Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  7-16-24 1:30pm dropped of my dog to Burleigh Road Animal Hospital from grooming. This is a new groomer, as my dog's previous groomer retired. At 4:50 they called that my dog would not be ready until 6:00. I arrived at 5:50 and paid. He was brought out and I was shocked that he had been shaved completely. I was at a loss of words. I called the groomer today, 7-17-24 and was shocked that she blamed me and called me a liar. She said that my dog was extremely matted and that I had never brushed my dog, and that I had not had him groomed in the three months that I reported. I asked why she didn't call me to ask how I wanted to handle this, if she thought it was that bad. The groomer (********) preceded to consistently call me a liar, saying I never brushed him and I did not have him groomed three months ago. I attempted to stop her from being so disrespectful to me and then she said she would record it that I could no longer come to their business. I responded that I never wanted for her to touch my dog again. I requested a full refund to which she refused. I have attached a copy of the invoice from the groomer who retired, from April 2024 three months ago to support that I have been getting my dog groomed at three month intervals. Also, I have been taking my dog in to his vet to get injections once a month since May, and the vet never implied that my dog was so uncared for and matted down and needed care. I called the collie rescue where I am a member and from where adopted my collie (my third from them), and reported this situation. They were shocked at the picture. I was told that they get lots of collies and they never needed to shave all of the fur off a collie, no matter how matted they were. They may have shaved here and there, but never the whole body. They suggested the groomer simply didn't want to brush him out. I am shocked at the way I was treated, that I was called a liar, that the person talked to me so disrespectfully. I would like a full refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/22/2024

  Hello ******,
  I received your email regarding your concerns about *****s grooming and I apologize that the outcome was different than what you were expecting.  I spoke with both my groomer and the two medical personnel who witnessed the condition of *****s coat on the day of his grooming appointment. While I didnt have my hands on *****s coat personally, I do trust my groomers evaluation, especially considering that she had two of our medical personnel also evaluate the degree of matting on *****. 
  While I understand that it was likely a shock to see ***** completely shaved down, I do believe that our groomer did what was in the best interest of *****s coat condition.  I did inform her that I think it would have been better to have called you to at least let you know that his coat was more matted than expected so perhaps you wouldnt have been as shocked when you picked him up, so I do apologize for that on her behalf. 
  I also understand the concern of collies being a double coated breed, but that is also why their coat must be kept properly groomed, especially their undercoat.  When the undercoat is not kept thoroughly brushed, then it can become tightly matted to the skin.  It is very easy for owners to brush the topcoat and unknowingly neglect the undercoat in this breed.
  It is my understanding that you had ***** groomed somewhere else 3 months ago and that he wasnt matted at that time.  While I cannot speak for that groomer, I can only assume that perhaps the groomer was able to groom the topcoat nicely but wasnt really able to get the undercoat fully combed out.  If this is the case, then it is also likely that the undercoat was not able to be fully dried down to the skin, thereby causing an acceleration of more matting in the months to follow. 
  Im told that *****s nails were significantly overgrown to the point of spiraling upward.  From a medical standpoint,having been a veterinary technician myself of 30 years, it takes a significant amount of time for nails to grow to that degree.   Typically,groomers trim the nails with every grooming, but again, I dont know what services your groomer routinely provided for *****.
  Collies are a breed that require frequent grooming to maintain a tangle-free coat and once they start to get matted, it tends to overtake their whole body very quickly.  If ***** were a younger fella, our groomer likely would have tried to save more of his coat by trying to painstakingly comb some of the matted undercoat out but given that ***** is just about 15 years old, it really would have been unethical and torturous to put ***** through that and for the amount of time it would have taken.  Collies, especially geriatric ones, also tend to have really thin skin, so yanking on their coat too much can cause a lot of skin abrasions and can make them very sore afterwards.
  From what ** told, ***** was also having a lot of difficulty being able to stand very long for his grooming. I suspect that he likely has some significant arthritis considering his age, breed and inability to tolerate standing for extended periods of time.  Grooming can be very hard on senior dogs.  It requires them to have to stand and be manipulated and blow dried for a significant amount of time.  Because we are also a veterinary hospital, we prioritize the comfortability of our patients over what they look like.  I know that we do not see ***** for his veterinary care, but if ***** is not currently on any medication for arthritis, I would suggest a consultation with your veterinarian to see about getting him on something to help with discomfort.   This may also help him to be able to stand longer in the future for the time needed to properly groom his undercoat now that he can start fresh with a new coat. Dogs with significant arthritis tend to lay around more because they are too sore to be as active as they once were and this can also contribute to rapid matting of the fur, especially on the belly, the rear legs, and the chest because they are constantly laying on it and causing it to stay matted down against their skin. 
  To address the concern you have about shaving down a double coated breed while it s not ideal, it is sometimes necessary because we cannot allow their coat to get so matted that it cant be  brushed out thoroughly and comfortably.  Sometimes, it is best to take it all off and start again with a clean slate.  The key to having that double coat come back nice and full again is by having them groomed (bathed/exfoliated/blow dried) every 6 weeks to encourage the previously damaged hair follicles to begin to produce healthy coat again.  As a breeder of champion ******************* (I am also an AKC dog show judge), I personally used to shave my St. ******** down multiple times a year once they were no longer showing. St. ******** are also a double coated breed and I never had any issues with their fur growing back nicely, but again, it requires being diligent with regular brushing and grooming. 
  I have no doubt that ***** will likely feel far more comfortable without having all that matted coat anymore and you may even grow to enjoy him being shaved down too.  I even shave my golden retriever through the spring, summer and fall because he loves to go swimming and is prone to skin infections if he is left with long damp coat and I love not having to deal with the shedding or odor and I enjoy being able to scratch and pet him directly on his skin and he loves it too!
  With regards to refunding the cost for the grooming, though I admit that it would have been courteous for our groomer to have given you a call to let you know that ***** would have to be shaved all the way down, I do not feel that our groomer did anything that was not in the best interest of *****.  You brought ***** here to be groomed and grooming services were rendered based on *****s coat condition which unfortunately would not allow for just a bath, blow dry and comb out. 
  I understand if this decision ****** you from returning for future services, but from a business and medical standpoint, I support our groomers decision to do what she felt was in the best interest of *****. 
  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me back as I am not always available for phone calls considering I am a technician as well and am usually seeing appointments in addition to managing the operation of the hospital.
  Thank you!
  ***********************************, CVT, CVPM
  Practice Manager and Lead Technician
  Burleigh Road Animal Hospital
  ************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/22/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  ********************:
  
  I have read your lengthy email and I am genuinely surprised and disappointed at your response.Your email is solely based on a conversation with your groomer and a few techs. Did you even reach out to me to find out what your groomer said to me?
  
  I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint on your business and on your groomer.
  
  When I called to express concern and shock over my collie, your groomer immediately called me a LIAR! And continued to call me a liar throughout the call. No business should ever call their clients a liar.
  
  My collie has been groomed every three months per the recommendation of his groomer, who is now retired. I have invoices to prove it. I attempted to tell your groomer that, but she was too busy calling me a liar.
  
  I have been taking my dog to the vet every month for the past three-four months. They would have alerted me if they saw something that needed to be addressed with his grooming. Again, I attempted to tell your groomer that, but she was too busy calling me a liar.
  
  I took my dog to the vet after this, and they confirmed to me that there was nothing that they saw that would suggest a collie be shaved down to his skin.
  
  I called the collie rescue and asked them about shaving a rough collie and they said they have gotten collies in under extreme conditions and NEVER have they had to shave all of the fur off of a collie, like mine.
  
  These entities are shocked over the pictures of my collie.
  
  I cannot believe that you would not even try to understand my perspective and get my side of what happened. Your groomer consistently called me a liar. She needs to be reprimanded for this.
  
  I also again, request a refund. I am willing to seek out your business owner on this as, it seems you do not understand that no business should allow their employee to hide behind calling their clients names. Nor should you so quickly refuse a refund, when you have such an employee disrespecting their clients.
  
  Your next communication to me should:
  
  1. Include an apology from you/and your employee
  2. A refund.
  
  I expect to receive both by the end of this week. today being July 22, 2024.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/21/2024

  Business has apologized in their initial response. No refund will be issued for reasons already stated.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/23/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The request is for an apology and refund. The groomer shaved all of the hair off of my dog and never contacted me to tell me there were concerns prior to doing this. When I called the groomer to inquire, the groomer accused me of never brushing my dog, and called me a liar when I reported that he gets groomed every three months. I have provided documentation verifying his previous grooming. It is unacceptable that a business would support an employee calling their client a liar and treating them so disrespectfully. It is expected that a business would take the high ground and offer an apology and a refund considering all that has occurred. I do not accept that the business will not offer a refund for what has transpired with my dog, and with me. It is unprofessional to do so.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************