Our first experience with boarding at Ellie's was good. Our second was horrible. We tried four times to call and check (he's our baby) on our Shih Tzu and the calls were never answered. Our 7 mo puppy was wimpering when picked up. At home we gave him water and he drank 2 1/2 bowls non-stop. I checked his bag and his dog food only had about one serving out of the quart size bag. His toys and blanket had not been given to him because they still smelled like Gain detergent. After our puppy drank he immediately started having bloody diarrhea and throwing up. When we were cleaning him we found a place about the size of a quarter on his bottom where the puppy had rubbed all the fur off down to an open wound trying to clean himself. I called the owner, Ellie, and asked her what he was given to eat - she never told me - and why he was so dehydrated. It seemed she withheld water to keep him from diarrhea. The vet said he had a baterial infection usually caused by contaminated food or licking contaminated surfaces. He is on an antibiotic for the infection and another for the wound on his bottom. Ellie was dishonest by not telling us the puppy had been sick when we picked him up. We believe she didn't answer our calls because either she wasn't there and someone else was neglecting our puppy or she was avoiding us because he was sick. She was very defensive only saying he wasn't a good eater. Our puppy was treated cruelly and left to fend for himself once he got sick. We paid the highest fee, $19.50 per day because we wanted the best care possible. If Ellie had been truthful with us when the bloody stool and vomiting began we would have asked someone to pick him up or ask Ellie to take him to the vet she told us she uses in cases like this. Our little Shih Tzu had lost almost 2 lbs. We believe if we had been away fro a couple more days, our puppy would not have survived. I am writing this without the swear words and absolute anger I feel toward the Pet Hotel. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET THERE. EVER.
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