‘We cannot accept the negligence’—Pet owner and grooming salon argue over an accident that made a dog lose an eye

SINGAPORE: A dog owner recently expressed concern about an unfortunate incident wherein her dog, Rudy, sustained an eye injury while boarding at Pawsome Singapore’s outlet at Joo Chiat. Given that the accident caused severe eye damage, the dog’s eye needed removal. 

With this, the owner, Renne Chow, shared in a now-deleted social media post her disappointment and declared that the store can never understand the pain and trauma that they went through as pet parents. 

“As much as we can try our best to understand your apologies, but we cannot accept negligence and yet insist on denying your negligence,” Renne stated. 

Renne kept on asking for CCTV footage to know what really happened, but the store claimed that there was none, given that their entire level 2 surveillance camera system had been sent for repair for two weeks already. 

“This will always be buried as long as there is no CCTV footage to show what has happened”, she claimed. 

Furthermore, Renne also said that she did not accept the store’s explanation that her dog Rudy, which is a pug, was injured by another dog named Rado, a golden retriever. In a separate social media post, the dog owner shared photos of the two dogs seemingly close to each other. In an interview, Renne added that both of the dogs have been close for the past eight years, and Rado is likely Rudy’s ‘personal bodyguard.’ 

“Without any CCTV footage, and you said from your POV, our Rado hurt Rudy that she lost her right eyeball during their stay at your boarding place (Pawsome Kennels), and hence there is no negligence for you as an operator. Then how would Rudy not feel inferior to Rado and still get close to him and even closer after the accident, even till today???,” Renne wondered. 

Renne remained unsatisfied with Pawsome’s explanation, which prompted her to engage with a lawyer. During the process, the store really claimed that they had done nothing wrong and offered to cover 10% of the medical fees ‘out of goodwill’. 

In response to Stomp, a Pawsome spokesperson still insisted that Rado had caused Rudy’s injury and that when the incident occurred, their staff offered immediate assistance in line with their care procedures. 

“We have acted in good faith and in accordance with the information available to us at the time,” the spokesperson remarked. 

Netizens expressed their thoughts and opinions on the issue. One comment stated that if the store does not show the CCTV footage, it only means that they are guilty. 

About Rado and Rudy’s closeness even after the incident, a netizen remarked: “What you’ve pointed out is very valid. Dogs cannot talk like us, but they also cannot lie with their body language. You can usually tell from their behaviour when something is not right. And when they are at ease, you can tell too.” 

One more netizen said: “The daily pain in the parents’ heart, nobody except the pet’s parent has to endure. I hope your pupbaby with one lost eye recovers well.”