Putting your pups in someone else’s care can be hard, especially if you’re a very hands-on dog mom or dad. It’s the same anxiety as leaving your kid with a new babysitter. For couple Nick and Sara Moore, the experience turned out to be a very tragic one for their pet, Winnie, when they used the Wag! app to find a dog walker.
The couple subscribed to Wag!, a dog-walking app where pet owners can tap walkers to take their dogs out. It’s the convenient “Uber for dog-walking,” as bookings can be done via mobile devices. During a walk booked through the app, a car hit Winnie, and the poor dog did not survive. The experience of losing their dog because of the Wag! dog walker was already a hard one for the Moores, but it was made even worse by the way Wag! representatives reportedly handled Winnie’s death.
Coverup In Exchange For Claim
According to the report, the couple used Wag! shortly after getting Winnie. Their first few experiences were with a dog sitter whom they have come to trust. Their last use of the app played out differently.
They booked a walk at the last minute this time, which meant they weren’t able to pick their preferred dog sitter, so they were given the first available one. When the couple contacted the dog walker, they already had an odd feeling about the situation. The dog walker had two different names on her profile and a non-responsive attitude when confronted about it.
The couple started to feel uneasy when they did not receive a notification about Winnie completing her walk. Sara contacted the dog walker, who told her that Winnie was home safe. But right after the call, they received a Wag! notification that Winnie was dead. It was one of the worst days of their lives.
When Wag! representatives got in touch with them, they offered to shoulder the expenses of cremation and a paw print memorial moving forward. Yet when the time for this arrangement came, the couple started receiving vague responses and almost no information. What’s worse is the deal that Wag! apparently expected from them.
“We sent them our receipts and they sent us their ‘Wag! Trust and Safety Guarantee’ that said if we wanted to get the $188 we paid for Winnie’s cremation and paw print, we should have to sign the agreement saying we wouldn’t say anything, orally or in writing, regarding the incident. We felt disrespected, and respectfully declined to sign,” said Nick in an interview.
The couple stated that they have no ill will for Wag! as there were times when they benefited from the app. However, this last experience demonstrated the importance of being very critical with the dog-walker you choose, as well as the apparent irresponsibility and insensitivity that Wag! gave its clients in this situation.
Apps That Making Walking Your Own Dog More Fun
Given the controversy surrounding the Wag! dog-walking app, you may want to take some time off and walk your dog, yourself. Sometimes, shared exercise can be a fun way to bond with your dog. Instead of putting them in the care of a dog sitter, find some time to put your walking shoes on, grab a jacket for the cold, and check out these two free apps that could complement your walking spree.
Map My Walk is actually an app from Under Armour. It’s one of the top-rated free apps that logs in all the details of your walk, shares progress with other dog parent friends, and even suggests new paths to get you exploring your city.
For dog owners who want to give their pets a little more challenge, the Walkmeter Walking & Hiking GPS is great not just for its customizable training plans and clean interface. It also has unique features, statistics, and terrain and traffic maps to see where your dog can enjoy a good walk.
What do you think of the Wag! app’s latest controversy? Do you regularly use the Wag! dog-walking app? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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