A Pennsylvania family is speaking out after their dog, Brewster, was mauled at a PetSmart grooming centre last week.
The 12-year-old bichon was regularly left at the Dickson City store to be groomed, his owner Lauren Miller told Global News.
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“The groomers were always kind and upbeat when you brought him in and picked him up,” she said.
But during his last trip to the grooming centre, Brewster was attacked by another dog and ended up at an animal hospital. The family only found out when the hospital called them.
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Brewster died soon after.
Miller says PetSmart has apologized for the incident and sent flowers, but no one from corporate headquarters has called. They have, however, spoken to media.
“PetSmart corporate told the local news they were in close contact with us, but that’s not true.” she says. “They did pay for Brewster to be cremated.”
The family still has unanswered questions about what exactly led to the dog’s death.
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“We still don’t know why the other dog came in close enough contact with Brewster. We know Brewster was being groomed, so he was tethered to a waist height table, but what was the other dog doing with a lead long enough to get him?”
In a statement to Global News, the company said it is “truly saddened” by Brewster’s death and would carry out an “internal investigation” into the incident.
“We have high standards of care in place and are actively gathering more information to determine any policy or procedural violations,” the statement read.
“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.”
Now, the family hopes that pet owners and groomers will learn from their loss.
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“Know your groomer’s procedures for big and little dogs,” Miller urges pet owners. “They don’t belong together, even if they have never shown aggression.”
Miller, who had the dog since it was six months old, remembers the good times she had with Brewster. She says Brewster loved to snuggle on the couch and run around in circles around the house.
“Brewster was a good boy. I know that sounds cliche but he was.”