Owner of Frankies Doggy Daycare in Preston announces they have closed for the “foreseeable”
The owner of a doggy daycare in Preston has announced they have closed for the “foreseeable”.
WARNING: Contains graphic images
Frankies Doggy Daycare at Redscar Business Park in Preston came under scrutiny recently after one of its customers claimed their dog injured himself.
The customer, who did not want to be named, said their German shorthaired pointer dog named Odin injured his ear while at the doggy daycare.
They claimed he had ripped a chunk of his ear off (found on the floor), and that daycare staff had no idea how it happened.
They said: “There was no evidence of a dog bite, none of the staff witnessed it and CCTV 'wasn't working' at the time.”
The owner also claimed that no canine first aid kit was available at the time and a sanitary towel alongside a human triangle bandage was used in an attempt to give first aid and stem the blood.
They added: “The staff who helped Odin did the absolute best they could with the means they had available and in the situation they were put in. It was by no means their fault.
“Odin’s okay but will always have a chunk of his ear missing, and it could’ve been so much worse if we hadn’t been able to get to him or it’d been an artery not just a vein.
“They (Frankies Doggy Darecare) apologised via text but I don’t feel it was sincere.”
The owner of Frankies Doggy Daycare who paid for Odin’s veterinary costs said that the safety and welfare of every dog in their care is the absolute priority, and they are deeply upset that an incident of this nature has occurred.
He said: “We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. We immediately removed any items we felt may have caused the accident and carried out a full inspection the same evening prior to opening the following day to ensure the safest environment for the dogs.
“We are reviewing all of our procedures, including CCTV coverage and staff training, to ensure incidents like this do not happen again.”
Providing an update on the business he told the Post that he had taken the “difficult but voluntary decision to close the daycare for the foreseeable future” following the incident.
He said: “Last Wednesday evening, we made the difficult but voluntary decision to close our daycare for the foreseeable future.
“This was not a decision taken lightly, but one we felt necessary in order to take time to carefully reevaluate our position.
“Several factors influenced this choice: the need to reassure owners that we remain absolutely committed to the health, safety and welfare of the dogs in our care, the overwhelming spread of misinformation online.
He added: “It is important to stress, however, that despite speculation, since we opened the council has never brought details of any complaints to us.
“Before taking this step, we had already proactively requested a reinspection from the council to demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards of care.
“Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we did not receive a timely response. Many members of staff bring their dogs with them to work every day which is testament to the faith they have in the safety and running of the daycare
“The well-being and happiness of the dogs entrusted to us has always been, and will remain, our top priority.
“While we placed our utmost faith and trust in our daycare manager and employees to oversee the daycare the majority of the time, it has become clear that not all shared the same values that underpin our dedication to animal safety and happiness.
“Ultimately, however, the responsibility lies with us, and for that we sincerely apologise for having fallen short.
“We want to reassure all of our clients and supporters that every decision we make is guided by what is best for the dogs.
“Yesterday, we surrendered our licence which the council have acknowledged until a clear and definitive plan for the future of the daycare is established.”
Preston City Council response
A spokesperson for Preston City Council has confirmed that following a number of complaints regarding the doggy daycare, they have opened an investigation.
They said: “We can confirm that we have received complaints regarding Frankie’s Doggy Daycare.
“We hope you understand that, as this is now an ongoing investigation, we are currently unable to comment further.”