#Colby Dies at PetCo, Now What?

PetCo Policies Must Be Changed

Many news sources have reported about the death of a golden retriever in the care of PetCo groomers.  If you haven't seen the article yet, you will soon!

PetCo has said, "We have strict protocols in place to ensure the well-being of pets in our grooming salons, and we take it very seriously when those protocols are not followed." in this public address regarding the recent passing of Colby, click here to read more.  Is this an appropriate response?  The statement may be misleading. According to an anonymous PetCo groomer who contacted me privately, employees are not allowed to administer first aid even if they recognize an emergency.  As an owner of a pet care company, we certify all of our employees in first aid and cpr AND we have our clients sign a waiver, giving us permission to administer treatment in the event of an emergency.  This form is customary and the owners are quite happy to sign it. 

For the sake of Colby, PetCo will need to make some adjustments to their policies. First of all, they need to certify all employees who care for pets.  Our Pet CPR and first aid certification class is online and is available for $65.  Because of the format, it can be taken anywhere that has internet access and is available 24 hours per day.  Based on the size of the company (Statista.com reports that their revenue in 2013 was over $3 billion dollars), they could easily pay to have their employees certified.

Next, they will need to change their stance on what to do in an emergency.  PetCo needs to allow their employees to administer first aid.  According to the American Animal Hospital Association, 1 out of 4 pets would survive if just one pet first aid technique was applied prior to getting emergency veterinary care.  There is no question that the pets in the care of PetCo would be better off if only PetCo would make these changes.

This is not a new phenomenon, no matter how tragic.  There have been petitions to get PetCo to certify their employees in pet cpr and first aid, but still nothing.  If you're interested in signing the petition, which will then be sent to CEO, James Myers, check out this site. 

Finally, instead of condemning the company, let's push them to do the right thing.  Share this information on social media and let's encourage them to make a change #certifyforcolby.