Secret footage has emerged of a dog grooming business owner hitting and swearing at a trembling pooch – prompting outrage from pet-lovers online.
In the video, a woman is seen grabbing at the dog amid outbursts of grunts and swear words as she clips and trims the pet before hitting it with an open hand.
Jill Grammer posted the video to her Facebook page on Wednesday, condemning the ‘Happy Dog Grooming’ store in Perth’s northern suburbs.
‘Never take you beloved pet there as this is the way they are treated,’ she wrote.
Secret footage emerged of a dog grooming business owner mistreating a dog (pictured)
A review online written by a ‘Jillg686’ appears to offer further insight into the same recording.
‘While you might be happy with clip you don’t see what goes on behind the scenes.
‘I have just been given video evidence of groomer yelling at my puppy throwing her grooming tools on the bench and giving my 10 month old puppy a really hard slap just because she turned her head because groomer was in a bad mood.
‘I was devastated to see my pup getting treated this way and have been told from someone that has had close ties to this business that it happens a lot.
‘Stay away if you don’t want your dog mistreated.’
The woman is filmed as she trims and clips the pet but is aggressive and hostile
The woman who owns the business in the video, Helen Sayer, said it had been a ‘very tough week’, according to the Eastern Reporter.
‘The dog in the video was very aggressive.’
She claims the owner of the pet is a regular customer who had taken her dog in for many years, however this was a new dog.
Ms Sayer said they were told that if she bites to give her a smack, and that she had been bit already three times.
She said they are now just riding out the bad publicity with support from their long-term customers.
Jill Grammer however told Daily Mail Australia no permission was given to hit her dog, and refutes claims that her puppy could have bitten her.
‘The owner of the shop that did this said my 10 month old puppy bit her which the groomer who took this will tell you it was a lie
‘The only reason the groomer didn’t confront her was she had rent to pay but came to me after she got another job.
‘My puppy hasn’t got a mean bone in her body… If that was the case why then would I go back and confront her. She told me she had never hit a dogs but now she has been caught out after many years of doing this to dogs.’
Jill Grammer (pictured) posted the video to her Facebook page with the caption: ‘Happy Dog Grooming, Walter Road, Bedford
A review online written by a ‘Jillg686’ offers further insight into the same video
Some reviews of Happy Dog Grooming in Dianella from years ago also voiced concern about the treatment the animals received
In comments under the video more than 1000 people have weighed in on the treatment by the handler.
Voicing their disgust and disappointment at the apparent cruelty some called for the woman to lose the privilege of working with animals.
A number of older reviews were included in some responses which claimed the negative treatment had been going on for years.
The Dog Groomers Association of Western Australia called for regulations to be put in place.
A year ago one person said their dog came back ‘petrified, shaking and timid’ in a review posted to Google.
‘For almost three days my poodle wouldn’t come anywhere near us after the grooming. He was shaking, hiding under chairs, would not even eat and wouldn’t even move at one point.
This was far from his normal behaviour. He is usually always playful and happy at only one-year-old.’
Nearly 1000 people have commented on the video voicing concerns and shock
One person was questioning why the person filming didn’t take matters into their own hands
Some commenters were concerned that the woman still has a job working with animals
Another claimed two years ago: ‘We gave this place a second go after a not so great first impression, which was a terrible idea since it took our labradoodle a year to get over the crippling fear of being groomed that Happy Dog instilled in her.’
One person said their dog was traumatised from the experience.
‘Our dog has been shaking, yelping, slow moving and hiding under furniture since my wife picked him up from his clipping at Happy Dog Groomers in Dianella.’
In just over 48 hours the video has been viewed 90,000 times and shared more than 2,650.
The Happy Dog Grooming Facebook page is currently inactive and calls to the business were unanswered.
Jill Grammer has been approached for comment.
The RSPCA are now looking into the incident.