ComplaintsforSnowflake Pet Center

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This past Friday (3/25/22) we brought in our 20 year old cat to be groomed. The service we received was entirely unacceptable. Our cat has cut wounds all over her body, severe razor burn and a patchwork job of a haircut. Half of her whiskers on one side were even buzzed off. When I came to receive our cat, no mention of these wounds or this terrible job were brought to my attention. We had to find out for ourselves when we brought her home. My girlfriend had to call only to be told to "leave it alone for a few days" and that we were charged $160 for this service due to needing "2 people to hold her down". Seeing as this was my first time picking up our cat from Snowflake, I was not aware of the price discrepancy from the past visits. It has always been $60 not counting the last time they needed "two people to hold her down" where the price was increased to $70. We have the invoices to verify. Not only did they injure our cat, but charged us more than double with no explanation on either subjects until we called them.

  Business response

  03/29/2022

  Dear Mr. ******:
  
  As you mentioned, it was your first time picking up ******* for the owner at our facility. We are unsure how much history you are aware of. However, we would like to thank The ****** Family for choosing Snowflake Pet Center for *******’s grooming’s which started in 2012.  We have groomed her several times over the past 10 years.  She has always been a friendly, affectionate cat with a beautiful long hair coat.  The owner would bring her on an average of twice a year and requested she either be shaved or have a lion cut, bath and nail trim because it made it most manageable.  While we strive to provide the best possible grooming experience, it came to my attention that you believe we fell short of that expectation.  It had been 1 year and 4 months since the last time we groomed *******, (November 2020).
  
  Regarding price, you seem to have been misinformed, the fee charged in 2020 was $106.35 for her grooming, not $60.00, not $70.00.  Businesses may have an annual price increase which is necessary to keep up with inflation and the increase in overhead from time to time. The difficulty and sometimes challenge to groom a senior cat, especially in *******’s condition, is reflected in the grooming fee.  The owner is ALWAYS informed that grooming prices are based on the pet’s fur coat condition when making an appointment and at drop off.  *******’s grooming fee was $159.53 (March 2022) due to her condition. 
  
  You mention; “2 people to hold her down”, we do not “hold down” pets. Many times, a groomer will request assistance to help hold a pet or provide support during a grooming especially for large pets and older pets.  A grooming for some pets can be stressful as well. ******* needed assistance due her matts and her age.  We do not base price on the support we provide during a grooming.
  
  The condition for which we received ******* in was inhumane.  Yes, we debated declining grooming ******* because of her unkempt condition, however, it was obvious she was suffering in extreme discomfort from the solid, heavy matts that went down to her skin on different parts of her head/body/extremities. Matts were pulling on her thin, sensitive skin and the only way to get underneath to clip them out, is close to the skin with the clipper.  At this point her grooming was a matter of comfort and relief.  A senior cat takes time to groom, many cats like ******* are underweight, fragile, arthritic, and have muscle atrophy. So, imperfections are to be expected. We felt it was imperative to get these matts removed.  A long coat that is matted to the skin, again, like hers, shaving the cat is really the only solution.  Older cats groom themselves less effectively than do younger cats, sometimes resulting in hair matting, skin odor, and inflammation. This is where owners need to brush their cats more to help prevent undercoat matting, not just for beauty but for health. 
  
  We are very sorry that you are surprised about the shave ******* received due to her severely matted coat.  Again, we were more concerned about her comfort and quality of life.  Many cats are stressed going into cat carriers and leaving home, so we worked with her the best we could to make her comfortable.  We do not shave 20-year-old cats just because. -She was matted to the skin and very overdue for a grooming, I’m sure the owner has a good reason why, but we did not ask because they brought the cat in for a grooming like they have the past 10 years. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  Bob
  Snowflake Pet Center

  Customer response

  03/30/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This is no excuse for the condition we received ******* in without a single word being said. Her wounds say enough. If your staff was incapable of doing the job, it should not have been done in the first place. Snowflake brutalized her to the point she was walking on her joints until the day after. Nothing with this response resolves anything. We were not "informed that grooming prices are based on the pet's fur condition" at any point of the process. 

  I am simply relaying what we were told on the phone. You say you do not "hold down pets" but that was the excuse we were given verbatim. You cut her whiskers, you cut moles off her body, there is what looks like a literal razor stab would on her side. There is no evidence of anything being done gently. 

  What I am reading is a poor excuse to deflect the responsibility your facility assumed when we handed our pet over. The price discrepancy in no way excuses this. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

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