I love this word and can’t believe when I did a search for it, that I haven’t used it anywhere in my 500+ posts. Discombobulated: (verb) to confuse; upset; frustrate. (dictionary.com)
That about sums me up!
I’ve had a string of insomnia spooked evenings. I have too much on my mind and no matter what I try it all shows up to haunt me between the hours of 1am and 4am. It runs off with my sleep like a thief in the night. Literally.
In place of one peacefully slumbering is a discombobulated mumma. Nights when it’s really bad I’ve noticed Bella and Beary give up their usual spots {Bella at the base of the bed, Beary on the floor beside} and they bookend or sandwich me – as if trying to force a calm through me to lull me back to sleep. Bless their fuzzy little hearts.
I won’t bore you with all that is worrying me, but I will share this story below – with the warning that what you are about to read will chill anyone with a canine companion to the bone, but I think it needs to be shared.
Last night I heard of a particularly harrowing and heartbreaking story. I felt physically ill and gasped – bringing my hand to my mouth and my fuzzy loves immediately to my side.
A girl in Sydney dropped her happy, healthy 8 year old golden retriever to the groomer. She gave him a kiss and cuddle and told him to enjoy his pampering.
And never saw him alive again.
In the three hours between dropping Buddy off and picking him up again, he had died. Strangled by the choker chain the groomer had around his neck while he stood on the grooming table. And left around his neck and walked away. Hanged by that chain.
Utterly horrific. Even as I type the words my blood runs hot with anger and cold with fear. The salon is close to the vet and the groomer took Buddy there when they realised, but it was too late.
The salon has not been identified, but it seems Buddy’s story is not the only one. Apparently in Australia anyone can become a groomer. There is no regulatory body. There are animal protection laws, and this grooming salon will surely be found to be neglectful.
But it sure made me sad, and angry. And it made me think twice about our next trip to the groomer.
Today I’m feeling gloomy. Too many things in my head, too little sleep and too much sadness and neglect in the world.
Luckily, most days I feel like Tigger, but today I’m definitely feeling more like Eeyore.
bumpyroadtobubba 
Oh my goodness – that is horrifying! How do we find out the name of the salon? Name and shame I say.
I love to pamper my pooch every 8 weeks and I’ll certainly be checking salon details and talking to the groomer before I leave my baby there again.
I plan to name the salon if and when I find out. I think everyone should know. x
Yikes. So I guess I’m not totally out of my mind being afraid to leave Cupcake at the groomer. I stick her in the bathtub and shampoo her myself. I take her to the groomer to have her nails cut, but I stand there and watch the whole time. Paranoid? Maybe, but OMG! Poor Buddy, and his poor family. That’s the stuff of nightmares. As you well know….
I take Beary to the groomer because of his double coat. I might just have to figure out some other way. They get their nails clipped at our vet. You’re lucky Cupcake is little enough to hang out in the bathtub! x
Oh oh oh oh oh. This is sooooo sad. It would keep me up for days. I think it is important to go in the back and actually watch. If they say no, don’t leave your animal. Very sad. Now think about cute puppies happy and free in the meadow, and go to sleep.
I might get into trouble if I go to sleep right now as it’s almost 11am and I’m in my office. But I will think about cute puppies tonight – and cuddle mine tight.
This fills me with dread. I have taken Jess to groomers before but now use the one at the vet we take her to. I cannot imagine the shock, pain and heartache this stupid person has caused to Buddy’s family. They need to be closed down and stopped from resurfacing under a different name. A bit of jail time wouldn’t go amiss either.
Sending lots of love and puppy kisses to Buddy’s family x
Isn’t it terrifying?! I am going to ask our vet next time we’re there if they have someone come in. x
Sending hugs!
It’s awful when things like that happen. Most people automatically trust a groomer to take care of their animal.
Just one more thing to think about being a responsible puppy mumma!
A tragic and totally unnecessary death 😦
So sad, It’s terrible when things like this happen. I just cannot conceive of any explanation worth hearing.
It’s just awful 😦