Hello @hazelanibunny and I am very sorry to hear what has happened and I hope your dog recovers soon. Can I ask if this was a sitter who was new to THS or if they had previous reviews?
I would like to re-assure you that this is not normal behaviour of sitters, I know this doesn’t help following what has happened but I believe you were very, very unlucky. Sitters like myself and my husband are dedicated to the care and wellbeing of your pets and make sure everything is perfect for your return.
I agree that you should be honest in your review and clearly explain what happened. Please do not let this bad experience put you off, there are many wonderful sitters out there. I am not sure if you did on this occasion, but I highly recommend having a video call with any potential sitters before confirming them in future and this normally gives you more of an idea of who will be looking after your pets and home.
I have attached a thread you may also like to read which is regarding a fear of leaving an honest negative review.