Protesters Return to County Line Dog Groomer

When Mercedes and Thomas Boileau brought home Amos, their lhasa apso, from a grooming session at As the Fur Flies four years ago, they noticed the right side of his face was black and blue.

When they took him to the vet, the doctor said that Amos was bleeding internally, and that he could not operate because of the hemorrhaging.

The Boileaus were forced to put the dog down three days later and vowed never again bring a dog to As the Fur Flies or the store's owner, Fred Grout. 

"We called the police, but they wouldn't do anything," said Mercedes Boileau. "When we confronted Mr. Grout, he said he should do whatever it took to get the dog groomed."

The Boileaus were one of several stories passed around as protestors marched along the sidewalk in front of the Rosemore Shopping Center on County Line Road. It's the second demonstration organized this week by Kendi Lawhorn prompted by the arrest of an employee who police say caused the death of an Airedale terrier in February when he allegedly struck the dog in the lower jaw. 

The employee has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty, and he no longer works at As the Fur Flies, but that's not enough for Lawhorn and the rest of the protestors that marched in front of the parking lot until 5 p.m. Saturday. They also want to see As the Fur Flies closed and more state regulations and oversight for dog groomers.

"It's very tragic what happened, but the person responsible is not here anymore," said Grout. "I wish I could bring the dog back, but I can't. The protestors are taking their anger beyond the tragedy."

Grout opened As the Fur Flies approximately 16 years ago and says 120 cats and dogs are groomed at the store each week.

"I take dogs that other groomers don't want to deal with," said Grout. "They come in here, and I fix them up and make them feel better."

Unlike the first protest last week, a group of longtime clients came out on Saturday in support of Grout and his work. Set up on the walkway directly in front of the store, many of them described Grout as a good and gentle person with whom they never had a problem.

"I think most of the protesters never actually brought a dog to Fred, they're just caught up in the feeding frenzy," said Cheryl Larkin, who has brought Joey, her English springer spaniel, to As the Fur Flies for nine years. "I don't like animal abuse either, but we've coming here for years without any kind of incident. This was a horrible accident, Fred doesn't deserve to be shut down."

Lawhorn has started an online petition that has so far earned 750 signatures and posted a Facebook page called As the Fur Flies Victims. She hopes to see at least a couple protesters return to County Line Road each day this week as schedules permit. 

If the protesters get their way and Grout is forced to close his doors, plenty of customers like Barb Wurgley are prepared to follow him wherever he ends up.

"I don't trust anybody with my dog," said Wurgley, "but I trust Fred."