Couple claims dog-walking app tried to cover up their dog's death

The dog-walking app Wag has been accused of trying to silence a couple whose dog died while under the care of a Wag dog walker, CBS News reports.

Dog owners Sara and Nick Moore lost their dog, Winnie, in December after hiring a walker from the app last-minute. Sara Moore later received a call from a Wag representative informing her that Winnie had died after being struck by a car, per CBS News.

The Moores say the representative told them Wag would cover any expenses incurred by the dog's death and open an investigation — but the latter promise never came to fruition, the Moores say.

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After sending Wag their receipts for Winnie's cremation, the Moores received a settlement and nondisclosure agreement. This included a 'Wag Trust and Safety Guarantee' stating that in exchange for reimbursement, the Moores would need to sign an agreement promising not to say anything orally or in writing about the incident.

The couple refused to sign and has since declined offers from Wag to provide compensation.

"We responded that it was never about the money, that our grievance was due to their lack of compassion, and respectfully declined again," said Nick Moore. A Wag spokesperson told CBS News that the company is "deeply saddened about what happened to Winnie" and that her death was an "unusual accident" under investigation. "We're addressing concerns about our response procedures, and we're changing our policy for paying claims to reflect a higher level of sensitivity to each situation," said the spokesperson.