Cruel to a dog, read my experience This is an account of my experience today at a business in Fort Plain, NY. The business is Grooming by Marie on Canal Street in Fort Plain, owned by Marie and Bruce Smith. Please read and pass on to anyone that may have a pet that they would consider having groomed. I walked into the business today 12/11/2009 to ask a couple of questions. The owner Marie was running a loud blower type of machine on a dog. A man, who I first thought was an employee but found out later is her husband and partner in the business, was grooming a small white dog. The blower was loud so neither one heard me come into the shop. As I stood patiently waiting, I watched the man working. He was shaving the front paw of the small white dog. The dog pulled his paw out of the man's hands, not aggressively but just pulled his paw back. The man took the dog's paw again quite roughly. As I watched, the dog did it again, withdrew his paw from his grasp. Then, to my horror, the man grabbed the dog with both hands by the neck and shook the dog, as in a choking action. He then released the dog, still unaware that I was watching. His next move was to put the loop (The table had a pole at one end with a loop hanging from it that I have seen groomers at Petsmart use to hold a dog.) around the dog's neck and the man then slide the cinch on the loop down very tightly onto the dog's neck. His final move, before I couldn't help myself but speak up, was to then move the pole up so that the dog was almost hanging from the loop by his neck. His back paws were barely touching the table. This all happened in a very short amount of time. I did not witness any action from the (maybe) 8 pound dog that would warrant such treatment. Once I made the man aware that I was watching and that he was being much too rough with the dog, his wife and business owner Marie turned around. Her back was turned during the entire series of events. Let me add that during the entire mistreatment the man glanced up several times to see if she was watching him, that is one reason why I thought he was an employee. He appeared to not want her to see how he was treating the dog. I let the man know that I saw what he did, he offered a couple of excuses including that he did not want the dog to fall off the table and that he had been doing this for 30 yrs and knew what he was doing. Let me say that there was absolutely no reason for him to be treating this animal this way. The only thing Marie offered was she would rather have him do that (use the loop) instead of having the animal falling off the table. Marie then turned back around and ignored me when I asked if she was Marie - because at that moment I was sure she couldn't have been the owner of the business. Unfortunately she is. The whole incident was very, very upsetting. I am going to investigate who I need to speak to about the animal cruelty I witnessed at this grooming business. I will stand by my account of what happened today. This is what I saw. I would like everyone to be aware of my experience with Grooming by Marie before they decide to use this business. The prospective grooming customers can make their own decision as to whether to use their services or not. You can guess what my choice is.............. read more

GROOMING BY MARIE - don't take your dogs there!!! see review - Pet Services Near Me - Fort Plain, New York