HGTV Couple Claims Pet-Sitter ‘Fabricated’ Story About Their Dog’s Death

HGTV stars Eilyn and Ray Jimenez are looking for the truth surrounding the death of their dog, Aria.

The Divided By Design couple took to Instagram Tuesday to claim that their 12-year-old Shih Tzu, Aria, had died and been cremated while being watched by a dogsitter hired via Rover.

“If you think your pet is safe with your pet sitter, think again,” the couple wrote, detailing that Aria had died on Aug. 29 in Miami while in the care of their sitter. “When we returned home two days later, the sitter came to our door crying, saying Aria ‘passed peacefully in her sleep,’” they continued. “She told us a ‘vet friend named Nicole’ had confirmed it and even texted us under that name, claiming Aria had died from a heart attack.”

“Every part of that story was fabricated,” they alleged, going on to reveal that cremation records they obtained showed that Aria’s body was brought in the same day she died by the sitter’s partner “with a ‘rush’ request.”

“When the cremation center staff asked what happened, the partner admitted Aria had been killed by a larger dog,” the designers continued. “They described visible trauma: her scalp detached, one eye bulging — injuries impossible to confuse with a peaceful passing.”

The Jimenezes went on to allege that the sitter they had hired was “never even in Miami,” but “competing in a jiu-jitsu tournament” in Las Vegas while Aria was left with her partner “and around bigger dogs we never approved.”

“They cremated Aria without our consent — erasing evidence and concealing what happened,” they alleged, claiming that the “vet friend” in question had their number traced back to someone who was not even a veterinarian.

“We have given them every opportunity to come forward with the truth, yet they continue to hide behind lies,” they wrote. “Mistakes can happen. But fabricating a story this elaborate to avoid accountability is not a mistake — it’s deception.”

They concluded, “Aria deserved better. All we want is the truth, and accountability for the life that was lost.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Eilyn Jimenez (@eilynjimenez_)

In a disclaimer at the end, the Divided By Design stars wrote that their statement was “supported by documented evidence, personal communications, and publicly available material, including booking records, screenshots, and timestamps.”

They said that they did not seek to “harass, threaten, or defame any individual or business, but to seek transparency and accountability for the events surrounding the death of our dog, Aria.”

Following the Jimenezes’ claims, Rover issued a statement to PEOPLE saying that they had conducted an investigation into Aria’s death and “deactivated” the sitter from the platform without the option to appeal, “meaning she cannot communicate or book new stays with pet parents via Rover.”

“We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation should they become involved,” they continued, while emphasizing that safety is a “top priority” at Rover and that Aria’s death was being taken “extremely seriously.”