Dog Sitter Paid To Watch A Dog After Its Owners Passed Away Hopes Family Doesn’t Return For Her — ‘I’m Honestly Dreading Getting A Message From Them’
"I don’t think she wants to leave either!"
KatMoys | Shutterstock After agreeing to watch a dog for over three months after her owners passed away, a dog sitter ran into some complications.
She was paid over $6000 for the three months, but the family never came back to get the dog — and now she's hoping they never will.
The dog sitter who was paid to watch a dog after her owners passed away, admitted she hopes the animal's family doesn't return for her.
"I love her so so much and honestly would love to have this be her new home," she wrote in a post to the r/RoverPetSitting subReddit. "I don’t think she wants to leave either!"
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The woman explained that after the pooch's owners sadly passed away, she was brought by a family member to the sitter to stay for three months until things calmed down.
"They made it clear they didn’t want any updates because they’re not dog people and just don’t really care," she added.
While the dog's original family may not care, the pet sitter certainly does. She bonded deeply with the senior Maltese and admitted that she would "1000% keep her" given the chance.
After the 3 months the family paid for, they never showed up to get the dog — and she's hoping they never do.
"We are two weeks past the day she was supposed to get picked up and I’m honestly dreading getting a message from them because I love her so much," she wrote. "I contacted them multiple times and they just straight up never got her."
The woman added that the pup came to her severely underweight and is doing much better in her care.
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While she obviously wants to keep the dog, the pet sitter is concerned about the legal ramifications or confrontation that could follow.
Commenters suggested she contact the family and let them know that she would be willing to keep the dog, as they don't seem to be too concerned about the animal's well-being and may be happy for her to take the dog off of their hands.
“Just be clear that you want to keep her and save them the trouble,” one user advised. “Tell them you’re not worried about the money and just want to give her the stability of a comfortable home.”
Commenters suggested that ‘animal abandonment’ laws would give her the right to claim the dog.
Animal abandonment laws vary from state to state. In California, it is considered abandonment if the animal is "not picked up within 14 days after it was initially due to be picked up." So, it seems this woman might have a case to claim ownership.
Many online advised that she attempt to get a confirmation in a text message from the old owners to protect her from legal issues like lawsuits down the road.
As many pointed out, the family who would be picking up the dog are admittedly "not dog people" and seem to want the dog at all. It would make more sense for the pooch to stay with the pet sitter who loves her and would give her the care she deserves.
“I certainly wouldn’t give the dog back knowing that they don’t want it,” one Redditor wrote. “Send them a message explaining the circumstances, mentioning that you’re happy to keep the dog, you love it, but you just need the communication now.”
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The woman took this Redditor's advice; however, she didn't receive the response that she hoped.
"I messaged the family and said I’d be happy to keep her and how much I love her. I told them she has been very happy and seems much healthier now," she wrote in a comment.
"They finally responded today and said someone from their family will fly in to get her but they don’t know who or when," she continued. The family claimed, "It wouldn’t be right to just let me keep her."
In a bittersweet update, the woman revealed that she gets to keep the dog!
In a follow-up post on Reddit, the dog sitter shared that, after weeks of no response, the family abruptly said they would be by the next day to pick up the seemingly abandoned dog.
"They showed up and told me they were just taking her to get her put down because she’s had a long enough life and nobody wants to deal with her," the woman wrote. "I slammed my door so fast and she is now mine!"
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It seems unnecessarily cruel that the dog's family would choose to put her down when they have an experienced dog sitter ready and able — practically begging — to take the dog off their hands.
"This dog doesn’t bark, never has accidents, doesn’t do a thing wrong! They’re just awful people," the woman added. "She’s safe now!"
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories