Cats Left in Closed Grooming Shop

[Stephen]

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/1...ft_103.article

When the owner of a Crest Hill grooming shop closed her doors for good last month, she left behind a couple of clients.
The shop, Symply Unique Pet Salon, closed in early December. Once the owner said she wasn't coming back, the building's landlord called the Humane Society of Plainfield to ask whether it wanted any of the equipment left behind.

Executive director Meg Kremer accompanied the landlord to the shuttered shop Dec. 12.

Little did they know that, along with the equipment, two white cats were left in the locked-up shop.

"We opened the door to this groom shop and the stench actually brought tears to our eyes," Kremer said. "The conditions were abominable.

"So the next thing you know, we hear meowing. (The cats) were just panic-stricken. No food, no water, nothing."

see link for rest of article

[diemonster]

I'm confused. The article said that the cats had no food or water, but the animal control officer said that they weren't starved. Maybe I misunderstood?

[plushpuppy]

OK That's just wrong. How can you leave living things knowing that you were not coming back.. It's probably best that they closed shop (although we don't know why) obviously something was way wrong

[toomuchfunbnme]

This is too bad!

It's such a shame to see news reports of this type of thing happening. I don't see how how anyone could be so cruel to leave those cats alone with no food or water in a dirty, abandoned place. Now I am going to wonder why the shop owner did this to these poor cats and what happened that she would abandon her business like that? It's too bad that this type of thing can make a bad mark in the public opinion for all groomers.

[diamienono]

My girlfriend that has a shop had 2 kitties living in the shop. One night when she went home, someone broke in and stole her kitties. Sad, that those who cherish their animals sometimes people do bad things and that those that don't want their animals can just disguard them like common trash.

[Maggy]

Diemonster, I think it probably meant they weren't emaciated. It could be she left them with food and water and they ate/drank/spilled it all by the time they were found.

[KarlaSnyder]

How sad, and yes, another bad mark for groomers. Glad this person is no longer in business. Wonder what the story was-a groomer walking away during the most profitable time of the year?????

[PoodleMom]

Ok, this person must have been unbalanced to say the least anyway. Who walks away from a business and a building full of equipment, let alone two animals??

Lori

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Wow. That is MESSED UP! I can't imagine doing something so horrible. I'd set them free out the front door before I'd lock them up with no food/water. Maybe the groomer planned on returning but was killed in a car wreck, who knows, but I don't think I could have left my animals there like that regardless of my plan to "return." SICK SICK SICK!

Tammy in Utah

[sheilabgroomer]

Karla, I was thinking the same thing. I also wondered about a car accident or some other tragedy but then I remembered the landlord said she told her she wasn't coming back. It does make you wonder what type of mental problems this person has. I am sooooo glad she closed up before she caused even worse news headlines!! I am sure the kitties will be placed in loving homes to help make up for their previous owner!

[Bearmtn]

My girlfriend that has a shop had 2 kitties living in the shop. One night when she went home, someone broke in and stole her kitties. Sad, that those who cherish their animals sometimes people do bad things and that those that don't want their animals can just disguard them like common trash.

Well, I did not need to read this. My persian sits and watches people at the front door to the shop and creates a lot of attention. Everyone loves her and people just come into to see her. The center is not very secure at night and the shop would be easy to break in to. She loves everybody and everything.

[k9stylist1968]

I'm confused. The article said that the cats had no food or water, but the animal control officer said that they weren't starved. Maybe I misunderstood?

The article also said she'd shut the place down in "early December" and the landlord brought the Humane Society in on December 12 (which is still, IMO "early December")..... It's likely the cats had been there a week or less--and had probably been left with food/water, but had emptied them and also filled their litter boxes (or just eliminated wherever they could). As we all know, it doesn't take much cat urine to create a horrendous stench.

I'm not condoning this groomer's actions, but I'm thinking there must have been some catastrophe in her life that would make her do such a thing.

[mustluvdogs1]

If never found groomer....

If never found, who is to say she didn't drop dead somewhere? It didn't say if they went to her home...or if anyone knew where she went. Maybe more to story.Someday, I might not show up...calls clients angry...later find ME dead in my bed. I think about weird stuff like that...I live alone cept for dogs. People are quick to judge. Sometimes I have the Flu and can't lift up my head to., talk on the phone, or i have a killer headache. Or just in the bathroom....I am human after all, not a grooming machine.

[SCISSORHANDS]

Bad Press

Yea I will have to agree with Mustluvdogs1. There are two sides and the media (can you tell I love the media) has a way of reporting what sells and not the whole story. But there obviously must've been something going on for the owner to just walk away. Can't imagine a groomer having a meltdown.