For one family in Pennsylvania, a routine grooming appointment at a local PetSmart turned into a nightmare.
Betty Miller, who lives in Scranton, brought her 12-year-old Bichon named Brewster to the pet store chain and dropped him off to get groomed. Soon after, she received a phone call that would change her life forever.
She was told that her beloved pup had been attacked by another big dog, and he was at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center. According to WNEP, vets tried to resuscitate Brewster, but it was already too late.
In another story by WNEP, groomer Lisa Fennell, who owns Canine Connection, says that large and small dogs should not have been in such close proximity to each other, and this tragedy could have been prevented.
Watch the interview below:
If losing their four-legged family member wasn’t bad enough, Miller said that no executives from PetSmart bothered to reach out to her; instead, she had to contact them.
“We called corporate,” the grieving dog-mom told WNEP. “They did not reach out to us, and I was very angry about that.”
Miller said she feels bad for taking Brewster into PetSmart that day, and hopes that the incident prompts changes in safety regulations – like keeping big and small dogs separated – to prevent future accidents.
“I felt so guilty the day it happened because we would say to him, ‘You want to go bye-bye?’ and he’d hop in that car, and he didn’t know it was going to be his last ride,” she said, remembering the last time she saw Brewster. “It was hard, very, very hard. He’s been with us for 12 years. He was just a great dog.”
“He was loving,” she also remembered. “He was gentle. He was funny. He was like a toy, and he loved everyone.”
WNEP reported that the PetSmart spokesperson didn’t comment on their questions, but an employee informed them that the grooming tables have since been rearranged and the parents of canine clients are being asked more questions before bringing their pooches for grooming.
However, according to this story, the company did release a statement:
“We are truly saddened by the loss of Brewster. The health, safety and well-being of the pets in our care is our top priority, and we immediately launched an internal investigation to better understand what led to this tragic accident. We have high standards of care in place and are actively gathering more information to determine any policy or procedural violations. We welcome all dogs, regardless of their breed, into our grooming salons provided they are well-behaved. We will remain in close contact with Brewster’s pet parent as we learn more.”
Toledo, United States.
