What to do when a pet Owners threatens to get a lawyer and file a claim?

Hey, Krystal!

I have, unfortunately, been in a similar situation with an owner who wanted to pursue legal recourse. It's important to note that Rover will NOT get involved in an legal issue between you and a client unless they are subpoenaed by a court system to do so. They tend to not take sides either. BUT they can help you try to deescalate the issue with the client. Definitely contact them so they are aware of the threats. Do NOT communicate with the client on any channel outside of Rover. You'll want Rover support to be able to directly access your communication history.

I would definitely become super familiar with the laws in your area, so that you can know what legal test might be used to determine if you are at fault for the expenses mentioned. Most clients that get upset tend to TALK a lot with their emotions. Honestly, unless there are THOUSANDS at stake for your client, it would likely not be worth her legal fees to go to court.

I certainly would not agree to pay the $500, especially since you were not paid for any of the stay. IF you get served with a lawsuit, you will definitely need a lawyer who can make good legal use of Rover's TOS. Prepare for this possibility by writing down everything that you remember about the stay (like you did for us in the question).

Moving forward, the best thing you can do is just learn from the experience. As a Great Dane owner, I can tell you there is very rarely such a thing as a well-behaved Great Dane puppy. I wouldn't ever leave a guest dog outside unsupervised, even briefly. To make sure you have a complete profile of the dog, I generally ask that the client fills it out prior to a M&G so that I can look it over and prepare questions.

After squaring away an appointment time, I usually say something like "so excited to meet you! The next step is for you to fill out Rover's profile. This will help me better prepare for the M&G, but will also make sureI have all of his information handy once the stay begins. See you soon!"

If a client refuses to fill out a profile, it probably means they're not interested in making your job easier (which is important since your job is to keep their pet happy and safe).

I would contact a lawyer. If sued Rover may not provide legal representation.

I would contact Rover and send them all correspondence she has sent you threatening to sue. Hopefully they can offer some advice and support. DO NOT engage with her in any further communication. Any further contact by you will only strengthen her case as an implied admission of guilt.

What an awful experience! I took a look at your home pics and you have an excellent setup, very secure. However, a Great Dane is a Great Dane and it was a puppy to boot. Rambunctiousness is to be expected and I can't imagine how anyone would prevent a GD from counter surfing, unless he's been very well trained.

Since the customer got a full refund from Rover, that should be enough to pay for her internet bill as well as compensate the girlfriend.

Let her sue you in Small Claims Court. She's going to be asked to submit bills and you will have Rover's full refund plus vet bill to counter. I wouldn't get worked up about it. She may be only threatening you. Look up the small claims court process in your city/county and see what it involves.

In the future, get yourself one of those very long training lines (50'-100') anchored securely to use with dogs in your yard. Always be cognizant of your own limitations and don't expect other dogs to be as well-trained as your own.

Add: Take a look at Rover's Terms of Service. I'd bet this customer attempted to get compensated for these other claims from Rover, which has no liability. Rover states that it is a customer's responsibility to evaluate service providers. If, for example, you had a Meet & Greet, the customer would have seen the grounds and should have known if the dog could escape, Lots of potential defenses\ if you read closely.

Good luck!