A Texas dog groomer has been accused of choking a Shih Tzu dog until its eye ‘popped out’, leaving the dog in need of emergency surgery.
Laly Moreno, the distraught owner of Mia, claimed her beloved pooch almost lost her eye after visiting the Flash Pet Salon & Hotel in Mission, Texas, last month.
Shocking footage posted on social media last week by Moreno’s niece shows Mia’s swollen eye following the surgery.
She also posted a clip of surveillance footage taken from inside the salon which appeared to show the animal latched onto the gloved arm of the groomer as he tries to pull the dog off.
The salon owner has denied allegations of animal abuse and released extended footage claiming to show the dog was biting and being aggressive toward the staff member.
A Texas dog groomer has been accused of choking a Shih Tzu dog until its eye ‘popped out’, leaving the dog in need of emergency surgery. Pictured Mia after surgery
Surveillance footage taken from inside the salon appears to show the animal latched onto the gloved arm of the groomer as he tries to pull the dog off
The incident unfolded back on March 13 when Moreno said she dropped off Mia and her other dog at the Flash Pet Salon & Hotel for grooming.
Moreno told Fox 2 Now salon owner Arturo Tapia called her telling her Mia was being aggressive so they could not groom her but did not mention the dog had been injured.
‘He never told me it was something serious. I just thought she (Mia) was not in the mood or whatever,’ she said.
Moreno said her daughter went to pick up the two dogs and was shocked to find Mia injured.
The owner took Mia to the vet the following day, who told her ‘she needs emergency surgery or else she’s going to lose her eye,’ said Moreno.
Moreno said her pooch has now been left recovering from the surgery while she has been left with an $800 vet bill.
When she contacted the salon and asked for surveillance footage of the incident, she said she was only given five seconds worth of video.
Laly Moreno, the distraught owner of Mia, claimed her beloved pooch almost lost her eye. Her niece posted a one-second clip on social media
The salon owner shared other clips of the dog’s visit to the salon with this clip appearing to show the Shih Tzu trying to bite the groomer
One clip shows an extended version of the moment shared by the owner’s family member, with the groomer shaking his glove off his hand after releasing it from the dog’s grip
Another clip shows the moment the two dogs are picked up by Moreno’s daughter
Her niece then posted a one-second clip on social media, writing: ‘If you live in McAllen/mission PLEASE don’t take your pets to flash pet salon in mission tx!!!! They choked her so hard her eye popped out!!!!’
In the video, the dog appears to be latched onto the gloved arm of the male staff member with its teeth and is dangling with its entire body in the air above the table in the salon room.
The man uses his other arm to pull the animal off and sets it down on the table.
Tapia told Fox 2 Now the dog was biting the employee’s glove and he was trying to get his arm free but insisted neither he, his business or his staff would intentionally hurt any animals.
In a video posted on Facebook Tapia shared other clips of the dog’s visit to the salon.
One clip shows an extended version of the moment shared by the owner’s family member, with the groomer shaking his glove off his hand after releasing it from the dog’s grip.
Another clip shows the Shih Tzu appearing to be trying to bite the groomer when he approaches it while another captures the moment the two dogs are picked up by Moreno’s daughter.
The alleged incident unfolded back on March 13 when Moreno said she dropped off Mia and her other dog at the Flash Pet Salon & Hotel (above) for grooming
Salon owner Arturo Tapia (above) claims the dog was biting and being aggressive toward the staff member
‘In no moment did my employee’s hands strangle Mia like it is made out to be on social media,’ Tapia said.
‘I have a love for animals. All of the animals that are brought to me I treat with love as if they are my own dogs.’
The salon did not explain what may have happened during the visit to have injured the dog with the cause of Mia’s eye injury unclear.
Moreno questioned why the salon did not call her and tell her what had happened right away.
She said she is not pressing charges but is asking the salon to cover Mia’s vet bills.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Mission Police Department for comment.
The department’s investigator Art Flores told Fox 2 Now they are investigating the incident but there are currently no complaints against the business itself.