Readers' Comments
138 results
Paige
4 years ago
None of these dogs wore tags or weren't micochipped? I don't get it! Especially after the xray showed the imposter dog didn't have the elbow surgery-why was there still a big mix up? They should also never board animals together that look so much alike without a way to identify them. What a sad story and how confusing it must be for those poor dogs.
Heather H.
4 years ago
There are several things throughout this whole story that bother me. First that the kennel got the dogs messed up. How horrible...to have a facility like that and not have something in place to prevent that. Of course it could have been a first time thing and a freak accident. Also, if I thought that wasn't my pet, I would have waited for the other family to come with the dog even if they were running late. I hope everything works out in the best interests of the dogs.
Jeanerz13
4 years ago
I've only ever boarded my dog at the vet...not an actual boarding facility. It does seem kind of irresponsible to board dogs from 2 different families in the same run, but what seems even more irresponsible is boarding dogs from different families together that look so much alike. If you get 2 black labs and 2 brown labs and you absolutely have to double up (although you really shouldn't be doing that if you don't have the space), put a black one with a brown one...not the 2 black ones together. Oh well, I hope the kennel learned a lesson from this.
I also think the Griggs were idiots for not waiting to meet up with Dixie's owner.
AmandaCMHS
4 years ago
WOW! I would immediatly notice that the dog wasn't mine how could 10 plus days you would not have noticed it.
Jeanerz13
4 years ago
Well, it says that he did immediately notice a difference:
"He told The Oregonian newspaper that when he picked Callie up from the kennel, he immediately noticed the Lab he was given wasn’t acting like his dog."
He may have thought the time in the kennel had an effect on his dog or something so he didn't worry about it too much at first.
Jodi S.
4 years ago
I remember hearing about this when the story first came out, and what I want to know is why the kennel had two dogs from different families sharing a run? That's an accident waiting to happen since even dogs that live together can get into scuffles when they're stressed.
As for the collar dilemma...if shelters can use colour-coded dyes to identify puppies from a litter of all black or other single colour pups, why couldn't the kennel? They wash out, and if they insisted on removing the collars, it might help them better be able to make sure that the owner gets the right dog back!
Maggiethecat
4 years ago
Sounds like there's plenty of proof of the dogs' identities, if they can get the vet to take the time to testify, if it came to that. The part about removing their collars is a little silly, the guardians (aka owners) placed them on their pets, so why take liberties with those decisions.
Dorothy H.
4 years ago
They label keys in an auto repair when yuo leave your car, why can't they place a label on the animals collar? Would be so simple and so easy to see.
LilyK
4 years ago
Wow, I would not ever go back to this kennel. If they can't keep track of the animals that are in their care, what else can't they do right? And what is the story with the person with, supposedly, the real Callie? Are they keeping her because she's better trained than their original dog?
Gracie6351
5 years ago
Scary to think that when you take your dog to the kennel you might not get the dog you took there back. On the other hand how can you not know your own dog.
AnimalLawAttorney
5 years ago
These people appear to have lost a family memeber, the dog, and the kennel doesn't not seem to be helping. I would be devastated if my dog went missing from the boarding kennel.
Arie09
5 years ago
they should have kept the collars on the dogs! that was really stupid for the to pull that bull crap! you do not put two dogs together with no collars and look the same. that is not their dog. alot of owners can tell if it is not their dogs. the owners just have that connection. i have the same connection with my dogs.
MissStephenie
5 years ago
When a pet owner entrusts their pets to a kennel, they do not expect to have to pick their pet from a line-up. They expect their dog to be care for, and returned to them. I don't know of any pet owner who wonders if they will be given the right dog when they come back from a trip.
It is the kennel's responsibility to ensure such mixups don't happen. The kennel owner was aware that there were two dogs that looked a great deal alike being boarded at the same time. Knowing that, the kennel owner and her employees should have put safeguards in place. One option would have been to give each dog a different color bandana. Alternately, they should have been allowed to keep their collars on. Play between animals needs to be supervised. A regular cloth collar is not a risk as long as the dog isn't left unsupervised for long periods at a time.
Putting the blame on the owner is bad business practice and does little to improve a kennel's public reputation. It would have been better for the kennel owner to apologize and affirm that no future mixups would occur. If you are a business owner, remember that clients are willing to forgive mistakes and will continue to support your business if you make sure those mistakes don't happen again. If you try to absolve yourself by blaming the client, you are likely to not only lose that client, you are also likely to lose other clients who learn about the situation. In the end by being "right" you damage your business perhaps permanently.
The pet owner should definitely get his dog microchipped as soon as possible...And find a new kennel for when he next goes on a trip.
Crystal
5 years ago
That is so crazy. I hope things get sorted out for them. It is understandable that he took the same wrong dog home twice since they look so much alike and the dog was so excited to see them. This is one of the reasons I request no "play time" for my animals. I don't want them in a room with other animals at all.
Melissa G.
5 years ago
Another reason to have pet-friendly vacations or to find a friend or relative able and willing to care for your animal. For what you pay in kennel fees your nephew or niece would probably be thrilled for furry friend sitting.
Rhonda Hughes
5 years ago
I run a boarding kennel and know the practice of removing collars is common. Keeping collars on is a chocking/hanging hazard when the dogs are unsupervised. We NEVER kennel dogs together unless they came from the same home and we only put out one kennel into the play yards at a time to prevent mix ups on dog who look alike.
Brenda E.
5 years ago
I work in at a clinic that also boards. We have plastic strips that have the owners name, dogs name, and acct. # written on them. We also don't use the "park" setting. Each dog has a outside run that it goes to during their stay. It really is easy to confuse 6 black labs when they are out together playing. In this case, the kennel is totally to blame.
Teenangel812
5 years ago
I would be extremely angry in this situation. A pet with sentimental value is priceless.
Pommymommyof2
5 years ago
The kennel is 100% responsible!! I don't understand how the owner could have excepted the wrong dog. Shouldn't he know his own dog?
I would know my babies over someone else's baby!! I would think that you should be able to tell your fur child from some one else's by how they react to you!!
No one likes to put thier pet in a kennel but sometime it is a necessary evil.
Jeni B.
5 years ago
It was the kennel's job to keep the dogs straightened out. If they lose their credability, that's a consequence of their neglegence. The kennel deserves to possibly be sued; they don't have business being angry at a man who just wants his beloved dog back after he payed for a service he thought was going to treat his dog well. It all comes down to the kennel. A reliable kennel doesn't remove identical dogs (or any dogs) collars and place them in the same kennel!
Jaesmith
5 years ago
I can't believe the kennel had 7 black Labs and removed the collars of them without some way of telling them apart. But I also think it's a little strange that the owner didn't notice immediately that it wasn't his dog. If I left my dogs for a week they would be so excited when I returned. You can tell the difference between a happy, friendly strange dog and a dog who's overjoyed that Mommy's returned. But to give him the benefit of doubt, maybe he doesn't have as much to do with the dog as the kids. I just know that I would know instantly if they tried to give me the wrong dog and wouldn't leave the facility until I had my baby in my arms!
Pommymommyof2
5 years ago
I totally agree with you!! I would not leave that facility until I had my back back as well!!
I would be hysterical if they gave my baby to someone else!!
I'd have to call the cops and make a complaint right then and there.
And then I'd need a valium and a ride home (that's if I even left at all)
Beatriz U.
5 years ago
wow! thats crazy. I will say though it is commmon for kennels to take off the collars. But it is also stupid for them to put more than one dog in the same quarters. You dont knw if one dog is carring an illness or is up to date o n all shots. That is just irresponsable and lazy. The owner shoudl definataley know their dog alot better than to pick it out twice. They should spend more time with him, so they may get to know him. Every dog greets differently.
Heather R.
5 years ago
This is why I microchipped my dogs as well as had my sisters microchipped. But at least the dog that went home with them was friendly and got along with the kids because that could have been an entirely new disaster
Jessica T.
5 years ago
"If he can’t recognize his dog, I don’t feel I can be any help." what a terrible, hurtful and uncaring thing to say! >:[
Top Stories
As pet parents of two mixed breed rescue dogs, we sometimes lament the lack of cute pet products that tout our favorite breed: rescue. Last year, tw… more ›
Advertisement
Advertisement
Photo gallery
Who better to snuggle with than a bunny rabbit? If these pictures don't make you wish you had a soft, snuggly rabbit fri… See photos ›
