CULLMAN, Ala. — Recent incidents at a local pet boarding facility have raised serious concerns about the lack of regulations and oversight in the industry. Pet owners who have suffered devastating losses are speaking out, urging others to be cautious when boarding their beloved animals.
Kerah Hyatt, whose dog Roxy died after being boarded at Tangled Tails Groom and Board, described her pet as “my everything” and “my support system, my constant.” Hyatt claimed Roxy was malnourished and dehydrated when picked up after a seven-day stay. “She was unstable on her feet, couldn't drink water, couldn't see,” Hyatt said. Despite visits to the pet ER and Auburn Vet School, Roxy did not survive. Hyatt expressed frustration, saying, “I've always been notified if she's not eating or drinking, sick to her stomach. I thought it was a bare minimum do that.”
Tomica Witcher, another pet owner, recounted the tragic death of her dog, Pepper, who was attacked by two Doodles when a gate was left open at the same facility. Surveillance cameras captured the incident. Witcher said she was initially told Pepper died from shaking. “Once the video played and I saw my dog in the mouth of a large dog, I started screaming and crying. I could not believe what I was seeing,” she said. Witcher was compensated for the cost of Pepper, which is all Alabama law mandates. She criticized the facility for being overbooked and claimed the workers were not properly trained. “The neglect I saw, the amount of carelessness… this was 100 percent avoidable,” Witcher said. She explained the bigger dogs were shaking Pepper as if she were a rag doll. The camera's also picked up Pepper's heartbreaking cries.
Tangled Tails owner Taylor Ponder apologized, calling the incident with Pepper “truly an accident” and stated that all the employees involved have been terminated. Ponder told us the two dogs involved had shown no aggression before. She said they are rescues and live in a home with other small dogs. Ponder said a gate separated Pepper and the larger dogs. But that gate was propped open while a worker went upstairs to do laundry and failed to secure the area. Ponder says she covered the cost of the pet and her cremation.
Ponder says she has documented proof in the other case involving Roxy that she was fed and given water. She believes the other family dog she was boarded with and told not to separate, may have eaten the food. Ponder said photos were sent everyday and they communicated through the weekend with the owners. Ponder explains they have an open door policy and are completely transparent.
Hyatt has turned her grief into action, contacting state lawmakers about implementing new regulations. “For me, it's not about money. It's about doing what is right. I couldn't imagine putting a price on Roxy,” she said.
Allison Black Cornelius of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society advised pet owners to ask many questions before leaving a pet at a facility. “A lot of the same things you would ask before putting a child in an early education center,” she advised. Black Cornelius suggested pet owners check for cameras they can view while away, ask about emergency clinic affiliations, and policies for contacting owners if issues arise.
She explained the public often offers the best information by leaving reviews online. Black Cornelius also noted that when a pet dies, settlements are often reached with non-disclosure agreements to keep incidents quiet. “We had one Jefferson County facility with nine deaths in a six-month period,” she said.
Pet owners are encouraged to take tours, ask questions, and be vigilant to ensure the safety of their pets.
