3 dogs dead, 4 others hospitalized while in pet sitter’s care in northwest Houston

HOUSTON — Houston police are investigating what led to the death of a dog in a Timbergrove neighborhood Sunday after residents said the air conditioning in the shed where the dogs were housed lost power.

Details are limited because this is an ongoing investigation, but Houston police told KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel that officers were called to a home near Clovis in northwest Houston around 8 p.m. Officers spoke with a resident, later revealed to be a pet sitter, who said the dogs were being housed in a shed, but the air conditioning was broken.

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The sitter told officers the dogs were taken to a veterinarian, where at least four dogs are still being treated, but three of them have died. HPD’s animal cruelty unit is investigating the case with assistance from BARC, but no charges have been filed as of 12 p.m. Tuesday.

In a statement from the babysitter’s employer, Rover, the company said it had removed the babysitter from its platform and would cooperate fully with the investigation.

“At Rover, most of us are pet owners ourselves and we were deeply concerned by this incident. Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased pets and we hope that the dogs currently under veterinary care will make a speedy and full recovery,” a spokesperson said. “We are committed to supporting these pet owners through this heartbreaking ordeal, including reimbursing the families for veterinary costs related to this situation. Our 24/7 Trust and Safety team is conducting a thorough investigation and we will work with local law enforcement to the fullest extent of our abilities if contacted. The safety of our community is a top priority and we have disabled this pet sitter’s profile from our platform.”

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HPD also urges residents to report any instances of animal cruelty to [email protected]

KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel will have more details on this developing story. Stay tuned for more updates as well as a live report.