Help Poochie's Pampered Pups Fight Gov. Injustice

Dear Customers, Friends, and Dog Lovers,

We find it necessary at this time to bring you all up to date on the terrible circumstances
“Poochies Pampered Pups” finds itself. Ten years in business as a cage free doggie daycare and groomer located at 7672 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota with a stellar reputation and growing with wellness care and health initiatives. A new neighbor has moved in. She does not like to hear barking dogs coming from a dog care facility! She has made it her mission to drive us out of business.

We ask: Why has Sarasota County chosen to support an individual come lately against an established small business with fifteen employees, excellent reputation, supplying a necessary service for hundreds of our customers?

The conflict started with telephone complaints escalating to persistent harassing calls interrupting business and attention to our dogs. Calling animal services (who in ten years have never found us in violation).

Next, a code violation officer entered Poochie’s without identification demanding to enter the dog area. When refused entry by staff he became belligerent scaring employees who called police (on record). Poochie’s was served and papers were attached to door.

Hearing was set. We honestly thought this was “no contest” because of our existence in place for ten years with no previous issues. Instead the Magistrate found against Poochie’s stating we could only have 12 dogs at a time. Where did this rule come from? Nothing written in any code.

We were given at set time to comply. It quickly became evident that we could not run our business with these restrictions and we needed council. Also noting the complainant that was present with code enforcement. She is a lawyer and not expending any financial resources. The fining of Poochie’s continued and amounts increased.

Appeal hearing magistrate found against Poochie’s stating we had not complied. When our lawyer tried to put our case forward, the magistrate refused. Again finding against Poochie’s. When our lawyer asked what code we had violated the magistrate replied
“We’ll just have to wait and see!”(on the court record). At this point we had two options.
Either to comply or sue the County. We could not stay in business if we complied, so we have been forced to sue the County. It is a great financial burden as well as emotional.

We have tried various approaches to solve the problem. We have had several meetings with Code enforcement personal. We have been told a variety of responses from; we meet requirements so we should be allowed to continue, or no response after spending time discussing the issues in detail. After reviewing every aspect of the codes and spending more money, we still have no clear definition of the existing code. Nothing states a limit to the number of dogs allowed. Nothing states a doggie daycare should be fined for normal dog barking. No response from the County in writing.

We had hoped to avoid making Poochie’s problems public but the financial harassment to the business and injustices imposed have made it necessary. Bond and Dennis have spent their life’s money and the last five years building Poochie’s, with the help of fantastic employees to the awesomeness cage free facility that you know and love. We feel this injustice should now be public has we are at our whit’s end.

With all that being said, We will continue to operate grooming and doggie daycare! We may have to relocate, we will let everyone know when and where, so you are able to plan.

Humbled,

Bond & Dennis Smith
Dog lovers and owners of Poochie’s