A pet groomer has been fired from her position following an incident captured on CCTV by a customer, which the employer described as “entirely unacceptable.”
Simply Debonair Dogs in Tranmere, Merseyside, promptly terminated an employee who was observed on live footage pushing a dog she was grooming by the pet’s owner, Rebecca Quigley, 28, from Prenton. Rebecca had brought her cockapoo, Blossom, to the grooming salon on September 5, receiving a call to collect the dog at 2:15 pm.
Upon arriving a few minutes early, Rebecca was dismayed by the treatment she witnessed her pet receiving from the groomer. She recounted overhearing a staff member insulting Blossom’s breath and then forcefully handling the dog, which prompted her to start recording the incident on her phone.
Rebecca intervened when she saw the groomer being rough with Blossom’s ears and verbally expressed her objection. The owner of the business, Ella Logan, was not present during the incident but took swift action upon learning about it. Ella dismissed the groomer immediately after being informed and issued a statement on social media expressing her devastation over the situation.
Ella clarified that the groomer’s behavior was not reflective of the business’s values and standards, emphasizing that it was an isolated incident. The RSPCA approved of the business’s handling of the matter, confirming that no further action would be taken against them.
Despite facing backlash and loss of trust from some individuals, the business received overwhelming support from loyal customers. Ella addressed false rumors and highlighted the priority placed on the well-being of the dogs under their care, emphasizing transparency and accountability through their CCTV monitoring system.
Rebecca reported the incident to the RSPCA, urging accountability to prevent similar incidents in the future. Both the RSPCA and Merseyside Police acknowledged the situation, with appropriate actions taken in response. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding high standards of care and respect for animals in grooming establishments.