‘I don’t know if she is alive or dead’: Deployed solider pleads for help finding her dog

FORT STEWART, Ga. — A Fort Stewart soldier deployed in Poland is asking for help finding her dog after the pet sitter she hired through social media stopped responding to her messages and told her her dog was dead.

Virginie Nguena said she has not seen her 1½-year-old Pomeranian named Bingo since leaving for deployment in June. She said the sitter has not provided photos of the dog in months and believes the sitter may have sold her pet.

Nguena said she volunteered for the Poland deployment and had about three weeks to arrange care for her dog. With most of her family across the country, In Texas, she turned to social media to find a dog sitter.

“She was very convincing,” Nguena said.

Nguena said everything seemed acceptable initially, making her comfortable leaving Bingo with the sitter. After arriving in Poland, the situation changed.

“There were just so many mistakes, if I would have not made them, I would not be in the situation,” Nguena said.

Nguena said the sitter began requesting money but would not respond for hours or days afterward. Every request for pictures of Bingo was met with excuses, she said.

It has been weeks since Nguena last heard from the sitter. She said she wants a clear answer about what happened to her dog.

“So tell us what you really did to the dog…please,” Nguena said.

WTOC reached out to the sitter on Facebook Tuesday but has not received a response. Nguena said she contacted the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said they have not heard of this case.

“I don’t know if she is alive or dead,” Nguena said.