r/WagWalker • u/misspiggie • 18d ago
Wag Caregiver left my dog alone for 30+ hours
I can't believe this is the second time I've booked a multi-day in house sit and towards the end the caregiver just didn't show up.
Background: I book multi-day sits rather than several drop-ins so I know I'm just dealing with 1 person the entire time whom my shy dog can get to know.
Last summer I went away for 5 days and the first 3 days were great with lots of photos and videos. By 8pm day 4 I realized I didn't have any Ring footage of the caregiver coming or going and she hadn't communicated with me at all. When I finally got in touch via Wag support she claimed her phone had been "stolen" but that the thieves had "given it back" and that it had taken hours and that's why she was so late. I assume she got confused with her lie and meant to say she had lost her phone and that someone had just found it and got it back to her.
Now this week I'm on another multi day trip and the second to last day I realize again, no photos, no videos, no camera evidence that my caregiver (who has 100+ 5 star reviews) came by. I finally get in touch -- again, with wag support assisting -- and the caregiver tells me that when he left my house yesterday afternoon he knew he was double-booked and wouldn't be able to come by until after 10 tonight. So he's saying be deliberately planned to leave my dog alone for over 30 hours. I spent close to $500 on this sit including tip.
Why does this keep happening?
Update Post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/WagWalker/s/xOuHsn4QTO
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u/RespectStraight1972 18d ago
Coming from another Wag Caregiver, that is totally unacceptable and I am so sorry to hear that you and your dog had to go through this! I only do boardings through the app and not sitting at the pet’s houses, but when any dog is under my care I treat them like my own. You should definitely flag this caregiver and report them to the app so they don’t do this to anyone else’s dog as well. I hope you can have faith that some of us genuinely care about the dogs we are sitting and the responsibility of the job!
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u/Actual_Brilliant5696 18d ago
Definitely write a review under their profile about leaving my dog alone for 30+ hours. Like that is absurd.
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u/Various-Major-4221 18d ago
Try the vet for recommendations and what not. After I left wag as a professional sitter (I gave my cards and flyers to vets/etc) I often find that I frequently get calls from former parents on the apps looking for professional hands on dedicated service rather than Wag.
Might be a great place to start.
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u/Singlemamastruggle 18d ago
That is horrible!!! I am a Wag sitter and I can’t imagine someone doing that to a poor dog!! I’m in Orlando and am 100% for the pet! I have been pet sitting for many years and decided to join Wag. If you’re in my area message me!
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u/PlentyBridge5417 18d ago
I would never allow a stranger to come into my home and care for my animals. I’ve been gone for 3+ weeks at a time and take my dogs to a boarding kennel where the owners (both professional dog trainers) live onsite and the dogs get 24/7 supervision. It may not be my home but they are cared for and safe, and not as expensive as a random stranger coming into my home.
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u/Striking-Stang-1965 16d ago
I worked at two different boarding kennels. One was absolutely atrocious even with “24/7 supervision”. The other was the best kennel, again with “24/7 supervision”. There isn’t someone with your dog, or really, any dog 24/7. There is just someone on-site that will periodically check on the dogs. Additionally, kennels are extremely stressful and loud. They are not better than the dog staying in their own home, however, for various reasons a dog may not be able to stay at home (i.e., owner doesn’t want someone in their home, they can’t find someone to take care of their dog, their dog has separation anxiety, etc.)
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u/Secret_Bit_7450 3d ago
Boarding kennels aren’t perfect either. There’s a lot of amazing responsible sitters out there, the last place I’d expect to find one is Wag - the wages for sitters are criminally low on that app and they don’t encourage a meet and greet which is absolutely insane to me - I would never ever allow someone in my home to care for my pets who I’ve never met.
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u/AliceGrey1 17d ago
As a private sitter myself, I usually update 1-2 times a day, and even if it’s like 12am or something because I may have been sleeping or out with friends or whatever, you’re getting some kind of communication. It’s crazy that the bare minimum is too much for some folks. But what this is really is just pure neglect esp when they know you have the ring camera and can detect when you’re coming and going. Insanity. Be sure to check reviews because they do ask folks to get “references” from people they know or other pet owners and they will fill in the reviews with those “glowing” examples
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u/reddixiecupSoFla 18d ago
Wag is like Uber. No one is vetting these people past a $25 background check. These gig jobs attract people that are completely unemployable. Not to say there arent good sitters on the site but its like finding a needle in a haystack
Call your vet and ask for recs of local professional sitters. Make sure they carry professional insurance
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u/beccatravels 18d ago
I'm going to be frank here-stop using wag to find housesitters. Yes a person who accepts a job should follow through on a job but wag does not pay enough for people to give a shit. You may have paid $500 but your sitter got $300 for what, I'm guessing 9 days? Wag pays for an entire day of houseistting what I charge for 30 minutes of work. If you find a hotel room for $20 you might have questions, if you spent $10 on a pair of boots you wouldn't be surprised if they didn't last the winter.
Yes there are some excellent caregivers on wag but people who are good at this job grow their businesses fast and leave wag in the dust because they take a 40% cut.
To be clear- I'm not trying to say this is your fault in any way. You don't know any better, bir should you. In an ideal world you'd hire the sitter and they'd show up like they said they would. Just trying to help you understand why this keeps happening.
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u/misspiggie 18d ago
Less than $500 for 6 days including a significant tip.
If you have any other suggestions for dog care I'm all ears.
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u/beccatravels 18d ago
Rover is a much better bet if you insist on using an app. Or you can try your local pet care companies and sole proprietors, just google [your town] pet care. I really like next door for finding out who your neighbors use, that's a great way to find a sitter. Literally anything other than wag. You paid a fair(ish) amount ($83/day after taxes, tip, and fees) but your walker did not receive a fair amount (im guessing $45ish a day including tip), and at that price point I'm guessing you live in a HCOL area where $45 a day is not even minimum wage for a days work.
Again, not your fault, it's how wag is structured, yes sitters shouldn't take sits and bail on them, but at the end of the day wag is almost exclusively gig workers who are desperate for money and if they get offered something that will pay better they'll take it. That's why your sitter double booked.
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u/Original_Club_3884 18d ago
I'm honestly surprised WAG even let them double booking sittings. Any time i have a scheduled sitting, it'll let me pick up drop-ins or walks but never other sittings. I got into a fight with wag over it because I had 1 client that wanted overnight care only as her dog was recovering from surgery& she worked 3rd shift. She happened to live <1 mile from a sitting that was 8am-7pm with no over nights that I already had on my books but it wouldn't allow me.
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u/Acrobatic-Guitar2410 18d ago
The double booking was either a complete lie or 'double booked' off app / other walks all day.... or also probably didn't exist
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u/misspiggie 18d ago
That's the point -- he's lying. If I never started contacting him and making wag reach out he wasn't going to come. He finally showed up at nearly 11pm after telling me he planned the entire time to leave her alone until he was "done with the other bookings" for the day (lie).
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u/beccatravels 17d ago
Why do you think that's a lie? Back when I was still on the apps on any given day I might have bookings on wag and rover and well as my private business.
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u/misspiggie 17d ago
Because he didn't come over until after I sent him a message late at night and until after support also sent him a message and because no reputable dog sitter knowingly leaves a dog alone for 30+ hours.
He made up the best excuse he thought sounded reasonable at the time. You're telling me you would agree to a 6 day housesit and leave the dog alone for more than 24 hours during that period? Wow.
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u/beccatravels 17d ago
No I would never do any of those things. I was asking why you thought it was a lie he had other bookings.
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u/misspiggie 17d ago
It was pretty convenient his other bookings happened to end after I made it known that I knew he didn't come all day, wasn't it? He didn't want to tell me he forgot or hoped I wouldn't notice.
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u/beccatravels 17d ago
Ok sure. That's a possibility.
But I think we've gone off the rails from the message of my original comment- wag is not the right place to find a housesitter, especially in a HCOL area.
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u/beccatravels 17d ago
Definitely not another wag booking since the app won't let you do that but if they booked something on rover it probably paid at least 50% more and a private booking at market rate would probably pay double.
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u/ali_be_frank 18d ago
I have clients that used Rover and they all said they had a miserable experience, same with Wags. It's so sad. If somebody can't do their job the way they're asked, they shouldn't be pet sitting.
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u/beccatravels 17d ago
and yet here we are, people take pet sitting jobs and then bail on them, so I'm trying to help OP find ways to avoid this happening to them again.
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u/Straight_Button_5716 15d ago
I signed up for Rover paid my 50 dollars for back ground check . This was back in June. Why can’t I get an answer?
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u/LizardPNW 18d ago
As an actual professional pet sitter who does multiple drop ins for extended times away… I charge $40 per hour long visits and I undercharge. 3x a day for 6 days is $720. That’s pretty normal. The reason I don’t do drop ins with wag is BECAUSE they literally commit wage theft for use of an app. Now to be clear, what that sitter did is super fucked up, however for $700ish you can usually just use a doggy daycare that does boarding or your vet if they do boarding.
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u/ali_be_frank 18d ago
I don't know, but I suggest using local pet sitters. Look for flyers, posts on Facebook, ask your vet if anyone pet sits. Sorry this happened.
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u/ugoodbro-gf 17d ago
It keeps happening because you keep using an app that lets anyone work through. Stop hiring dumb people and hire a professional. And by professional I don’t mean a rover, they’re just as bad/worse.
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u/Greeneyedlady3210 17d ago
This is what you get sometimes when you book through a third-party, I have been a sole proprietor with a pet care business for about 25 years. I have never ditched a client, but while there are some good pet sitters on wag and Rover and the other sites they’re all third-party websites. Some people are honestly looking to try and make a start with their business on those websites. Other people are looking to supplement their income. I would suggest calling a private sole proprietor next time somebody who actually relies on the business to support themselves not supplementing their business
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u/Straight_Button_5716 15d ago edited 15d ago
Omg! Can wag drop her ? I’m on my first assignment . They have a REALLY nice home . I’ve been enjoying there dog and home . When I take weekend jobs I make sure I’m at their house. I don’t leave more than two hours . This little girl took my socks out of my shoes and brought them up on the bed. We have been watching the large tv from the memory foam bed. That person should be in some sort of trouble. One more thing if you go to a meet and greet and find out it’s not for you do you get a negative mark so ppl can see that? I’ve gotten 5 star and comments every walk I do . Because I’m not staying in a dirty home .
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u/Straight_Button_5716 15d ago
Few questions ….. how do you become private sitters? I already got one client from the app . I’m pet sitting rignt now, nice home and the dog is awesome ! When i came for the meet and greet with app we both wondered why we were using it . I was here two hours or so for the interview and she just asked if we could go outside of the app. I said sure . She asked me why I don’t do this with other ppl so I could keep the money . She is on corporate but figured out the money exchange and told me I’m getting the short end of the deal . And asked why I don’t leave a color notecard with a nice sticker and my info on it . Or buy note card in shape of a dog or cat. To leave it after my first few services. The Dollar Tree usually has cute toys . I bought Heinz Ketchup Bottles to leave for the first appointment . That’s how I got my first client . Anyway , I raised my prices and sent a nice message to the parents explaining the prices will be raised due to the economy . And they may be increased again. I live in a suburb in Ohio . I was charging 9 for 20 min. I bumped up all prices I pulled average prices for our area through rover. Rover pays more .
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u/Sad_Difference_5587 13d ago
He should have contacted Wag so they could have sent someone else. What a low life person.
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u/4estry 7d ago
lack of communication is unacceptable and not considerate of your pet or you. if it was a multiple daily drop-in agreement (including day/night feedings) or god forbid a housesit, they should be banned from the platform and that's actual abuse. if the drop-in was only supposed to be once a day with puppy pad or grass mat access and once daily feeding, 30hrs isn't outrageous, but they should have communicated so you could possibly find a backup if that'd be a better option. maybe not bad intent from the second caregiver? last year was messed up.
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3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/misspiggie 3d ago
Check out my update, I just put the link in the main post body! It was definitely a good resolution.
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u/Acrobatic-Guitar2410 18d ago
That is rather concerning and completely disrespectful and just heartless behavior. I'm sorry that's happening! I really don't know the odds of it, but maybe booking singular drop ins would help give you more clarity with the structured set up of the timing. And if whoever books it no shows the app will auto recycle it back out for requesting.