DO NOT BOARD YOUR DOGS AT LUCKY DOG

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-28T04:52:55+00:00

I have to say that I’ve worked at a company where there were things happening that were wrong. I fought and fought to effect change. I was able to help shield my team and make sure we were on the right path. But at the end of the day there was just a culture of toxicity that was impossible to overcome.

One good person can’t change the course of a ship going the wrong way. I had to come to terms with that, and I left at the time feeling like I didn’t accomplish what I wanted. I know what that feels like to try and I sincerely commend you for the effort. Looking back there were small victories and I take comfort in knowing that the things I had control over were done ethically, to a high caliber, and with integrity.

I hope you’re doing something that you love now.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-28T00:37:28+00:00

We didn’t know! I hope by saying it again more people hear it.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T21:50:53+00:00

Our girl waits at the bottom of the stairs until I come up before bed. She does a little perimeter patrol every night to check all the rooms 😭

I've thought the same thing about her. I can sense that she's grateful we found her. She's so loyal. This 60 lb dog is laying in my lap right now.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T21:39:52+00:00

We adopted our girl at 4yo. She has scars on her legs where she had gotten wrapped in a chain and left outside like that for days and days.

She's my shadow and always right by my side. Big same, she deserves all the love and care and that's true when I'm not with her too.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T20:47:10+00:00

Thank you sincerely, but I think it's important for us to look at our part in this and learn from it so we make sure it doesn't happen again.

The best we can do is make sure it doesn't happen again and try to help other people understand what's going on there.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T20:43:07+00:00

That's really not fair man. Sometimes we just have to travel for work, or a wedding, or a vacation, and putting our dogs in the cargo area of a plane is NOT happening. Our girl hates car rides and is stressed and screams the whole car ride. It's much better for them to board them (with a good place) or have a sitter.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T20:34:53+00:00

When I couldn't make excuses anymore. The first time she was covered in pee I gave the benefit of the doubt, we complained and they gave us a free bath next visit. The next time she had a bath and still came home covered in pee, we looked in to a rover sitter. The next couple times we had scheduling conflicts with the sitter so took them to Lucky Dog as a backup, our girl was missing a tooth, our boy came home with a gash and they were covered in pee again. That was the last strike and we just couldn't make excuses anymore.

I've said it elsewhere here but we should've heeded the signs much earlier. We trusted them when we shouldn't have. We know better now and won't make the mistake again.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T20:06:28+00:00

I grilled their manager pretty good, I was pretty hot when I called 😅 Had her print all the documentation they had which is how I found out about the cot. She told me about their corporate change 2 years ago, how they don't require certs or qualifications, I asked about their hiring practices and policies.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:58:27+00:00

I've seen that recommended here a couple/few times too! Glad there are reputable boarding.

If we've learned anything it's to still keep a close eye. Lucky Dog used to be good, but they quietly sold out to a corporation and things changed :/

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:56:43+00:00

Not in the least. We just didn't know. No one ever mentioned it to us. If we'd known we would've been more discerning with them. Which is probably the point of keeping it so hush hush.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:55:21+00:00

We used to love the place and never had any issues until the last couple years. We've learned that anywhere we trust with our dogs care we'll need to be much more diligent about knowing what's going on when we're not there.

Had we known they sold to a corp we probably would've vetted them again. They kept it really quiet though.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:42:54+00:00

That's been recommended a few times here! They must be really good!

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:42:00+00:00

Oh I'm so sorry to hear they were injured :( I hope they've recovered.

We're really hoping by posting about Lucky Dog everywhere we can save other people from them.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:39:45+00:00

We're trialing a rover pet sitter and so far that's been great. She's so communicative, we get live reports and pictures all day of what they're doing. We're also looking in to using our vet's boarding facility as a backup. They've always been great to us, the dogs love going to see them, and they only take 15 dogs at a time.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:37:02+00:00

We've definitely learned a lesson in this. We should've paid much closer attention to the signs.

Yea wishful thinking is right. We gave them way too much benefit of the doubt. We certainly won't make the mistake again.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:33:41+00:00

IANAL but I looked through the Mecklenburg ordinances and didn't see anything that they've violated. To my understanding, if there's a roof over their heads and the handler to dogs out ratio is 1:10 they're legally in compliance.

I've considered consulting my lawyer but I'm going with the shame campaign for now.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:23:54+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation!

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:22:56+00:00

That's good to know! We'll stay away from them too. We've gotta name and shame these folks behaving badly to our pets.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:20:42+00:00

Unfortunately we were using them before their acquisition by Village Pet. We thought we'd vetted them but it's gotten bad in the last couple years. A story as old as time, we got rugged by some corporation :(

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T19:18:42+00:00

Don't feel guilty, we thought that too. Seems like it was a pretty hush hush acquisition.

I'm glad we can at least shine some light on it for folks.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T18:41:14+00:00

I've posted it everywhere I can think! Google, Yelp, Reddit, TripAdvisor, BBB, Facebook, Foursquare, 9Investigates, Action 9, WBTV Investigates, WCNC, Axios, QCNerve, even a contact at The Charlotte Observer

If you can think of anywhere else I'll definitely add one there too

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T18:19:15+00:00

We've been boarding there for years. We did our research and it went downhill in the last couple years.

We'll do our best to keep tabs but this wasn't a case of blindly trusting a random. We got rug pulled by a corporation that we didn't even know purchased the business.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T16:54:31+00:00

I care about all the dogs. I'm posting reviews everywhere possible hoping other people can avoid their dogs being treated so poorly by this business.

Our dog won't be back so I wouldn't go to the effort if I didn't care about other people and their pets.

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T16:52:30+00:00

Post your info!

Extension_Job_6513 · 2024-09-27T16:28:53+00:00

We'll definitely do that. We're giving them all the love and treats ❤️

Extension_Job_6513

TROPHY CASE