HGTV couple claims babysitter covered up Pooch’s brutal death at the hands of a larger dog

HGTV stars Eilyn And Ray Jimenez are devastated… their beloved pup Aria died in what was supposed to be the care of a professional pet sitter… who they claim concocted a story to cover up the fact that their dog was brutally killed by another dog while they were out of town.

In an IG post this week, the ‘Divided by Design’ couple shared sweet photos of their 12-year-old Shih Tzu… with a chilling message about the photos – “If you think your pet is safe with your pet sitter, think again.”

In the caption, they said that when they arrived home to their Miami home on August 29, after two days away, their Rover.com nanny was in tears… and claimed that Aria had passed away peacefully in her sleep.

The interior designer couple claims the sitter’s vet friend “confirmed” Aria’s death by texting them that she had died of a heart attack. But the couple calls BS about the whole story and says it’s all made up.

The couple says cremation records show Aria’s body was brought in for an “emergency job” on the day she died. The cremation center staff asked the person who dropped the dog off what happened to the poor dog…the person said Aria had been killed by a larger dog. The center reported brutal injuries to the little pup, including a loose scalp and a bulging eyeball.

The couple says the sitter wasn’t even in Miami at the time of the alleged attack… they claim the sitter’s partner had possession of Aria, in the unauthorized presence of other large dogs… and they say there isn’t actually a “vet friend” – and to make matters worse, they say the cremation took place without their consent.

The Jimenezes kept receipts – referencing documentary evidence, personal messages and publicly available materials such as booking records, screenshots and time stamps.

A spokesperson for Rover.com tells TMZ: “Upon learning of this incident, Rover’s 24/7 Trust & Safety team conducted a thorough investigation into Aria’s death. The sitter involved has been deactivated from our platform without the opportunity to appeal. … We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation should they become involved.”