX]

That sucks something terrible. I bet your animals are happier than ever to see you and I feel sorry for them. Not cool.
Maybe wait for her to leave then go pee all over her house, empty out her fridge.

 

[Hunter]

I have 2 words for you. Bitchslap her.

 

[Rolex]

Without something in writing, you can't really follow a legal course. At least not YET.
Call in the SPCA, let them record the condition of the house and your pets, then have THEM charge her with cruelty to animals. Do it immediately, while they still look emaciated.
Once that starts, and she can't deny it, you will most likely be able to pursue a claim for damages to the house, related to the animal cruelty charges.
Hopefully you photographed everything, before cleaning up. If not, document whatever you can with photos showing the stains and flooring damage.

Since she obviously was given a key to the house, change that lock. She has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she can't be trusted.

 

[Amoeba]

Without something in writing, you can't really follow a legal course. At least not YET.
Call in the SPCA, let them record the condition of the house and your pets, then have THEM charge her with cruelty to animals. Do it immediately, while they still look emaciated.
Once that starts, and she can't deny it, you will most likely be able to pursue a claim for damages to the house, related to the animal cruelty charges.
Hopefully you photographed everything, before cleaning up. If not, document whatever you can with photos showing the stains and flooring damage.

Since she obviously was given a key to the house, change that lock. She has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she can't be trusted.

^ This.

For an old fart Rolex is pretty sharp

 

[Rolex]

All great wisdom comes with age, young grasshoppa'.

 

[hamz9561]

^ This.

For an old fart Rolex is pretty sharp

He has the wisdom of the ages because he is older than dirt. =devil

I do agree with Rolex about contacting the ASPCA or your local equivalent.

 

[SMaxxin]

Without something in writing, you can't really follow a legal course. At least not YET.
Call in the SPCA, let them record the condition of the house and your pets, then have THEM charge her with cruelty to animals. Do it immediately, while they still look emaciated.

IMO this is a double edge sword! While I don't like what she did it is ultimately the animal owners responsibility to find a qualified person/people to care for the animals while they are away...I'm going to go out on a limb and say she is not qualified. The animals should have be brought to a kennel that is equipped and staffed to take proper care of them.Remember, these are your animals and you are responsible for them and their well being!

While I don't like that she neglected them IMO it's just as much your fault for not being absolutely sure that they were in good hands while you were away.

 

[Rolex]

The pets will NOT get stressed when in their home environment. It's always better then sending them to a kennel where they are scared of their surroundings and all the strange smells.
What they had with that woman was a VERBAL contract, with PAYMENT for services she AGREED to perform.
That will hold up in court!
Once you get your local Animal Control office involved to deal with her animal cruelty and neglect, the rest of the charges can follow.

 

[SMaxxin]

The pets will NOT get stressed when in their home environment. It's always better then sending them to a kennel where they are scared of their surroundings and all the strange smells.
What they had with that woman was a VERBAL contract, with PAYMENT for services she AGREED to perform.
That will hold up in court!
Once you get your local Animal Control office involved to deal with her animal cruelty and neglect, the rest of the charges can follow.

At least they would have been fed and kept in a clean health environment in a kennel. Your pets vet should have one, I know the ones around here do.

A verbal agreement is only valid is she admits to it, otherwise it's word against word and that will legally go nowhere.

IMO this is a classic case of the owner not taking responsibility for his poor judgment in choosing qualified pet care. While a pet will be more comfortable at home it is more important that they are well taken care of....In this case the animals would have been better off at a good kennel.

 

[Rolex]

Of course you're right, in hindsight. NO ONE expected her to totally neglect them since she was PAID to care for them.
Sadly, for the animals, it's a very hard lesson for the owners.

 

[SMaxxin]

sadly, for the animals, it's a very hard lesson for the owners.

agreed!

 

[qaart]

at first i though you were going to say they died. have you talked to her

 

[Nitroboy91]

Well we ended up talking to her about it and she completely acted like nothing happened, but he dad over heard the whole conversion and is making her pay for the damage on the floors, Yet my dad will still install them, again...

And the animals were all looked at by a good friend of ours and they are all still healthy and starting to gain some weight back.

All in all, we learned someone who we can't trust and have decided that in the future if the animals can't go, we won't go.

 

[Rolex]

You let her off too easy. She's 25!!! She's not an irresponsible little kid! She should have been held accountable for the thirst, starvation, and cruelty she put those animals through.