Owner hired a pet-sitter to watch her 3 dogs daily for an hour during their trip — but her plan for the 'other 23 hours' sparked animal-welfare alert
A New Mexico pet sitter found herself in an unexpected dilemma after agreeing to watch three dogs while their owner left for a short trip. She had taken the job expecting a simple routine, but the situation shifted once she learned more about how the dogs would be cared for during the long 23 hours she would not be there. The incident was later shared on Reddit on October 28, 2025, where she described what she had walked into and why it troubled her. Her post hinted at a plan that raised serious animal welfare questions, setting the stage for a story she felt needed to be told.
As reported by Newsweek on Thursday, November 27, 2025, the story began when the sitter, who posted under the username u/TrebleTreble, met the owner to go over the details of the job. She would be looking after a young Golden Retriever, a Border Collie, and a senior mixed-breed dog. As the parent prepared for the upcoming two-day vacation, she expected a simple pair of morning and evening visits. But during that meeting, the sitter learned that the dogs had been “destructive” in the past, and the owner had arranged their routine based on that fear. It was only then that the Reddit user realized the routine meant the dogs would be left in their crates for almost the entire day, with only her short visits breaking up that stretch. Unsure how to respond, she later explained on Reddit that the plan left her uneasy. She even asked the community, “Do I have any options over and above calling animal welfare?”
Her concerns were echoed by animal-care experts who weighed in on the situation. Amber Batteiger, a veterinary technician, said the sitter’s instincts were correct. “Dogs are highly social animals who need daily mental stimulation, physical exercise, and interaction to stay healthy and well-adjusted,” Batteiger explained. She noted that limiting dogs too heavily could meet the "threshold for neglect under many animal welfare guidelines." The post went viral, with many users expressing their concerns in the comments. u/Feeling-Error-2996 wrote, "I don't understand why these types of people even get pets. Very sad for the pups." u/Affectionate-Gear447 expressed, "That's very sad." Meanwhile, u/External_Fun_5003 advised, "She is abusing her pets. Report her." The sitter herself admitted that the online discussion “didn’t help, but really I think it’s because there are no great solutions,” as the situation showed how complex pet-care decisions can be.
Wanting to do what she could, the sitter approached the owner again before the trip. She suggested increasing each visit to a full hour instead of 30 minutes so the dogs could have more time to move around and settle. Thankfully, the owner agreed, giving the sitter a little more room to support the dogs’ needs during the vacation. Batteiger emphasized that pet sitters should never feel obligated to take part in care arrangements that put animals at risk. She advised that if a sitter believes a pet’s basic needs are not being met, they should contact animal control or a humane agency for a welfare check, as “neglect isn’t just about physical abuse. Deprivation of exercise, enrichment, and social contact is a serious welfare concern.”