Maltese Woman Shocked After Her Dog Suffers Fatal Wound While Under Charge Of Dog Sitter
A Maltese woman was left in shock after her dog suffered a fatal wound while under the charge of a dog sitter.
The story emerged after the photos of the dog made the rounds on social media while the dog owner recounted the events.
On Tuesday morning, Claire Caruana left her eight-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Maggie, with a sitter while she went out on an errand.
“I found a dog sitter online, from Facebook groups. And she was happy to take care of the dog for me in her home whilst I went to hospital for an appointment,” she began.
Only half an hour after she left, however, Claire was contacted by the sitter, with the news that Maggie suffered an ‘accident’ and ended up with a concussion.
“When she called me, I could hear Maggie cry out in pain in the distance, and I knew something was seriously wrong. My dog sitter told me she had bumped her head on a door while running. But I was stuck in traffic. I couldn’t get to her in time so I asked her to meet me at the vet.”
In a state of panic, Claire rushed to the vet, where she found the pet sitter waiting for her there, along with Maggie, who had extensive wounds on her head and body.
“But when the vet and I saw her, we couldn’t believe that such a wound came about from ‘bumping’ into a door.”
“She had a gaping wound with a lot of blood.”
Maggie’s condition worsened over time. She fought for two whole days until finally succumbing to her wounds.
“I left my dog in the hands of a dog sitter, who I trusted, and I never expected this to happen.”
Maggie’s death raised serious questions among Malta’s animal activist community, of whom shared the story on the popular animal-focused Facebook group RUBS Puppy Love.
“What is being done to regulate pet sitters? Do they have the authority or even the necessary qualifications to oversee other persons’ pets? Do they have the same credentials as kennel-owners or can anyone just dogsit for a quick buck?” one woman asked.
“You don’t get a wound like that from bumping into a door,” said another. “Pet sitters are not registered or qualified for the job. So why continue making these mistakes?”
Presently, there are no laws regulating dog sitters in Malta; a fact that left Claire appealing to authorities for more action to be taken in this regard.
Do you think dog sitters need to be regulated in Malta?