Watch CBS News

Allegations Of Animal Abuse Pile Up For Owner Of Mobile Pet Salon In Burlingame

BURLINGAME (KPIX) - Eric Stanton says his five pound dog, Pepper is still traumatized from what happened last weekend. Not only did a groomer allegedly tape Pepper's mouth after being bit by him, Eric says the dog was also bloody.

"My dog was struggling. What I thought was a muzzle turned out to be tape. His paws were bright red from the blood they had cut his toenails basically down to the paw which is probably why he bit him in my opinion," said Stanton.

The groomer worked for Alpha Grooming, a mobile pet salon.

"I had to take him to the vet immediately," says Stanton.

Stanton's allegation of animal abuse is one of many against Alpha Grooming. The company is now under investigation for animal cruelty by the Santa Clara Sheriff's office:

"The first things I noticed were around the joints the privates around the neck especially. They'd actually cut so close that she was bleeding," says Stanton.

Mark Alber is one of several customers who posted on Yelp about getting their pets back injured or sick.

One woman shot a Snapchat video of a dog she says was crying in pain after she claims a groomer shoved a napkin in the dog's ear.

KPIX has learned Alpha Grooming's owner, Carlos Chaves also runs Pawsitively Groomed in Burlingame which also has reviews of alleged animal abuse on Yelp, including one customer who claims his dog's eye came of its socket.

Alber says the owner should not still be in business.

"Absolutely not. He shouldn't be near anyone's animal," he says.

Alber says it took more than a month for his dog to heal.

If the Yelp reviews aren't enough for Chaves's customers, Stanton wants them to know what the man trusted to care for their pets said to him.

"He told me that this tape around the mouth method is totally normal and is an acceptable way to do it. It's better than a muzzle and muzzles can be harmful for dogs and he has dogs himself and he would do this way instead," says Stanton.

Chaves picked up the phone when KPIX called but handed it to a woman who said they were looking into these allegations. When asked about Pawsitively Groomed she said it was a separate entity and then hung up.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.