I left my 4-month-old puppy Teddy at a Lancashire Pets at Home Groom Room and when I returned my heart broke
A heartbroken dog owner has claimed he left his four-month-old puppy at a groom room in Blackpool only to return to find him injured.
Chris Pendlebury, 38, says he left his Maltipoo puppy Teddy at Pets at Home Groom Room, Squires Gate, in Blackpool and when he returned was shocked at what he found.
He claims he had informed staff that, as a new puppy, he was sensitive to hairdryers and indicated this on their form.
He then received a call later that day to collect him early and was informed he had “bolted and fallen” after the hairdryer was turned on.
Pets At Home said their ‘groomers work tirelessly to ensure pets are safe’ but added ‘ in rare instances injuries occur’.
Chris, who works as an IT manager, said: “This was his very first visit - an introductory puppy groom to get him used to it.
“When we arrived after receiving the call he was in shock, silent, and unable to put weight on his left front paw.
“Staff dismissed it as “just a bruise”, said he could "walk it off" and described him as “sulking”.
He claims that grooming had continued on Teddy’s other paws after the injury, with all but the injured one being trimmed.
He added: “Their explanation of how the injury happened has changed since the day of the incident — from “bolted and fell” to “fell backwards while restrained”.
“Neither of these accounts for three fractured bones in his front paw.
“Pets at Home also confirmed there was no CCTV in the grooming area, meaning there is no independent record of what happened to Teddy.”
The Veterinary Health Care Centre in St Annes vets looked after Teddy, but Chris says that so far Teddy’s medical treatment and travel costs have totalled £1,668.24.
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He added: “After seven weeks of enforced immobility at a critical stage of his development, Teddy now lives with a permanent valgus deformity (a medical condition where a limb or part of the body angles outward, away from the body's midline) and a documented risk of early degenerative joint disease.
“Because of this, insurers would treat arthritis or related conditions in that limb as pre-existing, meaning we would struggle to insure Teddy for any future problems linked to his injury, leaving us exposed to potentially significant costs over his lifetime.
Chris said the whole incident on Tuesday, June 17 has put him off going to any other grooming or pet‑minding services out of fear of a repeat incident.
He said: “I've taken to learning how to do it myself via Youtube, with mixed results.
“Teddy is the most gentle, trusting and resilient puppy.”
Pets at Home statement
A spokesperson for Pets at Home said: “Every pet in our care is our upmost priority, and we’re pleased that Teddy has recovered well after his recent paw injury.
“Our groomers work tirelessly to ensure pets are safe and follow strict guidelines at all times. Despite this, in rare instances injuries occur and we have been happy to offer to cover all medical costs as a gesture of goodwill and have been in regular communication with Mr Pendelbury.
“We also note that the veterinary report concludes there are no long-term injuries to be concerned about at this time.”