I had Chris the owner, in my home a couple of days before my 5 day vacation. He assured me that the raw dog food diet wouldn't be a problem (with the transfer of food from freezer to fridge and throwing out after 2 days). I explained my dog often refuses meals and takes CBD for anxiety and MCT oils daily. Everything was fine and he explained that I could put all instructions online which I did along with paying $400 in advance.
So the morning I left for my trip I logged into my surveillance system and watched Chris train his employee Jason. The visit seemed to go well. Then Jason came alone for the 2nd of 4 daily walks. He walked in 'phone in hand' and proceeded to lean on my counter using his phone and ignoring my dog. She stood looking at him while he stared at his phone for 20 minutes and left. She wasn't walked at all! I called Chris right away and calmly told him and he became defensive. He raised his voice and told me how long he'd been in business, how his customers love him and that he trusts Jason with his life. All VERY dramatic like I had attacked his newborn child. The camera doesn't lie, I sent him the video and then he insisted Jason was reading my online notes and that he did walk the dog. So you verbally explained my instructions a few hours before but he needed to read them for 20 minutes? Makes no sense. Also he never left with my dog so...
Then on the first night all of the lights in my apartment were left on and the radio was playing. My dog walked in circles barking for hours. I called Chris and he blamed me for not stating that lights/ music should be turned off. I thought it was common knowledge that animals need dark & quiet to sleep just like people. After that they turned off all living room lights but left my bedroom light on with the door open - it was still not dark for my dog. So on day 3 Chris comes in and starts opening my entertainment armoire doors to turn on the radio but this wasn't necessary because the radio was on the bottom which I purposely left open. All the shaking back and forth knocked my camera over so I called and he answered shouting into the phone.
"You have to let me do my job!"
"You've called every day and we know what we're doing!"
"You're micro-managing us!"
I calmly explained that he had accidentally knocked my camera over and I needed him to set it back up to face the room. He snapped that he didn't touch any camera and I eventually got him to understand it was on top of the armoire and he quickly agreed to sit it back up. So now my dog walker has instructed me not to call him anymore. Very nice!
I noticed watching the evening visits that I didn't see my dog getting CBD or MCT oil. I texted (since I can't call) Chris and he insists she has gotten her oils daily. So I finally see him give her CBD after that text, but not the MCT oil. So much for instructions. Another issue was that they would both stand over my dog talking to her and sometimes touching her to get her to eat. I texted Chris it's best to sit the food down and walk away and his response was, "I stood over her before and she ate" I then asked him to add that note to my instructions and he totally ignored me. They stood over her every-single-time! She ate partial meals frequently or wouldn't eat at all and they would both rush her through the meals because they couldn't leave raw food out which could spoil. Regardless, I got bogus texts that she ate all her food except once. To add insult to injury, raw dog food was dumped into the garbage disposal but it wasn't turned on so it just sat there until I made the disgusting discovery.
On day 4 the apartments sent over a vendor with the security alarm service and I was watching as he fixed my equipment. Chris walks in and immediately tells the guy "She's out of town for a few days" Sir why are you telling a perfect stranger standing my apartment with a nonfunctional security system that I'm out of town???? This is not Mayberry or the 50s, we don't announce being out of town to strangers. That was a violation of my privacy. And what if that guy came back later and robbed me?
I'm grateful to have dog walking on Christmas and they do mean well, but I can't recommend Bella and Sam. The customer service was horrendous and they disregard or override your instructions. I recorded all conversations after Chris yelled at me and have the videos of their visits so there is no disputing what happened. I have no reason to make this stuff up. It brings me no pleasure. I paid $400 so I wouldn't have to worry about my dog but instead spent a great deal of time worry-watching my live stream because things weren't going as promised. My dog was supposed to get 2 oils daily and ALL the lights should have been turned off at night. Anyone who understands dogs knows you shouldntstand over an animal while they eat. So I'm grateful for my security cameras but I'm sad to say I'll never use Bella and Sam Pet Sitting ever again. Thanks for the spring water though. read more