Dog walker caught on camera attacking dog in Northern California
DANVILLE, Calif. -- Miranda Fulks says she was horrified to watch security footage of a man she trusted to care for her dog, Olly, abusing him instead.
"Right behind that, came this enormous amount of anger. How could you do that!" says Fulks.
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Their home security camera footage shows Adam Vavrus, a dog walker hired through the dog-walking app Wag!, yelling at and kicking their dog.
Fulks says it all started after Vavrus complained to them that Olly bit him. But Miranda wasn't convinced.
"That's really weird because Olly is scared of men. And that dog is so unbelievably loving and calm," says Fulks.
So she and her fiancée decided to check the security footage. That's how they found out about the attack.
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They immediately called the company-- and police. After the initial complaint, Miranda claims it took days for Wag! follow up, and eight days before WAG even watched the surveillance video the Fulks sent over.
"It just surprised me when it comes to animal cruelty, which is against the law, that they won't respond more," she says, adding that the company told her the person in charge of her case was on vacation, which caused delays.
Danville police confirmed to ABC7 News that Vavrus was arrested, but that he is no longer in custody.
In response, Wag! Issued this statement to ABC7 News: "The reported behavior around this incident is unacceptable, and we have since deactivated this walker from our platform. The trust and safety of the Wag! community is very important to us, and we are working with the pet parents to restore their confidence in our service."
On its website, Wag! claims all dog walkers are subject to a rigorous background check. But Miranda isn't sure that is always the case, since after Vavrus's arrest they learned from police that similar charges were made against him in the past.
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"If they had really checked, I'm sure (Wag!) would have seen something, " says Fulks.
They hope their story serves as a wake-up call for other dog owners.
"I think it's very scary that a lot of people, like myself, put a lot of trust in these people. I mean, you give them a key into your home."
