Rebecca Quigley, 28, told how she was heartbroken to see on CCTV how her cockapoo Blossom was being treated at a dog grooming salon in Tranmere, Merseyside
A dog groomer has been dismissed from her job after she was caught on CCTV by a pet owner doing what her boss admitted was “completely unacceptable”.
Simply Debonair Dogs in Tranmere, Merseyside, “immediately dismissed” an employee after she was seen pushing a dog she was grooming by its owner, who was watching the footage live. Rebecca Quigley, 28, from Prenton, had taken her cockapoo Blossom to Simply Debonair Dogs in Tranmere on September 5.
She claims she received a phone call to collect Blossom at 2.15pm the same day, but when she arrived five minutes early she was “heartbroken” to see the way she said her pet was being treated by the groomer.
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Rebecca told Liverpool Echo: “As soon as you go in there is CCTV on show for customers to watch. I was watching the CCTV of Blossom being groomed and didn’t think anything of it. I was leaning on the desk and heard a member of staff shout ‘Blossom your breath f****** stinks’ and watch her [on the CCTV] push her [Blossom] away by the chest.
“Something was telling me not to say anything at that point and I started recording the CCTV on my phone. She started being aggressive with her [Blossom’s] ears. The last thing she said before I shouted was ‘this f****** dog’ and pushed her away and hit her on the back.”
Rebecca says she shouted through to the staff “don’t hit my dog ” and began shouting for Blossom to be returned. She claims when Blossom came “running through” she was acting “differently”.
Beginning to cry as she told what happened, Rebecca said: “I was heartbroken. It keeps playing over in my head what I witnessed.” Rebecca said the owner of the business, Ella Logan, was not at the premises at the time of the incident.
Later that night Rebecca posted the video of the CCTV footage on Facebook. Upon finding out, Ella immediately “dismissed” the dog groomer and issued a statement on Facebook. She said the incident was reported to the correct authorities and said she was “devastated” after seeing what happened.
In a full statement, Ella said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the incident that occurred on September 5. The behaviour displayed by the groomer involved was completely unacceptable and they were immediately dismissed.
“Their actions do not in any way represent the values, standards, or commitment of our business. The employee concerned had been with us for 12 months and during that time had never previously displayed any behaviour of this nature. We do not understand why they acted in this way on this particular day, but we want to stress that this was an isolated incident.
“Unfortunately, we were not made aware of what had happened by Blossom’s owner until it appeared online. As soon as we were informed we reviewed the CCTV footage and dealt with the matter immediately.
“The RSPCA have been in contact and were happy with the way we dealt with the incident and informed us that they won’t be taking any action against the business. As a small, family-run business, this has been an especially painful and challenging experience.
“We have received threats and felt the impact of some people losing trust in us, which has been incredibly difficult. At the same time, we have also been deeply moved by the kindness and loyalty of many of our long-standing customers, people who have known us for years and become more like friends and family.
“Their love, support, and continued trust in us to care for their dogs has meant so much, and we are truly grateful for this encouragement during such a difficult time.
“We would also like to address a false rumour that has been circulating. The employee involved was not related to the owners of the business and was not the employer’s daughter. The safety, well-being and happiness of the dogs in our care have always been and will always remain our highest priority.
“This is why we have video cameras installed at the front of our shop, allowing owners to watch their pets being groomed at all times. Thanks to this system, Blossom’s owner was able to witness the incident, and while it was distressing, we are grateful that the cameras fulfilled their purpose, protecting our customers and their beloved companions.
“We take pride in being transparent and accountable. Our CCTV system is a key part of the trust we build with our clients, offering reassurance and peace of mind that their pets are in safe, caring hands. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our standards and uphold the level of care that both our clients and their dogs deserve.
“Above all, our thoughts are with Blossom and her owner. We are truly sorry for the distress they have experienced and we remain committed to ensuring that every dog entrusted to us receives only the highest standard of care, compassion, and respect.”
Rebecca reported the incident to the RSPCA. She said: “I was so shocked to see it happen. I just want people to know she [the former dog groomer] is responsible, I don’t want it happen to another dog at another premises.”
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said the “appropriate action” had been taken and Merseyside Police were made aware of the incident. And a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said it has been made aware of the incident however the owner of the dog had not made a report.