A Trenton, N.S. couple claims a stay in a local dog training and kennel operation left their pet permanently disabled.
Karen and Sandy Kirk say their six-year-old Shih Tzu, Phoenix, was fine before staying at Dogs on Point.
Their first sign of trouble was a message from kennel owner Jeremy Donnelly.
"He noticed his eye was swollen and full of discharge, and he was taking him to the vet, and of course I was just beside myself," said Karen Kirk.
They were later told by a veterinarian that the dog’s eye had been punctured and had to be removed.
The couple says when they returned from vacation, they noticed his front teeth were worn down. They also claim he lost the ability to bark.
The Kirk’s say Phoenix’s personality has changed since the experience. They say they should have been contacted if the dog wasn't settling in.
“All he had to do is send us an email and we could have made some alternate arrangements," said Sandy Kirk.
Jeremy Donnelly says he's too upset about the whole thing to talk.
He did tell CTV News that he still doesn't know what caused the eye injury, and that Shih Tzu's and Lhasa Apsos are known for eye injuries.
The SPCA confirms that it also investigated and could find no reason for the injuries.
Donnelly says he's never had anything like this happen before in his long experience of training and boarding dogs.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ron Shaw.
