A pet sitter is charged with animal cruelty after a Sunny Isles Beach pet owner says the woman left her animals to die.
In May, Patricia Gutierrez hired a pet sitter through the app Rover to take care of her five dogs and cat while she went on vacation. She says Antonella Rivoir agreed.
Gutierrez says she called Rivoir several times to check on her animals and Rivoir would tell her they were okay.
"She was making it all up," Gutierrez said. "We didn’t know she had gone 10 whole days without feeding them."
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Court documents say when the housekeeper came over to clean Gutierrez's condo on June 27th she saw dog urine and feces all over the floor, and the pets looked sad and like they lost weight. The housekeeper also said she didn't see food or water in any of the dog bowls.
Court documents go on to say Rivoir’s boyfriend was also inside the apartment. The housekeeper called Gutierrez, telling her two of the pomeranians, Daisy and Lucy, were lying down stiff and couldn't walk.
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“I spoke to you 30 minutes ago and everything was perfect, what’s going on,” Gutierrez asked Rivoir over the phone. "I didn’t know what was going on, I was in Portugal. Everything wasn’t clear.”
Gutierrez had both dogs taken to a vet. Later that day, Daisy died.
"How did this happen?" Gutierrez asked. “We were in shock. We just wanted to get back."
A necropsy report showed Daisy died from neglect and severe dehydration. Court documents say Rivoir "intentionally failed to provide both dogs with sufficient water which resulted in the cruel death of Daisy and the unnecessary pain and suffering of Lucy."
Police arrest Rivoir Thursday. On Friday she had nothing to say to reporters when she walked out of jail.
"This is a person who will do this to a child, dog, so I want her to pay her time, Daisy's life was cut short,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez says all her dogs are all rescue dogs. She is raising money to benefit the Saving Sage Animal Rescue Foundation. And you can donate here.
