EDIT/UPDATE:
For those who did not see my original review: I brought my 3 dogs to Pet Zone for grooming after being reassured they would be well cared for and that I could stay and watch. During the appointment, I witnessed the groomer hit one of my dogs in the face after becoming visibly frustrated with him. During that same visit, the female owner, who was bathing the dogs, was kind, professional, and very gentle with my dogs the entire time I was there. When I told her about the situation, she approached him to discuss it, told him to give me my money back but he did not. When the grooming was fully completed and my dogs were returned to me, the finished result included uneven grooming, extremely shaved areas, untouched knots and fur in some spots, ungroomed tails, ungroomed paw pads, and potential added grooming anxiety for my dog. Even I was left feeling anxious.
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What led me to post my review was the complete lack of follow-up afterward. Despite having my contact information, neither the groomer nor the owner ever reached out to apologize, explain, or offer reassurance. Because of that silence, I wrote my review, believing he could still be actively working there and treating other pets the same way.
After everything that has happened since, I no longer view the female owner the same way I did that day. In person, she appeared caring, kind, and professional. However, the way this situation was handled afterward showed a very different side.
While her public response confirmed the groomer was fired, private messages and Facebook comments in a community group became defensive and included claims that all my dogs were severely neglected, fully matted, and had nails curling into their skin. This was not accurate. I have been completely honest from the beginning. One dog had minor matting around her neck, which the groomer himself mentioned. He also pointed out knots behind my boy's ears from collar friction and one dewclaw curved close to the skin (not breaking the skin), which I take responsibility for (as it was likely missed during his last nail trimming and I should've caught that). Regardless, the condition of my dogs was greatly exaggerated to deflect attention from them, and my concerns were then twisted into an exaggeration on my part. This pattern felt like shifting responsibility away from the situation, to me, rather than addressing it directly.
Nevertheless, none of those claims changed how my dogs were returned to me. If my other dogs were truly "fully matted," there was no conversation with me beforehand about how to proceed or what type of cut would be needed. Communication in that regard did not happen. Even hypothetically speaking, if their condition had been worse, that still would not justify publicly shaming a client to shift focus away from the original concern and to protect their image. A professional can either accept a job or decline it.
There were also attempts to question my experience based on how I responded, including not immediately confronting the groomer, calling the authorities, or posting my review right away. People process upsetting situations differently.
Regardless of whether the groomer was fired, this happened under her business name and supervision, even if she did not physically witness the incident. Leaving a review does not justify minimizing or attacking a customer's experience to protect a business's reputation. The way this was handled ultimately raised even more concerns and left me questioning trust and the owner's professional judgment. Personally, I would not feel comfortable risking my furbabies in an environment like that, and I encourage others to make an informed decision before using Pet Zone in Port Jervis and Sparrowbush. read more