Licking Syndrome Is Now A Thing

(I work at a huge pet retail store that also includes grooming services. As such with a big chain company, there are a lot of policies we have to follow in order to have a safe environment for us and the pets. Some customers don’t like being turned away from grooming due to policies even though it’s in the best interest of the pet. Here is an account of a lady who has had a history of fighting with us on taking her dog. Her dog is older, maybe 10 or older, and constantly has open sores on its legs and paw pads. Per policy, we can’t take a dog with an open wound, as it could become infected in the bath, become irritated during the groom, etc. The last time she was turned away was in December and she threw a huge fit, openly bawling and stating that “we don’t care about her dog.” Since then, she has come in twice, and both times the dog’s sores were healed enough that we could perform the service. She then comes in yesterday for a groom. One of our senior groomers looks over the dog and notices no open sores, so we take him in. About an hour later, the groomer is shaving the dog down and notices a sore that was hidden under all of the fur, and it is open. We call the lady, who screams at us over the phone, and we all prepare for the s*** storm we are about to endure. When she comes in, we all go quiet, waiting for her to blow up on us. She doesn’t say anything until she gets her dog back and it begins.)

Customer: “You know, this just isn’t fair. You have groomed him before!”

Manager: “Ma’am, he has an open wound, and I deeply apologize for not seeing it at check-in, but we can’t continue the groom today for his best safety.”

(As a courtesy, the groomer doing the dog went ahead and did the cut before the owner got there. The only things that weren’t done were the bath, the feet — where the open wound was — and the final touch-up.)

Customer: “The feet aren’t even done! I’M NOT PAYING FOR THIS!”

Manager: “No, ma’am, we aren’t making you pay for this, as we apologize—“

Customer: “THIS JUST ISN’T FAIR! HE HAS LICKING SYNDROME!”

(That’s not a thing.)

Customer: “I’M GOING TO WRITE THIS ALL OVER YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA!”

Manager: “Please, then, don’t leave out the entire story.”

Customer: *yelling inaudibly as she walks out of the store carrying her dog by the head*