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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 11:23:30 GMT -5
Well I am on vacation and the cat sitter I got watched them 3 times while I and my daughter made quick trips. Then I went away last Thursday and got a text message from the catsitter the next day that she quit. It does say that in her contract - I pointed it out earlier when I signed it and she said "it would have to be a real emergency". Anyway I phoned around on my cel phone - used up almost all my minutes (am pay as you go) and my daughter agreed to do it. Then on Monday she said there was a notice on the door from the spca that they'd had a complaint. Then the next day Tuesday there was another notice from them saying that if I don't contact them they will start legal action. She said she wrote a notice on their notice that she was staying there and taking care of the cats. I asked her for the file # and phone # or if she could phone in but she hasn't replied. Haven't got any messages from her since Tues. nite. Any advice anyone? I tried to call them by buying a phone card at the gas station last night but couldn't get thru. I'm not sure if they can break in, if I should go home, or what on earth to do.
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Post by anonymoose on Aug 12, 2010 11:52:06 GMT -5
Hi Heretoday,
I wish I had some advice for you - if it were me, I'd panic and go home but I don't know if that's the right answer. Just wanted you to know you have my support.
For now, I think the best thing you can do is to keep trying to contact them even if you don't have any case numbers or anything. If there's a place to leave a message, do that - and check the SPCA website in your area, they may have an email address that you can use to contact them so you aren't burning through your minutes (I'm paygo too, and it's easy to go through a lot of money).
When are you due to head home, if you don't cut things short?
Very curious (read: nosy) about your cat sitter and what caused her to flake out on you like that.
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Post by gottaproblem on Aug 12, 2010 12:27:14 GMT -5
Not just flake out, it sounds like the catsitter may have made the complaint doesn't it. I do not have answers either, but I would keep trying to call them before I came home. Your daughter is taking care of the cats and the spca should lay off.
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Post by blossoming on Aug 12, 2010 12:32:44 GMT -5
i've been a pet sitter. i only cancelled one day before when i TRULY could not get there. they called a neighbor. on days my car broke down, i paid someone to take me there and on those days made no money, but i wasn't going to let someone's animal go without. keep trying to get in touch with the organization. even if you don't have the case number, let them know that you are really freaked out. hopefully that will get someone to help figure out who to contact to make sure nothing happens. do you have a neighbor whose bugged at you? i had people report me (it was ruled unfounded) who regularly euthanized their various animals for only the reason of, well, we've had him for three months and are tired of him. . so it may be someone who is truly concerned, but it could also be one of those things like child abuse reporting that while it is OBVIOUSLY really important, can also be used by jerks to mess people over. i'm not sure if i would go home, but that is me personally. if i remember your posts, and i may have you confused with someone else, you really needed time away. it's NOT your fault. i have had some difficult things happen to animals and loved ones while i was away, but at the same time, i always knew, you have to be away at some point. my ex literally wound up in the hospital everytime i had to be away from home out of town. but i still had to go. so, don't feel too guilty. life is weird like that. hang in there.
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Post by puppybox on Aug 12, 2010 12:50:04 GMT -5
how about calling the SPCA and telling them what's happening? or contact them by email. they aren't evil people who want to take the cat away, they want to ensure the cat is not being neglected, so do you. I'm sure if you talk to them you can work it out. explain that your cat sitter quit so your daughter is doing it instead, you will be back soon.
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Post by eagle on Aug 12, 2010 13:04:53 GMT -5
If you have no more minutes on your cell, how can your daughter reach you? Or are you staying at a hotel or motel where she can leave messages?
If it were me, I'd go home. The threat of legal action by the SPCA is a serious one. I would not want to come home to a legal action which could include the police and SPCA breaking into my home, and all that might entail.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 13:05:58 GMT -5
thanks very much people, I did go down to the visitor information centre and they said to go over to the Hilton and use their guest phone. I have run most of the minutes off my cel and have to keep some in case the car breaks down but I was really lucky that they let me use their desk phone and my calling card that I bought here. I was on hold for ages and then they gave me an officer's number. The one that is taking care of my complaint is off until Sunday anyway. Apparently they were told there was a number of animals there, they kept asking only 3 cats? no dogs? etc. I told them to call my vet with any health concerns, the older cat is on meds for her kidneys. Actually the house is not all that bad but I will start home Sun. morning and get home sometime Mon. and clean like crazy. They didn't even want to make an appt. next week so it can't be that bad. Or maybe they think they can catch my daughter over there, she is prob scared to go over there now.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 13:07:49 GMT -5
eagle I am just emailing her now but I did send a text saying its ok I talked to them don't worry
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Post by amberwind on Aug 12, 2010 13:56:54 GMT -5
There's a whole lot about this situation that sounds hinky.
On the one hand, the sitter quit abruptly and then the next business day you start getting notices, which very much makes it look like the sitter called them in. But why would she do it now, instead of calling after one of the previous sitting sessions? If she was that concerned, she would have done it after the first or second time in the house, not the fourth. Also, you say the SPCA was surprised that you said it was only 3 cats, and they were expecting dogs. Sounds like it could be either a case of mis-delivered paperwork to the wrong address, or someone making a false complaint.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 15:11:01 GMT -5
or maybe she thought i'd leave them alone? not sure
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Post by houseworkhater on Aug 12, 2010 16:23:52 GMT -5
I would like to help, but I don't get it. What was reported? And how can a petsitter who has been there three times prior just up and quit when you actually leave for vacation? Is there any legitimate reason for her to complain, or was there something different when you left for vacation that was not present before that? I will read your post again, but it doesn't make sense to me.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 16:49:11 GMT -5
sorry maybe I was in a hurry, am on a public computer in the library, only get an hr. a day combined. I can post the email she sent, she was saying the conditions of the house blah blah, i didn't scoop the litterboxes which is not true, I scooped them the day I left....
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Post by heretoday on Aug 12, 2010 16:59:50 GMT -5
This is what she said but it is exaggerated, I have had other people look after my cats before, I have had my 2 older cats for over 10 years. I told the spca to phone my vet and check his records, I have taken them there alot over the years. The oldest cat is on meds for kidney failure. I do not have bugs, don't know what she means by that, never had cockroaches or anything like them. I hope they can't break in, or don't - my daughter is afraid to call them I think. They did want her cel and the home #
Hi Jenneffer,
I made my scheduled visit this morning to care for Supes, Shadow and Cinders. I am sorry, but I cannot, in good conscience, continue to care for them while you are away.
The conditions of the house – lack of basic cleanliness, food remains, bugs, urine odour – and the conditions of the cats and their belongings – Supes’ matted fur, food and water dishes not washed, litter boxes soiled to the point where there is urine caked on the bottom, litter boxes that have not been cleaned out in days – is a health and safety hazard, both to me and to the other pets that I care for (my own and my clients).
My contract states that we “reserve the right to deny or terminate service if the job differs from the original consult or if the job poses safety concerns, financial concerns or inappropriate or uncomfortable situations.” I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you ignored my recommendations from earlier (regarding the litter boxes and Supes’ fur) and the conditions of the house and cats’ belongings are worse than they were last month.
Please contact Lenore or a friend/relative to stay at the house and care for the cats while you are away. Cinders was nowhere to be seen today, so if she is outside, it is impossible for me to care for her.
The cheque that you wrote me is on the kitchen counter where you left it. I will drop your key off when you return (no charge) and would appreciate receiving cash for my visit today ($28.00).
I am sorry for this inconvenience and I am sure that you are upset with me, but I sincerely urge you to consider relinquishing the cats to a no-kill shelter upon your return if you are not able to meet the basic requirements of their care. They do not deserve to live this way.
Regards,
Brigette
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Post by moggyfan on Aug 12, 2010 17:28:22 GMT -5
Is there any reason this person would "have it in" for you? Because, if not, her note sounds serious and concerned. If I were you, I'd head home.
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Post by anonymoose on Aug 12, 2010 17:35:20 GMT -5
Hon, if your daughter is able to take pictures of the cats and the areas that this woman is complaining about that refute her statements, have her do it before you get back (the closer to the date of complaint that this happens, the clearer it is that there may be some exaggeration going on).
Maybe going off on a tangent here, feel free to ignore me, but this kind of stuff ticks me off. She's supposedly terribly worried about the cats, yet abandons them - including one that needs medication - without knowing if you'd be able to find alternate care or get back to them. If I were her, and a situation had me THAT concerned, I would've called it in and asked them to come while I was there, as I had permission to be in the house. Or taken them with me to care for them. Something - but not left them on their own. I hope a flea bites her in that hard to scratch spot between her toes for that.
Please don't take this the wrong way, I don't intend to be mean, but when you get home you may be able to view some of this from a different perspective. Sometimes I get desensitized to my mess, and the only way I can "see" my own issues again is to walk away from them for a couple of days - then when I get home, all sorts of things stand out to me as needing done. Is it possible that any of what she said had some merit, but wasn't really visible to you? If so, it will be easier for you to see it (thus fix it) when you get home, and being able to acknowledge it, accept it, and take steps to fix it will go a LONG way towards getting these folks to back off.
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