The owner of a Florida pet grooming franchise is accused of abusing animals at the facility after a former employee said he threw cats against walls and punched dogs while grooming them, police said. announced.
The owner and operator of the Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming franchise was charged with five felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty and five misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, according to a March 13 news release from the Sarasota Police Department. Ta.
According to an arrest affidavit, four former employees of Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming told investigators they had seen pet owners become violent with their pets while grooming them.
“Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming has a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse of any kind. We acknowledge and agree that Woof Gang does not condone, tolerate or in any way encourage such behavior. We want to be clear,” a company spokesperson told McClatchy News in a statement. “While we cannot comment on the details of the police investigation, we can confirm that we were contacted by the Sarasota Police Department and that they took immediate steps to terminate Mr. Stevens' franchise agreement. This location is located at Woof Gang Bakery & We are not authorized to operate as a Grooming location and are currently in the process of branding.”
According to the affidavit, one employee said the owners would hit the dogs and cats and strangle the cats when they were irritated.
Police said the employee told them such behavior was “dangerous” because the cat could break its neck.
On one occasion, when an employee told police that the Goldendoodle was known to be “grumpy,” the owner said, “This dog is part (expletive),” and proceeded to tear the dog's ribs and abdomen while shouting other epithets. It is said that he started hitting her. , according to the affidavit. Police say her employees tried to stop her, and the owner later apologized to her employees via email.
On another occasion, a former employee said the owner was grooming a white Persian Ragdoll cat and “when he tried to throw the cat around, the cat started scratching him and shaking him,” police said. Ta. She then “grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and swung it against the wall,” according to her arrest affidavit. She said her employees intervened and finished grooming her cat.
Another employee said he saw the owner dealing with red graffiti because he was afraid of the hair dryer, police said.
“Red Doodle urinated on herself and had to be washed again. (The owner) became upset and grabbed the dog by the scruff of the neck and threw her into the bathtub. (She) held the dog down and shoved the dryer in the dog's face,” police said. “The dog got so scared he defecated on himself and had to wash himself again.”
According to the affidavit, the employee said the owner was becoming too aggressive, at which point she intervened and took over grooming.
When she wasn't caring for the animals, the owner bought several French bulldog puppies in Georgia and brought them back to Florida, where they were sold for starting at $500 each, according to court records. He reportedly sold it for $12,000.
Employees told police that the owners left the puppies in their own urine and feces, then placed them in the sink overnight to make cleaning the next day “easier.”
One of the puppies suffocated and died after being left alone overnight, and its body was kept in a box at the facility “until (the owner) knew what to do with it,” the affidavit said.
Police reviewed surveillance footage from the grooming area that showed multiple incidents of animal abuse by the owners, according to the affidavit.
“We emphasize that all Wof Gang stores are independently owned and operated. “As fellow pet owners, we are dedicated to the spirit and bond we share with our pets, and have always made their health and safety our top priority.” said.
The owner was arrested on March 8 and taken into custody, police said.
Sarasota is about a 90-mile drive south of Tampa.
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