Luckily, these friends have a lot to be thankful for. While the dogs had been confined in their crates without any food or water for five days, they were all alive. They did incur a lot of expense, and the mess was monstrous to clean up, but things could have been much worse. These people live in a neighborhood where the neighbors are fairly close by. My friends wish someone had called the police or humane society.
Neighbors seem to have noticed nothing.
There are bad apples found in every profession, and even the best businesses make mistakes if communication is unclear or misinterpreted. The bottom line when choosing a pet sitter is, do your homework and go with your gut feelings about the individual. A seasoned professional pet sitter is used to being grilled and held up to scrutiny during the get-acquainted visit. Those who are reputable expect you to check them out thoroughly, so please do so. These organizations offer seminars and newsletters that help pet sitters provide knowledgeable and ever-improving care for pets.