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A Florida woman was in shock after she returned from vacation and discovered her dog was cremated while in the care of a pet sitter.
Eilyn Jimenez of Miami Shores, Florida, told Local 10 she entrusted her three dogs — including her 12-year-old maltese-shitzu, Aria — to sitter Barbara Paz while on vacation in August. She found Paz through Rover, an app that connects pet owners with pet sitters. At first, Paz was sending her regular updates, Jimenez said.
“During the trip, I had been checking in with her, asking how everything was going and she was like, ‘No, everything is fine, everything is wonderful.’ Sending me videos of the dogs, perfect,” she told the outlet.
When Jimenez returned from vacation on August 31, Paz allegedly told her Aria died in her sleep and that she was cremated. Jimenez claims Aria was cremated without her or her husband’s permission, and suspects it was done to cover up the truth, Local 10 reports.
“It’s been really hard, because I think nobody ever thinks that the scenario is going to happen,” Jimenez told The Independent.
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Eilyn Jimenez says her 12-year-old maltese-shitzu, Aria, died in August in the care of a Rover petsitter. When she returned from vacation she was given the dog’s cremated remains. (Eilyn Jimenez/Instagram)
Paz allegedly allowed another person, Daniel Cruz, to pay Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation to have Aria cremated on August 29, Local 10 reports. Joseph Castronovo, a staff member at the animal funeral company, said Cruz claimed it was his dog.
“The guy came in and said it was his dog. He wanted it cremated immediately. He paid 400 extra dollars to cremate it that moment when he brought it into the office,” Castronovo told Local 10.
When Local 10 asked why someone would want a “rush cremation job,” Castronovo said, “Destroy of evidence, that’s why.”
The company told Jimenez that Aria “had her scalp separated from her skull and an eye popping out,” and that Cruz said Aria was “attacked by a bigger dog,” according to Local 10.
Now, Jimenez says she’s filed a report with the Miami Shores Police Department. She also received an apology from Rover and $1,000, but she didn’t accept the money.
“I don’t want to take anything that assumes that I am okay with the way this is handled,” Jimenez told The Independent.
“It’s been very difficult, because we’ve had this information for a while, and to be honest, all we want is accountability,” she later added. “It’s almost like I wish she did pass in her sleep, because at least that would give me peace of mind.”
When approached by Local 10 for comment, Paz said she spoke with Aria’s owners but did not answer the outlet’s questions about Aria’s cause of death. A Rover spokesperson told The Independent that Paz has been removed from their platform.
“Upon learning of this incident, Rover’s 24/7 Trust & Safety team conducted a thorough investigation into Aria’s passing,” the spokesperson said. “The sitter involved has been deactivated from our platform without the option to appeal. We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation should they become involved.”
The Independent has contacted Cruz, Rover, Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation and the Miami Shores Police Department for comment.