Pet groomer admits it 'truly messed up' after calling cat 'bugger' in message accidentally sent to customer
A pet groomer has apologised and admitted it had 'truly messed up' after a customer raised concerns about service and communication during a grooming appointment.
The customer had earlier told Stomp she was unhappy with delayed pickup timings and what she described as inconsistent updates throughout the day.
She also said she was surprised by additional charges for an "extra-large cat" and being told her pet was "aggressive", adding that she had not encountered such issues at other grooming centres.
However, what upset her most was receiving a message that appeared to have been sent mistakenly, which she said referred to her cat as a "bugger". The message was later deleted.
'I want to apologise deeply to the customer': Groomer
In response to a Stomp query, Gaby Pereira, co-founder of Ais Sarah Pet Manor in Joo Chiat, said the business regretted the customer's experience and acknowledged internal errors that led to confusion and stress.
"We truly messed up on the service and communication side, and I want to apologise deeply to the customer," she said. "The cat's first visit with us should never have been this stressful due to our internal errors."
Ms Pereira said the team failed to manage the customer's schedule properly and should have provided proactive and accurate updates instead of requiring the customer to repeatedly follow up.
She also addressed the internal message that was mistakenly sent to the customer.
"We are mortified that an internal team message was accidentally sent," she said. "That was a serious and unacceptable lapse in professionalism and judgment, and we have apologised privately for the error and the offence caused."
Ms Pereira stressed that animal welfare is a priority for the grooming centre and said the cat's stress was managed safely and gently.
"For anxious or nervous cats, we often reject grooms, pause sessions or recommend rescheduling," she said. "We may also invite owners to come in to reassure their pets. We never force a pet through the grooming process."
She added that photos and videos were sent during the grooming session to show the cat was being handled gently, and that additional charges cover the extra time and experienced staff required for anxious pets.
Ms Pereira said the business had reached out to the customer to apologise and offer a private resolution, adding that the matter has since been resolved.
"We have taken immediate accountability for our service flaws," she said. "We are now taking concrete steps to strengthen our communication checks across all teams to ensure our customer service matches the genuine care we give to every pet."
