OKC PetSmart Involved In Dog Abuse Makes Donation To A Yukon Animal Shelter

Jennifer Pierce, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A metro PetSmart accused of mishandling a dog is now giving back to the community. The dog's owner asked the company to make a donation to a no-kill animal shelter.

PetSmart has admitted wrongdoing in the way one of its groomers handled the dog. However, the district manager tells the owner they did not find any evidence of intentional abuse.

8/29/2011 Related Story: OKC PetSmart Admits Wrongdoing In Apparent Dog Abuse

At the owner's request, PetSmart is now helping a local shelter that takes in abused and neglected animals.

It's been a tough summer for Pets and People , the no-kill animal shelter in Yukon. It's packed with animals that don't have homes.

"I guess because of the heat or the economy, there have been a lot of relinquishments and a lot more strays that were picked up than in the past," said Cindy Bollinger, manager of the shelter.

It's the same place where Markus Smith adopted his dog McGee. He asked PetSmart to donate $1000 to the shelter to make up for how a store employee mishandled his dog.

In August, Smith took McGee to a metro PetSmart to be groomed. But she came home with severe choking injuries.

8/22/2011 Related Story: OKC Family Upset After Dog's Grooming At PetsMart

"We were being informed and educated that this wasn't an isolated incident, so we wanted something good to come from this. And at the end of the day PetSmart took some responsibility and at least acknowledged that there are some things they are going to try and improve," Smith said.

8/23/2011 Related Story: Apparent PetSmart Dog Abuse Not Isolated Incident

The manager of Pets and People is happy to be on the receiving end. She says $1000 can go a long way.

"That would be about 100 spays for us, or we go through 1500 pounds of dry food a week. So we can get quite a bit of dry food out of $1000," Bollinger said.

Bollinger also said that money could also buy enough vaccines for two to three months. PetSmart originally offered to donate $300 to the shelter, but Markus talked them into increasing the amount to $1000 to help more animals.