This past November, my husband and I went on a cruise and had to find our Sammy a vacation spot that he could go to while his mommy and daddy went on theirs. Well, last year, we went to Florida. At that time we had scheduled both of our dogs to stay at the hospital kennel service, since one of our dogs was old, and we figured "just in case" since they at the animal hospital knew her and her condition, she would be safe. Well, we came back on Friday, and found the older dog unable to walk. The doctor and my husband had to help walk her out because she couldn't even stand. By Saturday morning we knew she had no quality of life left in her, not being able to walk so we called the hospital back and our girl was euthinised that morning. We couldn't really understand how this happened so fast. Yes, she was old (almost 12), and yes she had a hard time getting up at times, but with help once she got to her feet she was able to walk. All this the hospital knew ahead of time because one we told them and two she had been going there since she was a puppy. So after calming ourselves down for a couple of weeks, anger set in. I had to find out why it all happened so fast. If it was she time fine, but I still needed answers. Well, I got them and was upset.
Turns out the hosiptal basically opened the run gate and if the dogs go out fine, if not, that's ok they would just hose the inside part to make it clean. Yes they gave food and water. But like I said before "she sometimes needs help getting up". Apparently, this information fell on deaf ears. If she didn't get up, they just left her. So for a week, my dog either struggled by herself, or she just layed there, with no help. Now she was a very gentle dog, never ever aggressive and they knew that, but I was told, she didn't want to go out. Bull! she needed help, and no one seemed to care or had little time to help her. My heart breaks everytime of think of her with her sad eyes asking for help and not getting any help.
So this year I was not about to take any chances with our Sammy. Now Sammy is a whole new story. He is aggressive! He's little with an attitude, so I have to tell whoever his problems of being shy, aggressive, comes to you, don't go to him, etc. All the warnings I could think of. I explained to Paws and Claws what happened last year to our other dog and explained about Sammy. THey told me not to worry, that they would handle it, and let Sammy tell them what he wanted and who he wanted.
The entire cruise my husband and I hoped for the best. When we came back, Sammy and everyone involved with him was fine! We couldn't be happier with the service Paws and Claws provided for Sammy and they even went out of their way to drop Sammy off at our house an hour before we came home, because of our flight landed just before they closed and we would have never made it there in time to pick him up.
Will Sammy be going back to Paws and Claws? Oh yea. That will now be his second home when we travel.
I recommend Paws and Claws 110%. Friendly staff, they listen to the dogs, the dogs are happy, in other word Paws and Claws absolutely "cares" for our babies! So good to know that while away, your pet is happy and being cared for by people who love them as much as you love them. Feel good that your babies are fine and probably, after missing you for a few days, will adjust to their enviroment. If Sammy can, any pet can. Love to all the staff at Paws and Claws and a BIG thank you for caring about my baby! read more