PetSmart, store #421, The Groomers at the store, the Manager and their head office/corporate in AZ. PetSmart killed our dog while we took him in for grooming just recently and NO one is talking as to what happened to our family pet of 11 years (Gizmo). We believe it was animal neglect. Bloomingdale, Illinois
On Christmas Eve (12-24-2009) We dropped off our family dog of 11 years (Gizmo) at the groomers and one and a half hour later we received a called from the PetSmart groomers saying "come pick your dog up, he is just laying on the ground and he's not moving". When we got there 7 to 8 minutes later, our dog had no pulse, and was not breathing. There was no Vet called even though they have a Vet Clinic called "Banfield Veterinary Service" attached to the PetSmart. We are devastated today and we want answers but NO ONE from their head office or the local store in Bloomingdale, IL is talking. What do I do? The groomers (4-5 ladies) did not do anything while our Gizmo was laying there helpless.
Their Add/Promotion on TV says "Professional pet stylists who are safety-certified and trained in ALL areas of care" so that would mean CPR correct? They did NOTHING to help us save him, not even CPR. The store manager decided to leave early for the day so he was not even present when all this happened. He came almost 30 minutes later. They wanted us to take our dog to an emergency clinic which was 40 minutes away in the 6 inches of snow fall. They didn't have the common decency of calling one of the Vet on-call until I yelled at them and told them that I was calling the cops if they do not get a Vet from their clinic here ASAP so the manager called a Vet who came 25 minutes later and she (the Vet) made sure that she along with the store manager told my family while we stood there in tears that "she didn't have to come today since it was Christmas Eve, she came out of the goodness of her own heart", (gee, thanks!!). She didn't tell us anything different that we already knew. We already knew our Gizmo died way before even we got there.
Today, the S*** family wants answers! What did they do while grooming him? Why isn't anyone at the local store or the corporate office talking even after receiving my mail? Even the girl who groomed Gizmo, would not talk properly. Yes, we want answers and we are heartbroken today. Our holiday season will never be the same again. We had Gizmo since he was 6 weeks old and on March 10, 2010, he would have been 11 years old. We miss him so much and remember him every single day. Please DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET TO PETSMART FOR GROOMING or for that matter ANYTHING!! The people there just do not care about your pet. We feel that the muzzle might have been on too tight or for too long, or the hair dryer was too hot for our little Gizmo to handle. Or, both!! He was the king of hearts and the king of our house.
We do not want any other family to go through what we went through on Christmas eve, please do not take your pet there.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
fivestarkeys
wausau,Wisconsin,
United States of America
For Gizmo
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, March 01, 2010
I cried when I read this. The horror you endured that day is unbearable to comprehend. I am a PetSmart Dog Bather and I would like to validate your concerns. My training consisted of a few hours of videos; 4 about pushing for "add-on sales" to generate higher profit, 1 on general bathing and nail trimming, 1 on groomer safety and how to handle dogs, and 1 on grooming(not applicable to my position). I do not consider this to be safety certified and we are certainly not CPR certified. There are no temperature gauges, the water is set by the bather with the basic hot and cold knobs comparable to your kitchen sink. Our high velocity hand dryers have no temperature gauges and get hot after a few moments of use; no one knows the exact amount of force or sound levels of them, but I fear it causes major damage to the dog's hearing as I go home after a 5 hour shift with a terrible ringing in my ears (they pop at work sometimes and I can't hear a thing). I was written up a month ago for refusing to bathe dogs in icy cold water when our water heater had failed over the weekend. Water is safe to bathe dogs in only if it is regulated to their body temperature, which I believe is around 80-90 degrees depending on breed and size; if not regulated properly, the dog can suffer from hypothermia. Store policy states you can use a muzzle only on specific breeds for up to ten minutes and you are to watch for signs of excessive stress(eyes rolling back, defecation). We have an area with a sign that reads Banfield Vet Service and I can assure you we have absolutely no vet or vet assistant staffed. I have deep concerns for the stressful environments and lack of safety and regulation within any pet salon. I am truly sorry they had the gumption and tactlessness to speak to you that way. I can guarantee the groomers are not talking in fear of losing the only thing they have: a high stress understaffed overbooked minimum wage job with little to no management supervision. I have been horrified since the first day and had the company I previously worked for not gone bankrupt, I'd have never sought out this job. The fear and guilt associated with having worked for such a heartless corporate freakshow can not be expressed. I hope you filed a lawsuit and that you get the answers you are looking for. I am so very sorry for your loss and I hope PETA conducts a campaign as I have recommended the dangers of these particular environments be investigated. I love animals and am deeply concerned for the neglect that is provoked through corporate policies and their need for extreme profits. The workers certainly are not reaping the benefits and neither are the pet parents. My heart goes out to you and I just want you to know in good conscience I am seeking new employment in a nonprofit setting. I hope you are successful in making an example out of their carelessness and contact the media immediately.