A pet sitter, Andrew 'Andy' Jansen, has been accused of stealing a US airman’s dog and car, only for the dog to be found dead inside the stolen vehicle. Andrew Beckham, a member of the Colorado Air National Guard, returned from a three-month deployment to discover his 11-year-old dog, Maverick, and his blue Subaru missing. The dog was later found dead in the car on May 2, with blood on its face, according to Beckham’s Facebook post.

The $30,000 Subaru and a Missing Dog

Beckham had hired Jansen through Trusted Housesitters, a platform that conducts background checks , but the arrangement went awry. Surveillance footage showed Jansen leaving Beckham’s Aurora home with Maverick on April 2, but without the dog’s essentials like food, bowls, or medication.. Beckham’s emergency contacts were unable to intervene before Jansen vanished with the car and the dog, as reported by CBS Miami.

Maverick’s Tragic End in a Luxury Apartment Garage

The stolen Subaru was eventually found in a private parking garage of a luxury apartment complex, with Maverick dead inside. The cause of death remains unclear, but Beckham suspects the dog was trapped in the car for an extended period. Jansen was arrested in Florida on Saturday by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office after a medical call and was later spotted at Jackson South Hospital, where he was taken into custody.

Jansen’s Arrest and Extradition to Colorado

Jansen, 28, faces charges of felony motor vehicle theft and general theft in Colorado, where he is awaiting extradition. Beckham expressed relief that Jansen is in custody but lamented that his family did not come forward sooner, which might have saved Maverick. According to the New York Post, Beckham said, “I wish his family would have come forward about Andy’s location so I could have had a chance in saving Maverick.”

Trust Betrayed: The Risks of Pet Sitting Platforms

This incident raises questions about the reliability of pet-sitting platforms like Trusted Housesitters. Despite background checks, Jansen’s actions highlight the potential risks of entrusting pets to strangers. Beckham had Maverick since he was a puppy, making the loss even more devastating . The case underscores the need for stricter vetting processes and better safeguards for pet owners.