AITA Grooming Edition?

[p4m3l4]

@best99 As we are dealing with conjunctivitis secondary to grooming (according to the owner’s accusation), it’s not Graves’ disease or something obscure. It’s a reaction to the shampoo, a foreign body, or an infectious agent. Any conjunctivitis that could potentially be caused during grooming is only going to be, at most, a $200 vet bill.

 

[best99]

@p4m3l4 I’m just saying it’s a loaded diagnosis that could be several different things and almost none of which a groomer should really be held liable for. Cause a dog can walk outside and get anything in its eye and you wouldn’t know that exact cause of it.

 

[sadie716]

@brileemoot You did right. Some people will try anything to get things free.

We've had a person call saying their dogs got fleas from us, but we checked, and the dog hadn't been in for over three months. He told us during check-in, he doesn't use flea preventive, and we have the pape to prove it.

We also had this woman who'd come in for a nail trim and refuse nail grinding. She'd call two or three months later, claiming she came in a week ago and we didn't grind the nails,they were sharp and left long. She got three free nail trims like this until I noticed the pattern, and we kept track. Like clockwork, she called to complain, but we had the evidence she was denying grinding and that her last visit was over a month ago, so logically, the nails grew. She hasn't come back since.

We've had a few sketchy clients also claim their dog got injuries from us only for us to have proof they haven't been into the salon in months.

People will try to scam whenever they can.

Edit: spelling

 

[geoffrey300]

@brileemoot Naw sounds good to me . I'd personally be hoping they go somewhere else lol

 

[hms]

@brileemoot It’s ridiculous they waited so long to call you! 3-5 days is MORE than enough time!

 

[devonrestored]

@brileemoot No, you did just fine I had this type of thing happen to me it's crazy that they want to message you weeks after something happens stand your ground even if she loses her mind on you which is a possibility!

 

[cathya]

@brileemoot NTA. It’s allergy season. Anything could have caused that infection.

 

[xxyn]

@brileemoot Your contract with your breeder gives you 3 days to get your dog checked out by a vet.

3 weeks is ridiculous

You did well in handling this. I especially like how you said “if you’d like to continue to book…”. That’s the politest way of saying fuck off I’ve ever seen.

 

[skyler124]

@brileemoot A reminder to everyone who runs a small business - you can sack your clients. You don’t have to provide service to anyone and they can’t force you to allow them to be your customer.

Assuming that you have plenty of work I would simply refuse to groom this persons pets anymore. It’s not worth the hassle, they are trying to rip you off by blaming you for something which is highly unlikely to be your responsibility. If you keep them as a customer they will try it again or some variation in the future.

Refuse to groom their dogs, and share their details with other local groomers (you should have a local groomers WhatsApp group or something to share details of bad customers and dogs who bite).

 

[nunaleticia]

@brileemoot Dogs can also get pink eye if they’re stressed out, it’s happened to my pug and my rotty mix

 

[kennethsam]

@nunaleticia I read this as pug rotty mix and I was scared for a minute

 

[nunaleticia]

@kennethsam lol this is my rotty chow mix

https://preview.redd.it/lz9krodj1wz...bp&s=1cec176534552fe8562495c8b7db7c41e85de597

 

[nunaleticia]

And this is my pug

https://preview.redd.it/3pzojxvo1wz...bp&s=c90da55afe4c7ee30af1f26b2777654228fa72c2

 

[illumine]

@brileemoot I think you handled that situation very professionally. If you lose that client, it probably wouldn’t be a great loss to your business.

 

[revelations06]

@brileemoot That is insane and entitled. As an owner of dogs who need regular grooming, I would call my groomer immediately upon discovering my dog had pink-eye right after a grooming appointment - but my call would be to alert them in case my dog was the source of infection, I would not assume it was the groomer’s fault. Even if somehow I could determine that my dog acquired the infection at the groomer, that stuff happens and I would not ask them to pay for it. Honestly, unless my groomer has some sort of huge accident that involved a large cut/laceration that required stitches, I can’t imagine trying to extract money from them. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this, OP, hope the client comes to their senses.

 

[nolt]

@revelations06 For real, like how do they know their dog didn't get it from any random place a couple of days before going to the groomer. I'd think the groomer is the cleanest thing my dog came into contact with around that time. (My dog is a dirt monster who is always digging holes and rolling in stuff, and dogs find all kinds of gross stuff appealing so I'd be in no way surprised if she found something disgusting to roll in and gave herself pinkeye.)

 

[bummblebee]

@brileemoot A hefty bill…? For an eye infection? Come on.

3 weeks later…? Oh HELL no.

I would be booking 6 months ahead if she calls & tries to bring that dog back.

NTA

 

[lucasjomar]

@brileemoot I had to double take at the sub this was in

 

[bethany35]

@lucasjomar Me too!

 

[alicia89]

@brileemoot I think you did great