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Post by Meme on Aug 15, 2010 17:31:15 GMT -5
could your daughter pick up a disposable camera - - hugs Meme also my brother had barn cat he worried about but kitty is not into being picked up and he asked vet and he told him to make a fixed post wrapped with very fine fine sand paper and kitty would take care of things and it worked---(kitty has a bed on top of post ) kitties seem to know to rub against it to remove extra hair-- remember this is an extra fine sandpaper and it can be cleaned off--so lasts quite a long time and just replace paper if kitty is not getting clean--- cats are smart and like to take care of things too--most kitties are able to take care of the tummy unless it gets wet or sticky - why cannot the tummy be done in summer??
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Post by heretoday on Aug 16, 2010 19:35:57 GMT -5
well I am home now and cleaning up, was almost 2 days drive cause I was down in Billings Montana. The complaint was actually "an animal in distress" as if it was an emergency - I am lucky they didn't come and break in. Someone is helping me for a couple of hrs. after dinner and then I will call them tomorrow. House isn't all that bad, just want to make sure. The cat sitter actually sent me an email message that she wants her one day in cash (the day she came before she quit) and she will drop off the key tonight or tomorrow - can you believe it?
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Post by messymimi on Aug 16, 2010 19:44:58 GMT -5
Yes, I can believe it.
If she would lie to authorities about how bad the house was and convince them wrongly that an animal was in immediate distress, then yes, I can believe she wants the money.
May I suggest, when you get an all clear from the animal people that the report was unwarranted, you file a complaint with your local BBB?
messymimi
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Post by Meme on Aug 16, 2010 22:12:34 GMT -5
she cannot hold your key for ransom - I would demand the key or take her money she thinks she is owed and change the locks--- wow-- this lady sounds beyond rude - sigh
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Post by success19 on Aug 16, 2010 22:39:05 GMT -5
Is the cat sitter registered as a business and is she paying taxes?
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Post by heretoday on Aug 16, 2010 23:59:40 GMT -5
I guess I could find out if she's registered, I think she is new because after using her for a couple of weeks she asked me if she could use me as a reference - why wouldn't she ask someone she had had as a client for longer? There were only 2 tangles in the long haired cat's fur - I had my friend hold her while I shaved them off. The other cats are fine - one other cat has longish fur but never has had mats. Anyway I am getting the place as good as I can - I still don't think it was that bad in the first place but I am doing the carpets with Resolve and the Rug Doctor thing because they did have some stains.
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escape
New Member
Joined: August 2008
Posts: 89
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Post by escape on Aug 17, 2010 5:08:05 GMT -5
Sweetie, I was so mad for you I had to go away & calm down before posting.
I am SO sorry this <edited> put you, your pets & your daughter through all this.
I would NOT pay her. I WOULD change the locks, whether she brought the key back or not. I WOULD report her to BBB. I WOULD sue her for the lock replacement, the breach of contract, and the expenses that breach caused, ie: ruining the last two days of your vacation.
I would also appologize profusely to the animal people for her abuse of their reporting system. I would stress that you paid HER to take care of you babies, and that SHE put your cat who is on the meds in extreme danger.
I'd probably also pray she used me for a reference..hehe
-escape
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bonnie
New Member
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 28
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Post by bonnie on Aug 17, 2010 9:58:06 GMT -5
"she will drop off the key" - Please let us know how that went. I'm shocked she is willing to face you. Unless she means speed her car down the street and toss it out her car window.
By the way, I know it's not right but I'd force myself to pay her. You don't need the stress of being dragged to small claims court for it. At the very least if you don't pay her she might maliciously spread the word to other people mean things about you. I'd just pay her and hope she goes away.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 17, 2010 12:47:05 GMT -5
escape it's not really breach of contract because she has it written in there that she can quit at any time. When I saw that before I signed it I said "my cats could die if I was away" and she said "oh it will have to be a real emergency" - I thought maybe she meant a medical emergency. She sent me a text message at 8:30 am today saying if she can't come tonight she won't be available til mid next week. I work afternoon shift so won't be home tonight. And after all that I phoned the officer first thing this morning (the one who took the complaint and just got her voicemail). They told me it was a cell phone and to phone right away when I got back.
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Post by downandout on Aug 17, 2010 13:48:54 GMT -5
since she is such a dishonest person i would change the locks now. no telling how many copies this person has made you know? and yes tell the animal people how she up and quit and left a sick cat like that. i use paper plates for my cat too. so what was her issue with this? does she think that cats should only eat off the finest china or something?? i am trying not to say what i want to say about her because its not very nice. i am soooo sorry you have to go thru this
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Post by puppybox on Aug 17, 2010 15:24:47 GMT -5
can you report HER to the SPCA? seriously! she quit, it could have meant danger for your cats. there was no emergency. her contract is ridiculous and others must be warned. maybe there is nothing to be done legally, but If, say, I were to call the SPCA to ask for a pet sitting reference they could warn me against her.
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Post by heretoday on Aug 17, 2010 17:13:14 GMT -5
ok well the spca officer came and said everything was ok, she said the complaint was about the litterboxes and their fur being matted. She asked if the youngest cat had been shaved which she hadn't, looks like maybe she has been lying down alot and her fur is flattened on the stomach. I did cut a couple of tangles from the fur of the calico cat (Superlover) last night. Anyway it was not a big deal, she was here for about 5 minutes at the most. Good thing I phoned - my daughter was scared about the threat of legal action and didn't seem to want to give me the file # etc. I had to get the number from my cousin and phone the shelter and get thru that way. The officer said that they would have applied for a warrant and broken in otherwise. Then the house would have been unsecured. She said it would have been my expense to fix the locks etc. but I wasn't even here. Would have been just great.
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Post by amberwind on Aug 17, 2010 17:17:42 GMT -5
I concur with everyone else who's said that you need to change the locks. She's had the key long enough to have made copies, and since she's dishonest enough to have breached her contract and lied to the SPCA the way she did, theft would not be out of the ballpark where she's concerned.
However, if it was me, I would NOT pay her. In fact, if at all possible, try to have her come over while the officer from the SPCA is there. Calmly explain to the officer, with her present, the circumstances you'd laid out for us here: that she has previously cared for the cats without bringing up any of the concerns she listed in her letter, the cats have been to the vet recently and the vet was not concerned with the condition of the cat that has tangles (and if he had been, the cat would have been shaved by the vet, a service you usually have done in the Fall/Winter), the litter box had been cleaned by you the day before you left town (and part of the duties a cat sitter needs to perform if the owner is gone several days is cleaning the litter, so she would have had to if she hadn't bailed anyway), the cat's food is on a disposable plate so if it was dirty it was because SHE did not change it, and that the cats were left in distress by her actions. She abandoned her duties without sufficient notice and placed the burden on you to find care for the cats knowing you were out of town. One of the cats is on medication, and since she left without giving you proper notice and didn't bother to check in, SHE was the one being neglectful, and SHE is the one who put the cat in immediate danger.
Give her a chance to argue her side of things in front of the SPCA officer, but tell her flat out with the SPCA officer as a witness that you will not pay her for her one day because her actions put your cats in danger, and also caused you to cut your vacation short, and if she would like to pursue it in court you'd be more than happy to file a counter-claim for the costs associated with lost travel days, phone and computer costs associated with dealing with the situation, and the inevitable veterinary bill that will arise since you need to have the cats checked out because of her abandoning them the way she did.
The important thing here is that you have an unbiased witness, the SPCA officer. Doing all this in front of the officer not only allows the officer to judge which of you behaved appropriately under the circumstances, but also gives you a witness to her actions in the event any of it goes to court, whether it's an action against you by the SPCA (God forbid!), and action against her by the SPCA, or her dragging you into small claims court.
And if she does go file against you in small claims court for the outstanding bill, by all that's holy, follow through on my suggestion above and file a counter-claim. It's inexpensive to do, and the judge will throw the cost of filing into the award for the winner.
EDIT: Glad the SPCA officer said everything was okay. I still think you need to have a witness when you confront the sitter, though, just in case. Someone other than your daughter, like a neighbor or co-worker, since your daughter apparently wants nothing to do with the situation and you need someone un-biased.
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Post by mouseanne on Aug 18, 2010 8:11:09 GMT -5
The whole thing makes no sense. If it was litterbox, you did it before you left. It would be her job to do it while petsitting.
I am wondering if she was jealous you got to take a vacation?
Maybe one of those malicious people who enjoy creating turmoil for others?
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Post by disorganizeddragon on Aug 18, 2010 9:16:22 GMT -5
If you can, get a written copy of the report from the SPCA officer that inspected your home and make sure you keep it in a safe place so it can be easily produced if any other complaints are raised by this particular cat sitter. Take the time to sit down and write out exactly what happened in this situation and when it occured. Memories dim over time and if any future problems arise from this incident, it will be good to already have a timeline down on paper.
From your postings, I'm guessing you live in Canada. If there is a national organization that licenses petsitters--or if there is one in your province--report this woman to them in writing as soon as possible. She should not have left your cats unattended, regardless of the condition of your house, their litterboxes or fur, etc. Her behavior is particularly suspect since she has watched your pets on other recent occasions and it is unlikely the conditions she sites in her complaint have suddenly become so much more severe since the last time she sat for you. She sounds as if she has some issues of her own and shouldn't be trusted with the care of defenseless animals.
The next time you leave, be sure you have some backup other than your daughter if your petsitter doesn't work out. From the postings you've made, your daughter either seems unwilling or unable to handle whatever problems may arise in your absence, so she obviously shouldn't be given the responsibility to look after your cats or home in your absence. Unfortunately, problems can and do occur and you need to be sure you have someone on deck who can deal with them; otherwise, you risk harm to your pets and/or your home.
Finally, change the locks--immediately. And if it were me, when this woman finally made contact, she would be told she wouldn't be receiving the remainder of the money she claimed she was owed because she did not return the house keys in a timely manner, therefore requiring the locks be changed to insure the safety of the house, occupants, and belongings therein. As long as she has been properly reimbursed for the few services she did provide--and it doesn't sound as if she did much--she has little standing for a complaint. Most courts do not look kindly upon those that abandon the defenseless (i.e. children, the elderly, the disabled, animals) and then do not return keys and other access materials in a timely manner to the homeowner.
I hope everything works out for the best.
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