HOUSTON – A Houston woman said she doesn’t know if her beloved dog is dead or alive and she wants a straight answer from the dogsitter.
Susan Goldstein said it has caused her lingering pain and it's a mystery that haunts her.
“It’s like a part of me is gone," Goldstein said.
She said her Chihuahua, Snickers, was a companion to her late husband and was a family pet who loved children and other animals.
Goldstein said when she booked a monthlong trip out of town, she chose a dogsitter who came recommended by a friend. She said she thought Snickers was in good hands.
She said that when she went to pick up her pet, she received devastating news.
"She opens the door and says, 'Sit down.' I said, 'Where is my dog? Where is my baby?' (she said) 'I have bad news, he passed away,'” Goldstein said.
According to Goldstein, the sitter said Snickers suffered a heart attack in the backyard and the dogsitter had the animal cremated. When the pet owner pressed for answers, she said the dogsitter changed her story.
“She said the dog ran away,” Goldstein said.
She said the story quickly changed again and the sitter told her that she found the dogs’ battered body and said it was attacked by coyotes. Goldstein said she never got a straight answer about what happened to the animal.
When KPRC contacted the sitter, we were told Snickers got out of the garage and ran away. The woman acknowledged that she did not tell the pet owner the truth, but said she paid a $2,000 restitution and there was nothing more she could do.
Goldstein said that the story doesn’t add up and that sitter owes her an explanation.
"Just tell me the truth. I don’t want her check," she said.
Goldstein said she tried to file a police report, but was told it's a civil matter. She said she'll attempt to try to file again.