Dogs never picked up

[GroomerGuy]

Hi all,

Had a new client come in Friday with a Rat Terrier mix for a bath/brush/nails..Told customer would only take couple hours at the most and she could come back to pick her up. Guess what...5:00 came and no customer..called phone number throughout the day and kept getting a recording about phone # being checked for trouble yada yada yada....call information to see if there was any other listing and of course their isn't...waited till 8:30 no one ever called or showed up..left sign on door that I couldnt wait any longer and we would back at 8:00 next morning.. All day no one ever came...Finally had to call Animal Control and they came took some information and went to the house which no one with that name lived there. They brought dog to shelter and will try and foster / adopt out, but if for any reason they couldnt to let me know and I would try and place the dog versus putting her down.
Out of the 6 years my shop has been open this is only the 2nd time this has happened. Just wondering how often does this happen at other shops??
Just can't imagine people would do even consider doing that.. Going to police station on Monday to file a report so that in the case they do find her, I intend to press full charges on animal abondment...don't know if anything will become of it, but at least its on record.

Thanks for the input,
Butch

[redbird]

Ha

The voice in my head would say:
Oh its a small dog, You can take one more.
It's ment to be yours.
I know I will never need to get another dog at the shelter
ever again.

[misscatahoula]

That's so sad; I don't understand how someone can just abandon an animal like that. In 19 years, I've seen it happen twice. Someone left a cat at a grooming shop I worked at. They didn't come back , never called, we never found the owners. I took him home and kept him. The other time was at a boarding kennel I worked at. A lady dropped off 2 large dogs for grooming and never came back. My boss boarded them for weeks hoping they would return, and then they ended up at the SPCA. So heartless.

[hairdevil]

wow, I personally have not had that happen. thank god. The vet clinic I used to work at did however. On several occasions. They had to file papers...bunch of stuff...wait 30 days...this was 2 dogs belonging to the same person. Finally they were sent to the humane society...so sad. I guess people think because we're in the dog business we could find them a home. I had a client this past week with a 14 year old poodle he wanted me to take. they are old and said they just can't care for him anymore. I told them, hes old like you..don't give up on him when he needs you...you wouldn't want someone to do you that way...he left..decided to keep him

[sheilabgroomer]

I have had this happen to me 3x in 13 yrs of business (once was with a family of 4 dogs and a cat!). 5x actually, but 2 of those incidents were due to the owners dying, so they don't count. All I can say is that I would MUCH rather someone abandon a pet in this manner than to just chunk them on the side of the road somewhere or tie them up to a tree. At least when they do it this way WE know we will do our best to place these animals in new homes or safe at a shelter. There is a reason besides money that most of us are groomers, it is because we LOVE animals! I hope you are able to place this baby in a new home. I adopted all 3 of the animals who's owners died (2 different owners), and the cat and one of the dogs from the family of 5 that was left. One of my bathers adopted the Keeshound that was left and I placed the other 3 from the family of 5. It made me feel good that I was able to help these unwanted babies!

[Maggy]

I work at a vets office and we have it happen all the time. Between people abandoning their pets and others bringing in strays we see 10-15/month, most end up in the pound, some get adopted by staff/clients.

[Bearmtn]

I have only seen it happen once and that was when I was in grooming school, although there was some times that I was sure it was going to happen.

A young, apricot, male, toy poodle was brought in for grooming. He was so very cute. People never came back to get him. A couple weeks went by and the woman owner called and said that her husband never showed up for work and never came home the same day as Joey, the poodle was taken in for grooming. I don't really understand what that has to do with picking up Joey, but she said if anyone was interested in buying Joey for $75. they could have him, as she needed money to search for her husband. Well, I wanted him and bought him. Don't know what ever happened with her husband, but I suppect that he just ran away from home.

[baddog]

That's how I aquired both of my yorkies....people have some nerve thinking a grooming shop is a drop off center for unwanted dogs! Besides the fact that you alos worked on the dog, granted only a b&b, but it still took your time and you won't get compensated for the work!

[rapuzzled]

It's happened to us also. I too can't understand how someone can be so heartless. But just keep in mind, since it hasn't been that long yet, something else could have happened. Hopefully, she wasn't in a bad accident or something. Regardless, you have to keep her for a few weeks don't you? I thought that that was how we had to do it, and send several letters as notice JIC.
Well, good luck, maybe you will be able to find someone to take the dog.

[Cosette]

Just wondering how often does this happen at other shops??

I've been in business a little over 10 years, and so far, knock on wood, it hasn't happened. I guess the owner figured a groomer loves pets so that would be a good place to abandon her dog. Still, that's so sad. I hope the dog ends up with a wonderful home that will give her all the love she deserves.
Sheri

[RevWind]

Not too long before I left the petsomething last year, I walked into work spying a medium-sized crate outside next to one of the pillars. It was a crate full of kittens I believe. I brought it in and one of the managers said "not another one". I guess that petsomething had seen abandonment several times before. It really is sad. Granted, it's hard on us who have to make the decision on what to do with them, at least they thought enough to leave them where they could at least temporarily be cared for.

[shihtzugal]

We had that happen, guy dropped off 3 dogs. Never came back..Ended up he had had a bad accident and was in a coma in the hospital...so sometimes yes people are cruel,,other times somethings maybe happened

[Mary1980]

Do you think you can make it a policy to see an ID for drop off's or do you think it would take to much time and effort?

[pamperedpups]

Edited.

[scullysmom]

I have never had this happen. What is everyone’s protocol if it does?? It is very sad!!!! I have always worried about it.