28/11/2025
Dog-Sitter Hired To ‘Check In'
During Owner's Trip-Disturbing
Truth Emerges
Rachael O'Connor
Updated November 27, 2025 12:06 PM
A woman who was hired to look after three dogs while their owner was
away got a shock when she realized what the plan for their care was.
The woman, who did not give her name but posts to Reddit under the
username u/TrebleTreble, lives in New Mexico, and told Newsweek she
believes the situation highlights how society lacks “good animal welfare
resources and education,” adding that it was not the first time she had
seen this happen.
In a post to r/dogs in October, she pleaded for advice after learning the
dogs she would be dropping in on twice a day while their owner was on
vacation would be left in their crates for the rest of the day.
As she titled it: “Owner intends to leave dogs in crates for 23 hours a
day.”
She explained she was hired through a dog sitting app to check in on
the dogs-a young golden retriever and border collie, and a senior mix
breed-for 30 minutes in the morning and evening.
But when she went to the house to meet the owner and dogs before
the two-day vacation, she realized: “Because they’ve been destructive
in the past, her plan is to keep the golden and the collie in their wire
crates when I'm not there, which would be 23 hours a day.”
Taking to Reddit with the predicament, she said: “That the owner even
thinks this is fine is very concerning. Do I have any options over and
above calling animal welfare?”
There was a big response to her post, which has more than 1,000
upvotes, with hundreds commenting to share support and their own
concerns.
“I don’t understand why these types of people even get pets. Very sad
for the pups,” one wrote, another agreeing: “She should be paying for
an overnight pet sitter and for someone to let them out of their crates
after four to six hours during the day. That is the minimum she should
be doing.”
Others suggested alerting a local dog rescue or animal control, but one
pointed out “rescues have no legal authority” and another suggested
“animal control isn’t going to take the dogs over this.”
The dog-sitter admitted to Newsweek that the post, despite having a
big response, “didn’t help, but really I think it’s because there are no
great solutions.”
However, while the sit hasn’t happened yet, she “did tell the owner that
it was too long for her dogs to be in their kennels, and asked if she’d be
willing to increase the drop-ins to an hour. She agreed to that.
“So for this booking at least, increasing the drop-ins to an hour at least
gives me some breathing room to push that time.”
Amber Batteiger, a veterinary technician and PR and communications
manager at Embrace Pet Insurance, told Newsweek the situation
“raises extremely valid welfare concerns, and the sitter's instincts were
spot on.”
“Dogs are highly social animals who need daily mental stimulation,
physical exercise, and interaction to stay healthy and well-adjusted,”
she said. “Confining any dog to a crate for 23 hours a day, especially
young, high-energy breeds, is considered inappropriate and could
meet the threshold for neglect under many animal welfare guidelines.”
Adding that long-term confinement can lead to physical and
psychological harm in dogs, Batteiger said any pet sitters who
encounter a similar situation should document what they see and raise
concerns with the owners, as some owners “simply just don't realize
how harmful” it could be.
The sitter could suggest alternatives such as dog-proofed rooms or
exercise pens to allow the dogs to burn energy, but “if it's clear the
animals' needs aren't being met, they should contact local animal
control, a humane agency, or law enforcement to request a welfare
check.”
It was also important to know, Batteiger said, that “pet sitters should
never feel obligated to participate in care arrangements that
compromise animal welfare. Neglect isn't just about physical abuse.
Deprivation of exercise, enrichment, and social contact is a serious
welfare concern.
“Acting promptly matters because neglect is not only harmful, it may
also be illegal.”
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 11:53 AM.
