HGTV Stars Claim Dog Died and Was Cremated While Under the Care of a Sitter

HGTV stars Eilyn and Ray Jimenez are speaking out about the death of their dog, Aria.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Divided By Design couple claimed in a joint Instagram post that their pet had died and been cremated while in the hands of a dogsitter from Rover.

“If you think your pet is safe with your pet sitter, think again,” the couple wrote alongside a photo carousel that included several shots of Aria and their other dogs. “On August 29, 2025, while we were away, our 12-year-old Shih Tzu, Aria, died in the care of a @roverdotcom sitter in Miami.”

“When we returned home two days later, the sitter came to our door crying, saying Aria ‘passed peacefully in her sleep,'” the post added. “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.”

The designers continued, “Every part of that story was fabricated.”

“Cremation records show Aria’s body was brought in the same day she died — by the sitter’s partner.”

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

A representative for Eilyn provided documentation from the cremation service corroborating these claims.

PEOPLE has contacted the Miami Shores Police Department for further comment.

Rover, in response to Eilyn and Ray Jimenez’s claims about Aria’s death, provided PEOPLE with a statement.

“Our hearts go out to Mr. and Mrs. Jimenez as they mourn the loss of Aria. Many of us at Rover are pet parents ourselves, and we can only imagine the heartbreak Aria’s family is going through,” the statement begins.

“Upon learning of this incident, Rover’s 24/7 Trust & Safety team conducted a thorough investigation into Aria’s passing. The sitter involved has been deactivated from our 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. Our team has been in contact with Mrs. Jimenez to offer her support during this challenging time.”

Rover’s statement concluded: “Safety is a top priority at Rover, and we are taking Aria’s passing extremely seriously. In the rare event something goes wrong during a booking, Rover offers several safety features, including 24/7 support from our dedicated Trust & Safety team, access to advice from qualified veterinary professionals, and protection under the Rover Guarantee, which provides up to $25,000 in reimbursement for eligible vet claims. This incident is truly heartbreaking, but safety incidents on our platform are extremely rare. For context, over 40 million stays have been booked by pet parents in the US, with more than 98% of reviewed stays receiving five stars.”

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Eilyn and Ray Jimenez went on to claim in their Instagram post that the sitter “was never even in Miami” but was allegedly competing in a jiu-jitsu tournament in Las Vegas.

“‘Our dog was left with her partner, and around bigger dogs we never approved,'” they wrote. “They cremated Aria without our consent — erasing evidence and concealing what happened. The ‘vet friend’ wasn’t a veterinarian at all.”

The pair said they had “given them every opportunity to come forward with the truth, yet they continue to hide behind lies.”

While acknowledging that people make mistakes, they added that “fabricating a story this elaborate to avoid accountability is not a mistake — it’s deception. Aria deserved better. All we want is the truth, and accountability for the life that was lost.”

Adding a disclaimer at the end of their post,  the couple said their statement was “supported by documented evidence, personal communications, and publicly available material, including booking records, screenshots, and timestamps.”

They added that they did not want 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.”