A 2-year-old Shih Tzu named Gamora left her owner’s home for grooming at a pet shop in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, on Saturday, November 18. However, when she returned, her owner, Priscila Graves, discovered that Gamora had a cut on her tongue.
Priscila reported that the JK Pet Shop returned her dog without any notice of the incident. Upon holding Gamora, Priscila noticed that the Shih Tzu’s tongue was bleeding. The pet shop owner allegedly downplayed the situation, advising Priscila to take the dog home and only give her cold water. Distressed by the incident, Priscila emphasized the potential danger to pets.
Video footage from a surveillance camera shows Priscila’s boyfriend handling Gamora, who does not appear to bleed at any point. He even pets the dog around her mouth. Another camera captures Gamora during the grooming process, where she also does not show signs of bleeding.
Born with a cleft lip, Gamora faced difficulty eating and drinking due to the tongue injury. Priscila took her to a veterinarian who prescribed medication. The pet shop owner, Jacqueline Alves, covered the veterinary expenses and refunded the grooming fees.
Priscila filed a police report on Sunday through the online portal. However, at the time of reporting, the complaint had not yet been registered with the police.
Jacqueline Alves, the pet shop owner, claimed to have worked in the industry for 21 years, 16 of which were with JK Pet Shop. She expressed disbelief over the incident, stating that nothing similar had occurred during her career. Jacqueline provided a photo taken after Gamora’s grooming, showing no signs of injury.
The pet shop owner insisted that neither she nor her employees witnessed the alleged cutting of Gamora’s tongue. She disclosed paying for the injured dog’s veterinary care and medication, totaling R$252. Jacqueline also revealed receiving threats and facing an online campaign attempting to discredit her.
Surveillance footage presented by Jacqueline showed Gamora without any signs of bleeding during grooming or when handed over to Priscila’s boyfriend. The veterinarian who treated Gamora also confirmed in an audio message that there was no bleeding from the tongue and that sutures were not necessary.
The incident has deeply affected the pet shop and its employees, with Jacqueline expressing concern over the unjust accusations circulating online.