My experience with Thoughts 4Paws, was an excise of of trusting the wrong people. I was interviewed by the owner and her employee 'Holly' on Wednesday before my trip for the weekend (leaving Friday and returning Sunday).
I complied to their rules, put trust in the owner and her employee. I saw their ad on this website stating they take care of dogs, cats, exotic birds and horses. I was a god send for me since I have all of those species of animals.
I was told that they would text me when they were done feeding and watering the animals, watering outdoor plants and bringing in my mail.
I let them know when I was leaving on the day of going on my trip. I also did as they requested which was to let them know when I was headed back.
I arrived home before Holly showed up. I walked to the front door and went to unlock the door and my front door was unlocked and ajar (open). On my way to the house I habitually check the mail. There was two days of mail in the mail box.
Holly walked into my house. I told her (as well as the owner via text) about the front door. The employee called me a liar. Then I told her about finding two days worth of mail in the mail box. I was told by the employee that I was seeking free service. At that point I told Holly to get out of my house. My family wasn't raised with calling people a liar in their own homes.
The owner of the business called and told me to rip up the contract and they would not charge me. I said I would pay the bill.
I had sent multiple messages requesting the owner and her employee to please do a walk through and explain to me what I was seeing. Especially since the employee called me a liar and seeking free service. No response from the owner. The next day I received some ludicrous texts from the owner of the company stating she goes to bed at 9 pm. I arrived home at 4:45 pm. One of her responses was, in 16 years of business she had, 'NEVER,' had a complaint such as mine.
I responded with you had five hours to do a walk through. Given that she had never had a complaint such as mine in 16 years that it would be reasonable for her to see what I was seeing and it would be reasonable for her to make that her priority.
I also said I would do a walk through of what was contracted for their services. I also said I would take pictures and videos of my findings.
Thursday night I worked for over three hours cleaning the bird cages, cleaning water bowls and just a general clean up so I could come home from a long drive and just unload the car and relax.
What I found was dirty bowls of water for the birds. My 40 plus yo macaw was given the wrong feed dumped onto of the complete feed pellets. I explained to the owner/employee that I only give sees in one bowl. None of the other bowls in that birds cage were given fresh food. The cockatiels cage had a mostly empty bowl on the bottom of the cage. Both bowls were in their holders on Thursday night and Friday morning. My other Macaw had not been fed at all during my absence.
Surprise over 50% of my flower pots were bone dry and heat stressed.
I went to check the water and feed bowls for my outside cat. The wet cat food that fed him on Thursday was in the bowl along with one can added which the cat did not attempt to eat. The food was putrid and full of maggots. Maggots take three to five days to pupate.
I went to check to see about my horse. I do not know if he was given fresh water. Both tanks were filled Thursday by me. One tank was about half full when I checked on those.
I later found out that my TV had been watched at some point the station set to a channel we have never watched. The ceiling fan in my bedroom was set to low. It operates off a remote that I had in my chest of drawers. Someone was was exploring my my drawers because the remote was in the top left drawer where it would be easy for someone to accidentally hit the controls and change the speed.
This company uses a 'pet sitting' teaching course as part of their marketing. Even saying they were voted best sitter of the year in 2013! I contacted that organization they supposedly teach ethics however do not have an ethics review board.
Please be warned by my experience. Had I not arrived home when I did Holly would have cleaned up the animal cruelty evidence and I would have been unaware of their transgressions. Unfortunately my alarm system was not working or I would have had my cameras to rely on to double check that my animals were cared for.