WARNING: This story contains images that some may find disturbing.
After a Facebook post about a dog’s stay at a kennel in Richmond went viral this week, the owner of the kennel and the owner of the dog say they have both been receiving harassing phone calls from people with views on both sides of the issue.
The post from Matt Devries alleges neglect at the dog boarding facility, BC Canine.
Devries says he left his dog Apollo at the kennel for three weeks while he went travelling. He says his three-year-old dog was “neglected and starved” and lost more than 30 pounds during the time he was at the facility.
Devries told Global News he talked to the facility a few times while he was away, he requested pictures of Apollo and was told he was healthy and happy.
“When I returned I found out he was not,” he said, adding he was “malnourished and starving.”
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The president of the boarding facility, Phil Moriarity, is a former Delta police K9 Officer and Vancouver Police officer.
He told Global News he is quite upset because he believes the kennel did everything right but received little help from Devries, telling Global News sister radio station CKNW, Devries did not provide food for his pet as requested.
Moriarity says the animal developed diarrhea when given kennel food. The dog was taken to a vet after they couldn’t get in touch with owner, who was on vacation.
Devries said they didn’t take Apollo to the vet until he had been at the kennel for 18 days.
When they were able to reach one of Apollo’s emergency contacts, she in turn reached out to Devries. Moriarity says they were informed through the emergency contact that Devries didn’t want them to offer any medical care to his dog.
Devries said that is not true.
Moriarity also told CKNW he only charged Devries for half of Apollo’s training and not for anything else.
He is now trying to talk to the BC SPCA and is contacting his lawyer.
“The other thing was, when I took it to a place I would make sure that I had all the stuff that the kennel asked for in advance. So, short of that, it’s beyond me what else you can do.”
“People shared the same opinion as me and they wanted to see justice done.”
Devries said he has received dozens of messages from other people saying they have had similar experiences at BC Canine.
Dog owner Laura-Leah Shaw, who has been taking her dog to the kennel, told Global News the staff “genuinely care” about the animals brought there.
“People get caught up in social media where it’s almost like a frenzy,” she said. “I would never take my dog somewhere without food. And if I’d blown it and forgotten it I’d phone somebody and say ‘hey, bring some down’.”
The BC SPCA confirmed that it is looking into the matter.
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