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I need some advice!

6192 Views 43 Replies 26 Participants Last post by  sagephantompoodle, 
Aidan
Well...I debated about posting this to be quite honest, but I also am at a crossroads as to what to do about this problem I have and while only I can make that choice it never hurts to get feedback from other people.

Most of you know I work at a big chain store grooming salon. This is where I started as a bather and eventually learned how to groom. The past few months I have been building my portfolio with the intentions on going to a smaller independent grooming shop. They do a lot more technical grooms, very few "yearly shave downs" and they dont tolerate difficult dogs. If a dog is too much trouble to be groomed safely the dog goes home, and that's how I think it should be!

Well, it's looking like I might be able to start this job in the next few weeks!

My problem, however, is that while being at this store I have come to realize that many people treat dogs poorly in this shop. I am sure it's not like this everywhere. I have been wanting to leave because the other people I work with use the fact that I am gentle with animals against me. I refuse to hurt a dog, if it takes too much force to groom a dog I will send the dog home. It's not worth me getting bit and it's definitely not worth a dog getting injured.

One of the girls is worse then the others..she screams at dogs, handles them rough, sometimes placing them on the ground and sitting over them in order to groom them. This infuriates me and I have tried talking to the store manager only to tell me that without proof she will do or say nothing....

Well, don't tell that to someone with lots of camera toys. So, of course I caught her on tape. I have several instances of her grooming and mistreating dogs, nothing huge yet but enough to *maybe* get her fired!

My fear is that the manager still will refuse to care...as long as the salon makes money she stays out of our business. We don't even have a grooming salon manager...our manager was fired for drinking on the job oddly enough.

This salon needs A LOT of help..the management position was offered to me but I declined because well i dont want to fix all of their problems especially with a manager that seems to not take anything there seriously! That and I was already looking into my new job....

My main question is, what should I do with this tape? Do you think I should show the manager and if so should I wait until I leave?

I know this groomer is also thinking of applying at another major grooming salon in a big retail store, should I maybe show the grooming manager at that store as well?

My concern is for the animals. There are too many groomers who mistreat their clients dogs, I hear about it all the time and I am one of those people who believe that you can safely and effectively groom a dog without losing patience. I also believe that the dog picks up on your hostility and it will only make the grooming session worse the longer you persist.

I'm just not sure what to do! I don't even know if I have enough recorded to actually do anything. If I can't get my store manager to care the only other option would be to go to corporate... and I will if I have to, but i'm just wanting to know if im doing the right thing.

I will NEVER leave my dogs with a stranger to groom after working at this place... not without a nice folder full of references!
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PonkiPoodles
Good for you Aiden... I would definitely show both managers!!! And report it to your local humane society or animal control!!!!
People who abuse pets should not be working with them.
You are totally right in thinking that dogs can be groomed with a calm and caring demeanor... I think that is the way it should be.
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T o d d
Show managers the tapes.
Be sure you have a copy at home.

If manager does nothing then you could show someone higher up (not sure who).

Keep in mind the girl in the tape will be SUPER upset @ you and may threaten you or do something to your house, apartment, car, windows, etc...
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Aidan
That's one nice thing about being antisocial and not hanging out with coworkers outside of work, nobody at that place knows where I live and I don't drive I walk/run/skate everywhere I go for the most part so I don't even have a vehicle to worry about! So, i'm not too worried.
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akbritt
Aidan, you sound like a wonderful person and a great groomer. To me it sounds like this place isn't for you.

As for the tape....Yeah, I would show it to the manager, and if he didn't do anything about it, I would show it to the Higher Ups. As for the girl, she deserves to lose her job. I would be royally pissed if I found out she was treating my dog like that while she was grooming. You manager needs to understand that when a groomer looks bad, the business looks bad. And it will hurt his business if she continues to behave this way. Give it to him that way, if he worries more about the money. As for the dog owner goes, one bad time at the groomers is probably the last time at that groomers. Don't let you self be apart of that shop if she starts pissing off customers. Good luck, its a tough decision. Do what you think is right!:decision:
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Mandycasey'smom
ok this is how these big chains get bad names for grooming when there are some wonderful groomers at them. I personally would go right over the store manager as she has shown she doesn't care about her store.
One up her and if still no responce well then you have done what you can do and so be it I guess.
It will come to haunt her and the store in the end as more and more people realize what is going on there.

My daughter also works at a chain and she is Happy with her store now but has run across a couple that should not be working as a groomer
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Aidan
I don't want to discourage anyone from using a big chain store because the fact is some of them have some wonderful groomers! It's just the few in between that can really ruin it for some of the good ones out there. I think that's what has me so frustrated at this point.
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BFF
Sounds to me like you have three issues you are dealing with: Whether to take action towards an unresponsible employer, whether to expose an abusive groomer, and how to stay gainfully employed in your chosen career path.

I would look at your career path first because no one will take better care of you than yourself (as an adult). You mentioned getting a job that fits your ethical views in the next few weeks. Is there something else you can do until then where you could separate yourself from this chain store? Perhaps work at the shelter in some short term capacity where you get paid? I know you have been volunteering. Maybe you could start your new job early.

Once you are separated from the chain store, I would send a report along with a copy of the video to the manager and corporate. If you only send it to corporate, the manager never really had a chance to fix it (once he/she had proof of a problem). If you only send it to the manager, things may not really change. If you send it to both, it gives corporate a chance to see what is happening and decide whether this manager deserves another chance to get it corrected. Then hopefully they will supervise to make certain the situation is corrected. Regardless, at this point, you are no longer involved and don't have to face a potentially unsafe work environment from an angry co-worker and boss. I wouldn't expose anything until I was removed from that environment.

Now, what to do with this groomer who doesn't deserve to groom. I say view the video objectively. Does it have any identification that would show it is from this chain store? Is the video clear enough for someone else to really see what is happening without a witness account of the situation? If there are any identifying objects from the chain store, I would edit a copy of the clips to blur it out. I would then post the video on YouTube and send a link to the new employer. I would refrain from stating your opinion of the matter as much as you can. Anyone should see this is unacceptable and should know not to hire her. I would even put her name on the video when you post it on the internet. Are there licensing requirements to groom in your state? I would make certain to report her to the licensing agency to make certain she cannot groom again. Something tells me there are no licensing requirements which is why I suggest posting it on Youtube.

It's definitely a difficult situation. I really suggest getting out of the store as fast as you can. With every passing day, your emotional outrage grows and you are more likely to explode in an inappropriate way. You need to align yourself with an employer/manager you believe in.
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Aidan
If anyone would like to see a copy of this video let me know, i'd like to know if it has enough on it to send to corporate if I do decide to do that. I have no idea how much longer i'll be at this place..maybe a month or so tops and while im there i will continue to film and get what I can just because if she does what I have on video while i'm in the room...it's no telling what she does when she is there all by herself!
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BFF
You are welcome to send it to me if you like.
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SECRETO
Please show the videos to both managers. Then go to the district manager as most retail store managers report to the district manager. They will have to investigate this and thats what should be done.

I hope it gets taken seriously and thats great you are reporting it.
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H
IMO, you've already given the manager a chance to fix to things. They may need proof to take action against a groomer, but they don't need it to have a meeting with that groomer or the entire staff about how to properly treat animals. The manager could've made some surprise visits to the grooming salon, or set up their own cameras (they should really have video equipement anyway). I would send a copy of the tape to corporate along with a note that this was an ongoing problem, you raised the issue with the manager (but didn't show them the tape) and something needs to be done.

I think I mentioned that my SIL is a groomer in Monroe and she's dealt with the same thing. She and a friend of hers mentioned the issue to the boss and he would do nothing. SIL and her friend eventually quit over the other groomer. (This was an idependent petstore that sold puppies, so the owner obviously only cared about the $) She's also dealing with the fact that most of the grooming shops in the area are attached to puppyshops. Hopefully she's found a job where there's just grooming and some retail, no puppies!
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Bella's Momma
I think the manager said you needed proof so you have it - show them! And ITA, keep a copy away from the store.

I hope you find a salon that is kind. I truly believe where I took my dog they are. It's all open, no cages, etc. They refuse to do certain things for too long to a dog if it's distressing. You can sit right in their comfy waiting area and watch if you like, and they are all glassed so you could see from the outside if you wanted to be sneaky. I hope you find a place like that to work!
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BFF
:bawling: The video was very clear. She is very cruel to the dogs and mishandles them until they scream which just makes her even more angry. She grabbed a couple of them by the face and pulled their hair or pinched their lips.

Nothing that would cut or scare for an owner to have cause for concern, so I don't see a customer making a complaint. I'll pray you find a job soon Aiden, so you can make a big complaint worthy of big change.
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tannerokeefe
what is the update on this? anything? hope things were handled!!
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roxy25
I would show both managers and if you see other groomers being cruel please tape them also !
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spoospirit
Aidan...you are in a vulnerable position here.

I think you are going in the right direction. I believe that the manager should see the tape as they said they needed proof. Not knowing this person, I can't say if the request was legitimate or if they really don't care. I have been in management and was careful to proceed on a complaint until I had some sort of confirmation. Sometimes jealous employees will make a complaint against another just to try to get them fired so I can see him asking for some proof. But I hope that this person is doing his own investigating as he should be. Actually, I used to try to get both the complainee and the one complained about together for a meeting so everything could be aired out.

I would also send one along to someone higher up with an explanation of what happened. That will keep everyone honest. If this is not successful, then I would definitely send it on to the ASPCA or whoever covers that in your area to make sure that she is not allowed to continue hurting dogs.

I think it would be best if you turned in the tapes as soon as possible to stop her from continuing what she is doing but I am concerned that you still need to work there for about another month. This will leave you wide open to any aggression she may decide to vent while you are there.

You have quite a decision to make and I will be thinking of you. Let us know how it goes.
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thestars
Please keep us informed. Cruelty is unacceptable!!!
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C
I think it is always worth doing the right thing and making sure no animals are harmed. My spoo was abused by a groomer who came VERY highly recommended to me. It has taken us a long time to get to the point that he can even walk into a groomers without loosing his mind. People put alot of trust in groomers/vets etc. to treat their dogs humainely. Lets just say that if I ever saw that particular groomer crossing the road when I was driving, it might be hard to put on the brakes :car:
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S
u guys are scaring me to death. my dog has never had a haircut yet..
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