I have used both AVIPS boarding and nail trimming services, and both times had a great experience. My dog is difficult with her nails being done and the staff had her out in under 10 minutes, nails done perfectly, not freaked out or scared at all (which is how she comes out after getting them done at the vets office!) If anything, I would highly recommend bringing your dog here even just to get their nails done! I boarded her at AVIP for a short period of time as well as using their services for her nailtrim. I was dropping off on a Sunday, and driving from Pensacola I was going to be a couple minutes late to drop her off. I called the store when I knew I was going to be late and the staff stayed late to take us in. They do charge a late fee at this facility, but worth it considering that the staff had to stay late for us, and the level of care we were given, as customers who arrived past closing, rivalled the level of care recieved when arriving on time at other pet care facilities in the area. *The woman at the front desk was careful to relieve my fears as a first time boarder and answered every question I had... *My dog had a leg injury at the time of her boarding and the staff was very accommodating of her injury and even administered her pain medication for her every night during her stay! *The bath she retrieved at departure was high tier, she left smelling and looking better then she did when I dropped her off. AVIP comes highly recommended by myself and my pup, and we will be using their services in the future! read more

I took my dog to this place previously and had no issues. Last time I did, my dog got sick as soon as I picked him up l; he vomit (A LOT) in the car and he was very very lethargic for the next 24 hours. Hair cut was also bad. Not taking my dog there anymore. Not safe !! read more

I had been taking my 2, 7lb, maltipoos to A Very Important Pet for a couple years and never had a bad experience until this last visit. My husband picked them up after being groomed and was charged double for matting. I had them shaved completely down on previous grooming and bathed & brushed their coats in between. Their coats were still very short and were not matted. When I got home that evening one of them had watering, weeping in both eyes and the other in one eye. I asked a vet friend about what to do. She said likely either their corneas were scratched or they had shampoo in their eyes. I texted the owner and she accused me of not taking proper care of their grooming and to give them a sedative. The owner of A Very Important Pet texted me the next morning to see how they were. I told her they were in very bad condition, in pain and couldn't open their eyes, and I had a vet appointment shortly and gave her my vet's name when she asked for it. She was obviously worried because she called my vet while I was in their exam room, but they wouldn't give her information without my permission. After the vet diagnosed that they had ulcers completely covering their eyes and that it was like caused by shampoo (it still a chemical) in their eyes, I told the vet they were welcome to call the groomer back and share the results of the exam. I was sent home with eye drops to be administered every 4 hours and antibiotics. It took 4 more days before their eyes cleared and 2 more days of treatment after that. I sent the groomer a pic of the vet bill. The owner never contacted me to ask how they were doing after talking to the vet and made no offer of covering the vet bill. While I don't think it was intentional, it happened under their carelessness and caused Bert & Ernie considerable discomfort, and me time and $300. How you handle a problem speaks loudly of how you treat your clients and the business you run. I would NOT recommend A Very Important Pet to anyone. The owner took zero responsibility and accused me of not taking proper care of their grooming. I would give Zero stars like the owner taking Zero responsibility. read more

A Very Important Pet - Dog - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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I dropped my dog off this morning 8:45 for a 10am appointment. I received a call to pick my dog up at 1:39pm. I told the owner I'd be there shortly. She asked if it would be an hour and I told her yes but couldn't confirm the exact time. She called me 4x afterwards to ask the same question and I advised I was on my way. I literally got there at 2:26 and she came outside without my dog and demanded payment and accused me of not picking up on time. It literally wasn't even an hour. I asked to see my dog before making a payment and she threatened to send my dog to the animal shelter because she "didn't trust me" . She then accused my dog of biting her and had someone bring him outside. This lady really has lost her marbles n definitely lost a customer of 7 years. Absolute TRASH!!!! read more

Just picked up my sweet pup from a grooming appointment. I was a little nervous after reading some of the reviews. We just moved to Clearwater so I picked the closest place to me. It had been about 2 months since her last groom & she had a pretty bad mat in her tail. I was afraid she'd come back shaved but she looks soooo adorable! The groomer did a fantastic job. I would have left a better tip if I could have seen her prior to paying. I would 10/10 recommend AVIP! Photos of before & after should be attached. read more

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Called today for last minute boarding & was advised the business is closed/ closing down & thank God!! Blessings in disguise. It's always something with this place, they brought me the wrong dog during pick up once; they advised they were open for an early drop off another time when they were closed; last time they advised they didn't have my pups reservation or vaccine records at the time of drop off. I've heard rumors but never imagined they were true... bad business. read more

Our dog Sasha is always happy to arrive at VIP. Her food directions are always followed and returned with the appropriate amount of food remaining in her bag. The drop off and pickup process. Plus not be any easier. Word of advice would be to always get the full bath. It's not the best quality wash but kennel bath is just wetting the dog. Other than that we always leave happy, and most importantly our Pup does too. read more

Love my dog and take great care of her! So sad they closed the doors but luckily they still have grooming service which is great!

I bring Milo here about every 2 months. Milo has had flea problems and they always assist with removing the fleas and getting him groomed so well. I always look forward to picking him up and snuggling. He's like a brand new dog after. The staff is super sweet and you don't have to leave your car read more

A Very Important Pet - Milo fresh from the groomers and flea free! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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After a week of leaving messages with no return calls. I drove by today. OUT OF BUSINESS

Horrible Customer Service and Grooming!!! This is NOT the first time I've had a bad experience with A Very Important Pet regarding dog grooming!!! I specifically request a TRADITIONAL cut for my miniature schnauzer emphasizing NOT to cut his beard and eyebrows and they literally screw it up constantly!!!! This particular time, I requested that his skirt be cut/trimmed down to the same length as his hair on his back and belly......they butchered my dog cutting ALL of his hair down to his skin!!!! LYING saying they got prior authorization from me. I would have NEVER agreed to cutting my dogs hair that short. When I received the call for pick up, I immediately sent my niece and when she returned home, my sister called me very upset expressing her dislike for my dog's new haircut. I was livid when I returned home from work and realized the horrible job the groomers did on my dog. When I called the office to express my concern, the OWNER was UNBELEAVBLE... I have never in my life experienced unprofessionalism to that degree. After a useless 45-minute-long conversation regarding miscommunication I explained to the owner that I had no other choice but to leave a review and the owner asked me to please NOT leave a review because she did not need another bad review. The owner said she would refund my money and to this date, 4-5 weeks later, my refund still hasn't been processed and now the owner refuse to answer any of my calls. Also, Jenna should NOT be working in any type of customer service. This person has NO clue how to treat customers. I literally just hung up the phone with her disgusted with how she handled the situation. Jenna does NOT know how to handle conflict and she needs to understand and be trained on how to communicate effectively if a customer is dissatisfied especially if it is the fault of the company. read more

Very shady would never go again. Went to pick up my dog and they flat out refused because they had the wrong time written for me for pick up. They said they couldn't release my dog with out it getting bath so I had to wait first. They don't let you inside and the staff was rude and tried to make me come back. The dog was starving and had to go to the bathroom really bad as soon as we got home and she normally doesn't eat much at all in the morning so we knew she wasn't fed. read more

This is a great place for grooming and boarding. Haven't tried the day care but the dogs that come and go seem pretty happy. The owner is an avid dog lover and it shows. The staff are mostly friendly and caring. Easy drop off and pick up and the doggy accommodations are pretty great. Big beds, pools, free roam, or private kennels. Plenty of space and options read more

Brewster stayed two nights while we attended an event at a local hotel that doesn't allow pets. The bath was good - he was fluffy and smelled good. 1) We were quoted a per night board price and informed that the $12 bath is required. So, the estimated price should be $52. When we picked him up, we were charged $65. We questioned the amount and was told he received the $25 bath instead of the $12 bath - but neither of us remembered authorizing. We feel we were taken advantage of since we were out-of-towners. 2) While this was bad enough, after we got settled into the car Brewster immediately asked for water in a demanding way - he drank and drank and drank and drank. This is unusual for Brewster - both being demanding and drinking that much at one time. We have no idea when he was provided fresh water at this place - but he was obviously very thirsty when picked up. 3) When we arrived home, took Brewster for a walk - he took a very long time to produce a poop after already "in the position" - this is very unusual for Brewster. When he finally pooped, he produced two that were dark and hard, then one lighter in color and soft. The last is what is normal for our boy. So now in addition to wondering how long our dog was without water, we also wonder how long he was not given a chance to poop! Lack of water (dehydration) would also contribute to this problem. Obviously we can prove none of this because there is no tape in our possession of Brewster's stay at AVIP. But we do know what is normal behavior for our dog, and neither the thirst nor the bowel movement were normal after a 2 night stay at AVIP. The place was easy to find using Directions on the Yelp site, the staff we saw (one person each time - drop off and pick up) was pleasant. BUT much more important is Brewster's welfare - based on our observation of his behavior after pickup, we don't believe that AVIP provided the best care for our dog. We wont use AVIP again. read more

Never again. My first red flag should have been when the door was locked and I wasn't allowed to go in. I had to go through their drive way to drop my Yorkie guy off. Then the person who took him took off his collar to carry him in. WAY too much room for error. I was asked what kind of groom I wanted. I said I wanted a "nice little boy" groom for him...about half as long as he was. I pointed out some dirt like stuff on the top of his head. I was told it looked like "flea dirt" and if he had fleas he would be given a flea bath. I've never seen a flea on him, my other dog or in my house. When I picked him up I could tell that his face didn't look even. I paid and drove off (have to go through the drive way again). I didn't get very far away and started to rub his head and felt the "flea dirt" was still there!!! I called to see if he had even had a bath and I was told yes. I asked if he had fleas and I was told no. By now I can see that this was a SUPER bad groom. Uneven and choppy. I told the person on the phone I was very disappointed and I wouldn't be back. My friend who referred me called them to voice her disappointment which prompted a call to me. I mentioned the "flea dirt". Now I was told he DID have fleas and was given a flea bath but I wasn't charged for it. I don't believe that for a second because I got a call to ask if his teeth could be scaled. I was asked to bring him back on a week day so it could be fixed. I work and that is why I scheduled a weekend appointment. I was given excuses as to why the groom was so choppy. One being that my dog's hair was uneven to begin with and that's why it was hard to get it even. I'm not a groomer but I know that's not how that works. AVOID AND BEWARE. read more

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Had a horrible experience while visiting this place earlier today. The lady who spoke to me was extremely rude. The hours posted on Google do not match up to what is posted on the door so after driving 30 minutes to get there the place was locked up. On the door it said "closed from 12-2" this is something that should be posted somewhere either on the website or on Google. Will never go back to this establishment. read more

Complete BS groomer. Made an 8 AM appt for the works on my neighbors dog. (Tried to surprise her with a clean and well groomed pup when she got out out of the hospital). I stressed TWICE that I want the nails on this pup SHORT AND ROUND...I wanted flea bath, ears, face...everything on their menu done. I got okie doked. I figured the dogs spa day would take maybe 2-2 1/2 hours (since no cutting of hair was required)z I called at 10:30 making sure phone number was right. I called again at 12:45...they told me she was in the dryer! Wtf? 5 hours after I dropped her off? Told me she was aggressive towards other animals...no shhh Sherlock. Locked in a loud area in a damn cage! Also, snot nose phone answerer had to be condescending and said "you should've brought her at 10:30, because groomed dogs take longer and are taken FIRST!!!! You've got to be kidding me. Was told she was gonna be ready at 1. Waited until 2:15pm to call them. They said SHE WAS STILL IN THE DRYER!!! Hell no. Told me she would be ready in 15 mins. I just headed up there. The total was only $32...so I know they didn't do everything i asked. Got the pup, paid...and rolled out. Oh and the bum azz job they did on her nails is proof. 7 damn hours smh. read more

A Very Important Pet - Bum azz nail clipping. Asked from dremmled short round nails and I got this!?! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

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During our visit to Florida, we decided to bring our dog Maverick for daycare services while we explored the city, however when we talked to the staff we decided it was best to board our dog. We felt that comfortable to leave our 8 month old American Bully with them and knew he would be well taken care of. By the end of registering our dog, he was making friends with staff, receiving kisses and holding hands. We knew we made a great choice. We picked up Maverick at the end of his stay and he was clean and his nails were trimmed. The staff here are amazing! My wife called several times to check up on Maverick and there was always someone there to reassure her and update her on Mav. We will definitely use their services again the next time we are in the area. Thank you to the staff (especially the one that owns a pit who looks similar to Mav). I think her name is Jody, she is awesome! read more

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They may be good dog groomers, but they should NEVER groom a cat. She was traumatized for about three weeks after her visit. They kept her all day (about seven to eight hours) in a noisy kennel atmosphere. No cat should take over an hour or so to groom. They did a lousy job. She is now full of mattes, I've had to cut out myself, and they did a very poor nail trim (not even sure they did). If you have a cat, don't take her/him to this groomer. They are horrible. read more

Great for daycare. My dog isn't the socialist and doesn't like too many pups on top of him all at once so they were able to keep him in the office at times to make him feel more comfortable with the humans! Def recommend! My pup did not feel hesitant to go in nor to come back out; he felt comfortable! read more

Right away there was a great line of understanding and communication. The staff was overly nice. They took very good care of my dog read more

A Very Important Pet - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Where do I start. This will be long but I feel it is necessary.Since I have to give a star I will for Eden who works there, she was nice but what I needed and what I asked for was completely disregarded. My pup is a long haired Havanese a who got poop and bark all over herself and her butt became matted, I gave her a nice bath and while she was still wet and drying my husband called and said " hey can you take our puppy?" Last minute so I appreciated that. I promptly wrapped up my pup and brought her in, I told 2 or 3 separate people do not shave her. Please do not shave her. Just a trim, and keep length on her. They said ok. I looked at the notes even as they were doing drive up service due to covid19 so I signed the agreement for my car. Then a younger pretty girl with long brown hair came out and said she could help, and I told her don't shave her. Everyone said ok. I remember even saying " I don't care how much this costs as long as you take care of her and don't shave her" Then I get home, around noon maybe Eden called and said how long do you want her hair? I am like OK ?? ‍well I was super nice about it and sent Eden 3 or 4 photos showing her I would like her hair to still be long. Eden put me on hold for about 5 min to ensure the groomer could do what I had provided in the photos, she came back and said yup all is good , I again stated please don't shave my pup she's a Havanese so she has longer hair. I said thank you and how excited I was to see the pup all cleaned up. Then I got a call saying I could pick her up at 2. Still never mentioning anything about shaving her. I get there, while I am in the car I pay $65.00 then they say " let me get Khalessi " they bring her back. COMPLETELY shaven. Yup. Then the groomer who I never met ( wasn't the younger girl as I thought) it was an older women wearing glasses who introduced herself as the groomer and proceeded to say she was UNHAPPY with the cut, I bring the nice person I am held in my tears and said " wow you shaved her" she said she was so matted she had no choice / when in fact yes her leg areas may have had a couple knots but I said do not shave my dog 20 times, or more they could have easily called and said sorry we will have to shave her it's the put principle. I still tipped her as I am a good human being. I send a photo to my husband and he says" they still charged you?" Yes they did. After many calls and arguments as to the fact that they never even offered to refund my money back or even a tiny bit for the pure inconvenience.... livid. My husband even called and spoke to Eden and Eden said " yes your right all my notes say don't shave her" ugh.....livid. Beyond, this is my dog who should not be shaved and again they never even said sorry to me. Never again will I ever go here , my regular groomer the hairy hound on Hercules was too busy to take her and there is a reason why, they are so busy because they are so good. They would have never done something I asked them not to plain and simple.. Oh and I almost forgot. When I picked Khalessi up she handed her to me and said " what breed is she"?! Right then I knew I made the worst decision by going there. I wrote it down, I told them I said it so many times, she's a Havanese so I want her hair to remain somewhat long please. Do not go here if you love your dog, do not go here especially with a long haired dog they will lie and say they are matted you only charge you more and shave your dog..... read more

thank you so much.....in from out of town and my fur baby Really needed TLC, bath , trim etc.....the owner quickly responded To my email request....I arrived and tech Eden met me at door. Junior julius looks great, happy, ....upon pick up Eden explained In detail the day of beauty. My cat was returned to me happy and Clean.....thank you for such great care of my most important loved One. read more

I'm one of those people who feels like their pets are their children so I was VERY particular with finding the right person/place to leave my "kids". AVIP exceeded my expectations with their work ethic and their grooming was fantastic. I would recommend AVIP to anyone needing to get their pets groomed or a place to board. ***** read more

My cat is usually terrified of new people. He has a nail that grows in between his paws. I had tried so many places. Vets offices, petsmart, private groomers coming to the house. He freaked out every time. The staff here was so sweet with him. He was calm the whole time. Ended up purring after it was all done. Not only did they get my Big baby, my little skidball was as calm as I've seen him any place. The prices aren't outrageous. And they board felines as well as your pooches. These are my go to pet sitters and groomers!!! read more

Jaycee and her staff have been providing wonderful care and boarding all of my dogs for over 12 plus years. You can't ask for a better pet care provider than Jaycee the owner. Thanks Jaycee and all of the staff for taking such good care of Murphy, Jordie, Corky and now Ziggy! read more

We take our dog Grouper here for daycare 3-4 times/week and board him when we are out of town. We have never had any issues and are very comfortable leaving him with the staff. They are always nice and all seem to love our dog. I read a review from earlier this month about a change in the quality of service but that is something I have not experienced and we have been customers for about 2 years. We also have been happy with the grooming. There was one time that there was a discrepancy in what was charged but the person at the counter walked me through it and it made sense. It's very hard to be comfortable with a dog boarder but these guys definitely go above and beyond! read more

I can not say enough good things about Jaycee and her amazing paradise for pets! The entire staff is compassionate, caring, knowledgeable, and professional. I take my dog for daycare, while I work up the street and I am very satisfied with their service. I am able to spy on Lucy on the cameras during drop off and at pick up. Lucy enjoys being there very much for such a shy, sensitive soul. They accommodate her characteristics perfectly! I am very happy with A VIP and look forward to taking Lucy there every work day! read more

Prince had a wonderful time and was surprisingly well behaved at A very important pet. The staff is always friendly and attentive. Prices are great! read more

Outstanding service and price. My two dogs Little Lamb & Little Bear were pampered and given 5 star treatment. I highly recommend grooming by Very Important Pet! read more

A Very Important Pet - Thanks for giving my little guys an outstanding grooming! - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

I highly recommend this place. They have been grooming my dog for the last 4 years and do an amazing job at a great price. I've also used them for kennel services when I'm out of town and this place goes above and beyond. The staff is always friendly and polite. read more

I think this place is great. Reasonable prices for the dog sitting. Buster my dog loves coming here. They also do a good job on the grooming. Buster is a poochon(poodle bichon mix) they make him look really fluffy and good when he is groomed there. read more

This is the worst pet grooming place I have ever taken my dogs too and will never be back. I have a Palm chow mix who is 15 years old and she told me he was too old and needs to be on medication to groom, and to never bring him back. ( No worries there lady ). She didn't charge me for their lack of ability but we have had him groomed at numerous other places with no issues. My Morkie 1.5 year old was groomed as well and even he looked terrible. I did pay for him but was reluctant. My advise would be to steer clear of this place. If I could give a zero star i would. Jim Hill read more

Thanks so much for taking such great care of My Brussels Griffon. Our little dog is the most important addition to our family. I couldn't ask for a better place to care for her. The owner was very knowledgeable and the staff was great. read more

A Very Important Pet - Pet Sitting Near Me - Clearwater, Florida

Wonderful service very nice place will be coming back again to bring my kitty Athena to board whenever I leave town the staff is very attentive:) read more

Used this place in a pinch since I had an emergency and my normal place was booked. He was only there two nights and when I picked him up he was very clean from the bath. Also his nails were perfect and not to short (which has been a problem at other places before). Will be using this place from now on. read more

I have been taking my three standard poodles to AVIP for years and have NEVER had any kind of issue whatsoever. The cost is fair and reasonable, the environment immaculate, and my fur kids are perfectly groomed. I recently took my 5 yr old Himalayan cat in to be groomed because of a flea issue left by former roommate. Bottomline, When I picked my Lily up, Jamie handed me a flea free, sweet smelling absolutely adorable cat with the cutest haircut in the universe! Jamie Girl! You an my pretty girl are going to become forever BFFs. I am going to keep her "buzzed including pompoms and Uggs FOREVER! Thank you! read more

I have always been pleased with the service. I use this place for longer periods of times 10-14 days. Rosie always returns super clean and happy. I would recommend this place to you. Good service good prices 5 stars. read more

Do not take your pet for day care/kennel services. He/she might not be alive due to incompetence of the owner Jaycee. It is with heavy heart I write this. Employees Eden/Jenna have been great and my dog loves them. In my opinion, it is the owner/Jaycee that is fake, incompetent and a pathological liar. My 9 mo. old (14 pound) puppy got attacked-requiring stitches on his throat. By Jaycee's own admission- the dog was three times his size. Without prior consent - Jaycee didn't call at the time of the event and took to her own vet. Why would she not allow the pet owner the opportunity to meet at the vet and use their own vet ? She acted concerned and asked to care for him a few days. Believing it was an isolated incident and falsely believing she was sincerely sorry for her mistake, I allowed my puppy to return. On multiple occasions, I was assured the other dog was banished and my dog would never be put with larger dogs again. Then it happened again. Once again, my dog was mauled. Again, not called immediately, once again taken to her vet. She has sent pets to that Vet for years and possibly a financial arrangement. (Note, the vet seems fine. That's not the point). It's not her concern - it is to deter from expenses and to pretend care to allow time for the dog to heal to not allow the pet owner to see the severity. Three weeks later he is still limping. Before when he saw dogs on his walk he would get so excited to meet them and now he's fearful of larger dogs. He might not rebound this time. When I questioned her about the size of this dog and when asked why she allowed my small dog to be with large dogs - she refused to answer. When questioned about cameras she lied & said there weren't any. Why are dogs with weight/size disparity allowed to be together (after repeatedly being promised they would not be) and why would there not be cameras in shared/common areas? I have chosen not to return ... not at her request. She's willing to line her pockets with the hundreds of dollars I spend a month. It's important for me to have a dog well socialized and happy and the cost of day care is worth that happiness. When I told her I had to report the incident - she then lied and said my dog bit her and she didn't report it. (Basically asking me not to report it). Another lie. Wouldn't it be the facilities responsibility to report it and also tell the owner - further not allow a dog to return? Yet, it's me refusing to return. Once I pointed out that obvious - she had no choice but to back down from that lie. By hers and her staff own quotes- they have repeatedly talked about how sweet/ loving he is ..."he loves everyone and everyone loves him", "he's always sweet / a good boy", "he's never been any trouble- he's happy all the time", "he'll play with any/everyone of the dogs". I've even watched my dog be groomed (by someone else) and he didn't even squirm - let alone bite at someone. Now, when I say I have to report it she deflects and tries to blame a puppy that has now twice almost gotten his life taken from him due to her incompetence? Both times my dog was attacked while in her care - not her employees. Both dogs much larger than he. By her own admission the first dog was 3 times his size. This time she refused to tell me the size of the dog. She was the one responsible for the attacks. Her incompetence. At one time, maybe she had true concern for pets but maybe now she has lost her way and doesn't comprehend the need to keep larger/aggressive dogs away from 14 pound puppies. I'm not sure, however, I am sure that my dog has been mauled twice while in her care, twice taken to her vet without first calling in advance for permission. Readers, please use your own gut feeling and use caution when allowing her to care for your pet. Read all the negative comments and weigh out for yourself. You may be lucky and your dog will be happy - like mine was or your dog may end up mauled, broken or even worse dead. read more

No one does a better groom than AVIP. Their groomers are next level. I've always had a positive experience.