So let me start by saying that my dog, Batman, LOVES Camp Bow Wow (CBW). We went there for about a year, and he was always excited to get there and play with all the other dogs. He also loved the staff.
That being said, we had to stop going (he is now at Dogtopia off County Line / Quebec).
Why?
Well, unfortunately Batman was diagnosed with seizures about 4 months ago. They aren't the extremely bad kind (Grand Mal); but nonetheless, do require some pretty serious medication (Chlorazepate - 37.5 MG, twice daily) to control. Otherwise, he has tremors and will hide in the coolest, darkest place in the room.
I left Batman at CBW on June 11th, with food, bed, toys and his medicine. The medicine was in one of those pillboxes where you put the exact dose in the compartment for each day of the week, and time of day. In this case, 3 pills for each early AM, and 3 for each late PM. I wrote the instruction on the bottom of the pill case, plus the dosage & doctor info (Dr. Lane, VRCC - Awesome! But that is another review...) on the bottom of the case. I also covered it with the staff at check-in.
However, after picking Batman up on 6/18, I got home to find that literally 50% of his medication was NOT GIVEN! Not only that, the dosage was given at, what appears to be, entirely random increments. 1 pill, 2 pills, no pills...
See photo here of what I found upon returning home: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/camp-bow-wow-littleton-littleton?select=7PBLR-QVQ53vT_x2cfGCBQ#7PBLR-QVQ53vT_x2cfGCBQ
Keep in mind, there can be quite serious complications if the medicine is not given or suddenly stopped:
"Do not stop taking TRANXENE all of a sudden. Stopping TRANXENE suddenly can cause seizures that do not stop, hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations), shaking, and stomach and muscle cramps." See http://www.rxlist.com/tranxene-drug/medication-guide.htm .
Obviously, I was more than a bit upset. Especially since NO ONE from CBW had contacted me during the entire week Batman was there. ZERO, ZIP, NADA.
I mean, I get that people get confused, but how about picking up a phone, texting, emailing, smoke signals ---- whatever! If you have questions - CALL ME ANYTIME! Especially around something as serious as mediation / health.
That being said, I wanted to be fair to CBW, and give them a chance to respond. However, over the last 1.5 months, I've sent 7 emails both to the Littleton location and the corporate office. No response.
I then left 4 voicemails, with varying degrees of response:
FIRST RESPONSE ON 6/19, 11:36 a.m. ---- I got a voicemail from Matt that I could call him back, but he'd be leaving at 1:00. Unfortunately, I was not able to respond in 90 minutes, as I am always in Friday meetings from 8-2:30. Left a return voicemail on Monday.
SECOND RESPONSE ON 6/26, 10:35 a.m. ---- Four days later, got a noncommittal / generic response.... again, that he'd be in until 1:00. Again, I'm booked on Fridays.
THIRD RESPONSE ON 7/10 - 12:38 p.m. ---- I got a noncommittal / generic voicemail from Matt I should call back before 1:00, and letting me know it was his last day. I should contact Dave Foley, the manager from here out.
Knowing that I'm difficult to get in touch with, I left them a voicemail & email asking that instead of playing phone tag, they provide 2 or 3 meeting time options. No direct answer to this request.
FOURTH RESPONSE ON 7/20 - 2:06 p.m., - Voicemail from Dave Foley, to see if we could "get past" what happened with Batman.
I was happy to get that last response from Dave, but at that point I had a work trip the next day (7/21) and was forced to find another location I just wasn't comfortable leaving Batman at CBW again.
So, my request to CBW for future dogs / owners:
1) Give them their medicine - ALL their medicine.
2) Confused? CALL THE OWNER!
3) Still confused? CALL THE VET!!!
4) Give the dog owner more than an hour or two to respond to your voicemail.
5) Barring that, offer the owner 3 or 4 times / days which might work to talk.
6) Explain! Don't want to leave "evidence" of what happened via phone / email? Then try harder to get in touch with the owner. Once a week or less is not trying .
7) Apologize! We get that mistakes happen, but there was never an apology, or explanation given.
I'm sad to have to write this review, but medication is a VERY serious topic. And I'd advise owners who are considering CBW to take this into consideration.
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