Police say that a dog who went missing in March in Waukegan while being watched by a sitter from the app Rover may have been sold to someone in New Jersey.
Nia Morgan, a Chicago resident, told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that she dropped off her poodle mix with a dogsitter from the app Rover on March 18.
“One hour later, without my knowledge, the sitter drove my pup an hour away to Waukegan, IL where he immediately got loose,” Morgan said.
Morgan said that the sitter provided her with false updates on her puppy’s wellbeing.
“The night before I was scheduled to pick up my pup, the sitter said the dog had just gone missing. When I returned, I uncovered the sitter’s ongoing lie; my pup had been missing since the morning I dropped him off,” Morgan said.
The Paramus, New Jersey Police Department said in a statement they have information that suggests Morgan’s dog was possibly stolen.
“Recent information suggests he may have been purchased in this [New Jersey] area (no fault of the new owners),” police said in mid-July.
Morgan’s dog, named Z, was seen at dog parks in Paramus, New Jersey, the city’s police department said.
Morgan said her dog, who is microchipped, was 9 months old and 40 pounds at the time of the disappearance. He is now 1-year-old.
A spokesperson for the Rover app told the Patch that the sitter who lost Morgan’s dog had previously performed more than 300 services on their app and her account has since been deactivated due to the incident.
Morgan said it is her hope that getting the word out about this incident will help prevent it from happening to other families in the future.
She is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Z.
Those with information are asked to contact Detective Marc Glantschnig at 201-262-3400, ext. 1413, or via email to [email protected].
Those with information can also contact Morgan directly by phone or text at 773-231-9349.