Cat Box Pet Hyper: Bellville

UNHAPPY CUSTOMER: BAD SERVICE AND BAD DOG FOOD AND TREATS

To all my family and friends, especially those who are animal *****s, I would like to share an experience we recently had at Cat Box Pet Hyper, Bellville – ***. My husband and I purchased dog food and treats from the store. We only recently opened the dry food we had purchased there. When we opened it, we noticed that it had a strange smell. Because it was the first time we had purchased that particular dog food, we initially thought that perhaps this was simply how it smelled. We emptied the food into our dogs' food container and, unfortunately, threw the original packaging away — something I now wish I had not done. Our dog normally absolutely loves her treats, but she would not eat the treats we had purchased either. We became suspicious and went and purchased the exact same treats from another store. She immediately ate those treats without hesitation, which made us concerned that there may have been something wrong with the treats we had originally purchased. There was also another issue during our visit. While waiting to pay, we noticed that Bravecto was advertised at 50% off. We asked why it was discounted and were told that it was because it was approaching its expiry date. We checked the expiry date and saw that it was only due to expire in December, so we decided to purchase it. After purchasing, I realised that I had mistakenly purchased the liquid treatment, which my dog will not allow us to apply. I therefore asked if we could simply exchange it for the chewable version. I was not asking for a refund and was completely prepared to pay the difference in price. Unfortunately, the staff member assisting us had what I felt was a very poor attitude. He sighed and told me that they could not refund it and that it would have to go through Head Office. I explained again that I was not asking for a refund — I simply wanted to exchange the product and pay any difference required. At that point, because of the way the situation was handled, my husband and I decided to leave. I subsequently submitted a formal complaint to Head Office because I felt that the matter deserved to be addressed. What has been particularly frustrating is that, throughout the complaint process, I have repeatedly been asked for things such as a veterinary report, *** and the exact comment the staff member allegedly made under his breath. I have explained several times that I never said that I took my dog to a veterinarian. I explained that I had to purchase different food and medication after she refused the food and treats. I have also explained that I no longer have the original packaging, which means I cannot provide a ***. I am not claiming to be an expert, and I cannot say exactly what caused my dog to refuse the food and treats. I can only share what happened to us: she would not eat the treats purchased from this store, but immediately ate the same treats purchased elsewhere. I am sharing this because I believe consumers — especially people who love and care for their animals — should be able to share their experiences. Based on our experience, I personally will not be purchasing from this store again. Please make your own decision, but I felt that my family and friends who have animals should know about our experience and the way I feel our complaint has been handled. IF I COULD RATE A 0 I WULD