BE CAREFUL WITH GROOMING.
My first few experiences with the staff (daycare, buying supplies, etc.) were great and I found the staff to be very helpful and friendly, but when I received my beautiful long-haired Native American Indian Dog back from grooming it was a nightmare.
1) Her appt. was 1 1/2 hrs. past the scheduled time, but, hey, things happen.
2) The cost was TWICE of what I was quoted when I dropped her off which is insane because their prices are among the highest, but, things happen.
3) She still had numerous matts and had to be brought right back in, but....things happen?
4) Within the next 24 hrs my dog stopped eating/drinking and had a fever. I had to pour water into her mouth just to keep her hydrated and in my attempts to put her in a bath to cool her off (my vet suggested this behavior might be due to heat) we discovered she was completely covered in horrible sores. At the groomer, I was recommended to try a de-shedding bath (FURminator) so I called Tabby & Jacks to ask if it could be an allergic reaction and a CERTIFIED GROOMER said that the shampoo could burn the skin if left on too long.
5) A vet verified the chemical burns, which developed a serious secondary infection. Upon calling Tabby & Jack we were told that they hire PROFESSIONALS, so of course they couldn't be responsible. Wasn't it much more likely that I didn't realize that she had this skin condition before we brought her in? Really? You think I didn't notice that my dog wasn't eating or drinking and was oozing from dozens of wounds? From previous yelp posts, the manager clearly tries to bully unknowing owners into accepting the maltreatment of their pets and should be ashamed. Our calls were continuously avoided until the owner called us. We demanded a refund because of the disrespect, avoidance of responsibility, and blatant malpractice. We were told that they would pay for the vet bills, cut our grooming bill in half, and give our dog a skin treatment to help her heal better, but on the day we were scheduled to come in the owner was not present and the manager did not respect what we were told. In fact, we were refused a refund b/c they didn't want to 'hurt the groomer'. I'm sorry, but I gave your groomer a 20% tip on a $150 bill to have her seriously endanger the life of my dog so I don't think I care what's going to hurt your groomer. As a business, if you make a mistake then you need to eat the cost and take preventative measures to ensure the safety of the animals that come into your store. The manager did treat one of the worst sores and gave us a check for the vet bills, but only after we continuously refused what appeared to be bribes to not suing. It was clear they were not apologetic and just wanted to get rid of us. Her vet bill was a DIRECT CONSEQUENCE of your groomers incompetence (that's harsh because she really was a nice lady and I'm sure she usually does ok, but given the intensity of the burns I really don't have any other word for it) so I don't consider covering the antibiotics recompense for what happened.
I hope someone from the store reads this and lets your owner know that we're still waiting for a call from her (you know exactly who this is and our number so use it). When I first discovered what happened, all I wanted was an apology and some guidance on how to help my dog, who is still on antibiotics and recovering from this grievous misconduct. This incident may or may not be indicative of the norm, but the fact of the matter remains that you are directly responsible for the injury of an animal who was entrusted to your care and I find your handling of the issue appalling and even downright embarrassing considering you claim to be an establishment that specializes in holistic care for pets. Your reaction to this situation is what I would expect from a third rate, back alley pet store and I will never be coming back. My dogs have already started the enrollment process at another daycare that makes good on its promises because if this is how you treat your customers (pets and humans) in one aspect of your business then I'm not waiting to find out what will happen in the future.
All in all, to future yelpers considering this business and even grooming in general- you know your pet and don't let a single person tell you something is your fault or that "it's normal" when you know otherwise. Speak up and don't shut up until you get the answers you're looking for. read more