PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A woman who lives near Boca Raton faces an animal cruelty charge after a Belgian Malinois in her care had to be treated for puncture wounds and an infection on its neck.
Jennifer Meeks, 39, was a pet sitter on the Rover app when she accepted a pet sitting job from the dog's owner, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control said.
The owner said he met Meeks through the Rover app but hired her independently to watch his dogs.
According to an arrest report, Meeks agreed to watch the owner's two dogs from Sept. 2 through Oct. 11 of last year. However, two weeks into the job on Sept. 15, Meeks called the dog's owner to inform him the 10-year-old dog named Abel had puncture wounds on its neck.
The owner immediately picked up his dog and took it to the veterinarian, where it had to be sedated for treatment of multiple puncture wounds on its neck.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control got involved after receiving a complaint of animal cruelty.
The vet's findings, according to the arrest report, said Abel sustained the puncture wounds from prolonged use of a prong collar and "inappropriate use of a dog prong collar while in the care of a pet sitter."
During questioning on Sept. 20, Meeks admitted that the dog's owner advised her of the prong collar but said she did not see it until two weeks into the job when she called the owner.
The arrest report also said that Meeks was boarding pets without a permit.
Following an investigation, Meeks was arrested Tuesday on an animal cruelty charge.
Palm Beach County jail records show she posted $5,000 bail and was released from custody Tuesday afternoon.
