Poor pet services are often heart-rending to the pet lovers.
This was evident in the 16 complaints brought to light to the Consumer Council last year. Some of the cases in point included:
A complainant's beloved pet dog was badly injured and had to undergo spinal surgery after a visit to a pet shop for a beauty bath.
A poodle was shaved literally bald after what was intended to be a beauty shampoo and trim only.
A Chihuahua was sent to an animal boarding house for 3 days, and when returned it was found with a deep neck wound and a red swollen foreleg.
A complainant entrusted a pet funeral service to provide cremation for her deceased cat, but to her horror, on the day of the cremation, she found it was not the cat of her own though with the same name tag. Apparently her cat was cremated by mistake earlier on.
In Hong Kong, regulatory oversight is exercised over commercially operated service for animal boarding; under the Public Health (Animals)(Boarding Establishment) Regulations, a licence is required to operate. Such licence, however, does not cover the operation of pet beauty or funeral services.
Consumers should therefore enquire and check the fees and charges of pet beauty shops; prices may vary according to the species and size of the pets, and surcharges may be applicable to any special service.
Should your pet be found indisposed or injured afterwards, consumers should notify the pet shop concerned. Different shops may have different terms and conditions regarding animal injuries; some may require customers to take the injured pet to a designated vet clinic or will not be held responsible for the medical expenses.
Retain all receipts and doctor diagnosis for proof of claims later on should you decide to use a vet clinic of your choice.
Choose only licensed animal boarding premises, and if possible inspect in person the conditions - the size and facilities - to ascertain if it is suitable for your pet. For detailed information, consumers can visit the website of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
In the choice of pet funeral service, take into consideration if the operator is in compliance of the various regulations in force. Take heed of the details of the T&C of the service agreement to safeguard your interests in the event of service failure.
Always check the condition of your pet immediately after use of pet service. If you are in dispute over the service for not being in accordance with the agreement or up to a reasonable standard, contact the Council for conciliation assistance.
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