Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  My 13 pound dog was being groomed by ***** at the Westerville location on May 15th, 2024. I get a call that ***** cut his paw during the groom, so they bandaged him up and recommended bringing him to the vet. When I pick him up, I asked for a discount on the groom given the injury and they said no but will pay for vet bills. My dog had to undergo surgery where the vet said the paw pad almost fully lacerated through, so they made the decision to remove the entire paw pad. Now, my dog has a bandage that cannot get wet that needs to be changed every 5 days for at least 3 weeks, and is on three different medications for pain and infection. I received a phone call on May 16th from the Designer Paws CEO, *****. She explained that my dog was well-behaved, and the injury happened because ***** was cutting too fast. I once again asked if I can receive refund for the groom given the severe injury, but ***** declined, saying the cost goes towards “funding the vet bills”. When I responded that my money shouldn’t be going towards the vet bills, she backtracked and said, “it’s to pay the groomer.” On May 17th, I drafted a demand letter highlighting the specific hardships this experience has caused. In the letter, I wrote that I want full reimbursement for the cost of the groom given this service was negligently completed and resulted in permanent injury. The letter also listed actions I would take (writing reviews, filing complaints, etc) if I am not compensated by May 27th. The letter was reviewed by multiple parties to ensure no rules were broken. Later on May 17th, the police called me and said that Designer Paws management feels threatened by me and my letter, and I cannot contact them again. I asked the police officer (who had read my letter) if anything in my letter was illegal or harassment, and they told me everything in the letter was legal, falls under 1st amendment rights, and management “just feels threatened.”

  Business response

  05/17/2024

  We informed the owner when this accident happened with the dog pitter patting with its feet on the table. The groomer accidentally cut the pad. We cleaned and bandaged it up and called the owner told her we will cover all the vet cost ($900 bill) and that it needed stitches. We apologized about this incident and that we were so sorry. Accidents do happen. I called her the next day to check on how the dog was doing. And to make sure she was aware of any new rechecks we would cover just let us know. I paid the $900 vet bill with no issues. We are very transparent when it comes to pets in our care. The owner then sent a very threatening email that if her demands were not met she would destroy us basically. Blackmail. We were force to involve the police at this point. Which do not do unless staff feels threaten. We don't understand this level when we have been open and transparent with everything. We have paid the vet bill. The vet informed me that she took the 1 pad since in her experience the owners don’t make sure the dogs don’t remove the bandage  and ensure them wear the collar. Which is evident from her pictures on her social media accounts. Dog isn’t wear the ecoller. Which then causes a 2nd surgery to remove the dead flap. So she then removed it so the recovery would be easier for owner and not put the dog through another surgery a few days later. Normally this would be fine with 2 stitches.  

  Business response

  05/20/2024

  We informed the owner when this accident happened with the dog pitter patting with its feet on the table. The groomer accidentally cut the pad. We cleaned and bandaged it up and called the owner told her we will cover all the vet cost ($900 bill) and that it needed stitches. We apologized about this incident and that we were so sorry the client understood that accidents do happen. I called her the next day to check on how the dog was doing. And to make sure she was aware of any new rechecks we would cover just let us know. The pad was not removed. The flap of skin was removed not the whole pad. In the Vet's experience the owners never take care if the wound correctly with dog always in a cone and not remove badinages by chewing off. As evident of the clients' instagram account dog is pictured WITHOUT THE CONE on. This is the very reason the vet removed the flap so the dog didn't come back in a few days later to have another surgery to remove it. The pad will grow back it's the same as if a dog was running on hot payment and scraped off the pad. I paid the $900 vet bill with no issues. We are very transparent when it comes to pets in our care. The owner then sent a very threatening email that if her demands (blackmail) were not met she would destroy us. We were force to involve the police at this point. Which we do not do unless staff feels threaten. We don't understand this level when we have been open and transparent with everything. We have paid the $900 vet bill and any upcoming visits. The client then took reddit.com/UnethicalLifeProTips to enlist the help of strangers to help her unethically take down business. It was suggested "I guess you could also name them on here and we can assist with the reviews writing" She replied " OMG I love that. Designer Paws in Westerville OH thank you!!!!" Which they helped her write a bunch of 1 star reviews to pull our rating down. They called us many different things along with animal abusers and some threaten my staff and business on that form. These people were harassing my staff by calling them and yell at my staff making fake appointments. Cops had to be contacted again. Cops informed her again she can not contact us or ask other to do it and to take down the reddit form. She now has a no trespassing for my salon. She was told that she can only contact us through my lawyer.  These threatening  actions from this person fall under section 2917.21 telecommunications harassment. Yes a person is allowed to voice their displeasure but not enlisted others terrify my staff. There will be no further discounts or refunds of services that were rendered in full. Our policy is to pay the vet bills in case of injury which was an accident when the dog was pitter patting on the table while she was scissoring around the feet. The only course of action that can be now is legal.

  Customer response

  05/21/2024

  I was hoping to modify my response with this additional information:

   

  There is no policy regarding injuries or refunds on their website. Further, Designer Paws' insurance is paying the vet bills (I can confirm this as the insurance contacted me). My dog was seriously injured during a service that was neglectfully rendered, and Designer Paws refuses to refund me for this service.

• Initial Complaint

  04/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My dog was groomed on 4-18-2024. The salon reported an incident with the dog and claimed it took three people to handle him. When I picked up the pup they charged a handling fee and said it was a grooming issue; but I wasn't permitted to speak with the groomer. In the week after the incident the dog exhibited fear at being touched, defensive behavior indicating he had been hit or mishandled. He exhibited seperation anxieties that weren't there before. A general high level of stress and biting behavior that were not present before with grooming. These signs are abnormal levels of behavior that indicate mistreatment; my instructions on how to handle the dog were not followed. The business was evasive, would not answer my questions and would not say anything about what happened, other than to claim a bite and to blame the dog. I called back to have the tape of the grooming released and was told unless there is a bite we can't release or view it. I called back and asked to view the tape at the salon and was put off overnight. I called back the next morning and was put off again. I called back in the afternoon and was told in a "very friendly" manner I could view the tape in another week due to the busy schedule of the business owner. I am awaiting a call on tuesday of next week to finalize the time to see the tape. I need to view the tape to further address any training issues with my trainer and new groomer and to check with the vet for his physical health.

  Business response

  05/08/2024

  The dog that was groomed on April 18, was matted and had bitten the groomer a couple times when trying to clip out the mats. The owner was informed of this when the groomer called to let the owner know it was ready for pick up and that a handling fee of $15 would be applied to the groom. Normally our handling is $25 and the groomer felt that it wasn't bad enough to charge the full amount since (as she told the husband owner)  that she believed it was due to the matting cause that can hurt if it's tugged on when trying to remove it. This conversation is recorded on our phone systems. She had called back on April 25 asking for our video recording to be sent to her. The manager told her that we don't do that and it would have to be taken up with the owner (me). I was currently out of town and she was told this and I would be back to the salon the following Tuesday April 30. She proceeded to call 5 more times after that call on the 25th and 26th. Each time staff stated I was still out of town until Tuesday and when I got back I would look at my schedule to book a time for her to review the video of her dog biting the groomer. I called my manager due to the repeated harassment of my employees on the 26th while changing planes. I let them know I could see her on May 8 at 10:15am when I'm back in town. Since I have back to back business trips. I don't understand this constant harassment of my staff when they gave her the info that I was out of town and I would reach out on April 30. My staff didn't dodge her calls and I have listened to all the records and they were polite and gave her the same info over and over again. We have already set the date for her to come in. She wanted to see the times the dog were acting out so she could better train them. We said nothing about the level of the dogs training to the owner. The services were rendered and will not be refunded. I don't understand on what grounds Carol feels we should refund her. It was out of courtesy that I was going to show the recordings and have set aside the time for the review. The recordings are the property of DPS and are not allowed off company property by any means. 3 people other staff members helped comfort the dog as it was biting the groomer while shaving off the matted coat. This is due to neglect from the owner of not keeping up with brushing or grooming. This type of coat should be groomed every 4-6 weeks in order to keep the coat long. The owner elected to only have the dog groomed every 12-14 weeks. When owners don't do basic care at home with brushing this is setting the dog up to fail at the groomers. Matts can be painful to remove since the only way to remove them is to get under them to cut them off. This is what caused the dog to act out the only way they know how to tell someone it hurts, by biting. Once the mats were off the dog no longer attempted to bite anyone. 
  
  

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