I've been contemplating this review for a long time. So, under the pressure of pretty much everyone who knows about it, and watching my precious dog limp to this day, I decided it's time I shared my story. If you do not see photos I attached, it could be because Camp Bow Wow requested to remove them being pretty scary looking. You can just contact me and I will share them with you.
It happened over a year ago but I still get goosebumps thinking about it. I left my two beautiful pit bulls at Camp Bow Wow for 3 months when my mum was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and I needed to fly to Europe. I wanted to be with her for as long as needed. I called several private sitters but because it was too close everyone was either booked or couldn't take them for that long. After many unsuccessful attempts I contacted CBW and booked their most expensive suite - 'The Lodge' $90+ per day for 3 months. I wanted my babies to be comfortable.
Everything was ok in the beginning, I even received few pics, and on the last month I received an email that they found a huge lump on my dog's leg. I was told it appeared 'overnight', they didn't know where it came from and they suspected 'cancer''. They took her to the hospital and a quick test showed no cancer cells. She was prescribed meds. Ten days later I received another email that her leg had gotten worse and she was taken to the hospital again. Three days later I received another email stating that she actually did have 'cancer' and they decided to move her to the hospital full time because they couldn't take care of her leg at the camp. I take cancer seriously, so when I heard that my dog had 'cancer' I believed of course. Since I couldn't leave mum, I agreed that my baby girl needed to stay in the hospital.
My mum passed away, I flew back home and right away went to the hospital to see what we do next. The doctor suggested to remove the lump and send a whole thing to the lab to verify what kind of 'cancer' she had before we discussed how to treat it. The lump rotted so badly on the inside you could see her bone. I left my baby looking plum, shiny coat, bright eyes, happy attitude. I found her in the hospital cage, skin and bone, I could count her ribs, dull looking fur, sad faded eyes.
So the surgery was done and the lump was sent to the lab. The result came back - no cancer. The lab description was 'no neoplastic or cystic lining noted, deep ulcerative and tracts with necrotic tissue - secondary to trauma, foreign body'. 'Secondary to Trauma?' 'Foreign Body?' Of course cancer would've been a better outcome for the Bow Wow Camp because it would mean they didn't neglect my dog. But it was not cancer. So, back to the 'Wow Camp'. How COULD this happen? What made a hole in her leg so infected that it started to rot on the inside? Was it another dog's teeth? Was it an insect? Was it some sharp object? For how long was she in pain before they noticed that golfball size lump on her leg?
And I've read what other clients said about the camp, anything from '...my dog has come home numerous times with cuts and open wounds on various parts of her body..' and 'my pup had a good gash on his hind leg and I went immediately to the vet..' and dogs developing fever after one week at Camp Bow Wow...and I still took a risk. Partially because I was hoping it wouldn't happen to me, partially because I just had to fly out.
I ended up paying a fortune for 'The Lodge" suite for 3 months, even with the discount that I was given and I was slammed with $3,800 bill for the surgery, meds, scans, labs. It's all in the receipt. I get questions every day why didn't you make Camp Bow Wow pay your medical bills, why didn't you share your story on every website. I don't know, I was grieving, I had lost 3 loved ones to cancer in one year, I was not thinking clear. But I am now.
Camp Bow Wow can deny, swear up and down till they are blue in the face that it's not their fault, that owners acknowledge when sign forms that if injury happens, the Camp is not liable....but, really? She is limping to this day, every time I look at her I think 'Camp Bow Wow', it's engraved in my brain and they are not liable? They hide behind their Fort Knox policies we sign, and what policies protect our pets? We are vulnerable in every way. I paid sky high price for something that happened under THEIR roof, however you twist it around, the Camp Bow Wow IS responsible and they SHOULD be held accountable. Why should I lose so much and they lose nothing. read more