I was a happy customer at Paw Paws Daycare until a recent incident made me reevaluate. After picking our dog Stax up on May 1st from a ten-day boarding, we found a severe wound on his foot.
While accidents of course can happen at daycare, it did disturb me that this injury occurred while Stax was under their watch. Therefore, I felt it was necessary to explore other options and decided to reach out to Rebecca to peacefully part ways with Paw Paws and search for a new daycare.
On May 2nd, the following day, I contacted the owner, Rebecca, informing her I'd like to cancel daycare and requesting a refund for the upcoming month's $300 membership fee, which had already been charged. At that time, I didn't mention the injury, preferring to keep things amicable.
Rebecca denied the refund, citing Paw Paw's service agreement. I then mentioned Stax's injury, which required treatment, sedation, two weeks of recovery, and a considerable vet bill, hoping that Rebecca might show us some grace considering the circumstances, the costs associated, and my history as a customer with her.
Good lord – was I naïve.
Shockingly, instead of showing any care or compassion for Stax, Rebecca immediately denied any responsibility, insisting the injury happened outside daycare, which was simply not possible. We had been home for just 24 hours, and our dog was in our sight the entire time. However, since Stax mostly slept after a 10-day boarding at Paw Paws, it was challenging to quickly notice his injury.
My unpleasant conversation with Rebecca reveals her cold, unapologetic demeanor towards customers. Her priority seems to be protecting her bottom line and childishly winning arguments rather than caring about her customers concerns, or accepting that an injury could've occurred at her daycare.
After using Paw Paws for nearly 6 months and spending over $3,000 with them, the way Rebecca spoke to me was truly unacceptable. While I was previously satisfied with Paw Paws and their staff, Rebecca's unexpected treatment towards me has significantly shifted my opinion.
Moreover, the severity of our dog's foot injury raises concerns about cleanliness, supervision, and crating duration during boarding stays at Paw Paws. (Notably, Rebecca's website has *zero* photos or information about their boarding practices, aside from, of course, the cost.)
Based on her reaction to our incident, if you inquire about their boarding practices, I'd expect significant combativeness, resistance, and possibly even a reluctance to show you the boarding facilities. If that's not a red flag, I don't know what is.
While I was previously very satisfied with Paw Paws, Rebecca's response to our incident reveals the truth – if something unfortunate were to happen to your dog under their watch, Rebecca is incapable of handling it professionally. She will prioritize herself and her business, vehemently deny any responsibility, and will quite literally treat you, not like a loyal customer, but like a dog.
If you're on the fence about Paw Paws, I strongly suggest looking elsewhere. I'm extremely relieved to be leaving Rebecca's daycare, and I hope this review prompts her to treat her customers with more dignity and respect.