Dog walker faces abuse after dog escapes
The Crisis
We received a call from the very distressed owner of a long-established pet care business. A dog in their care had slipped its lead while having its harness changed and escaped their premises. A search party had been organised and the runaway was found safe and well later that day.
While she was missing, her owners had contacted the local newspaper about the incident. They had run the story immediately, without verifying any of the facts. Needless to say, it was a very one-sided account that was highly critical of the company.
The Action Taken
We reacted immediately by drafting a press statement offering a heartfelt apology and an honest account of what had happened. The owners of the business were true dog lovers and deeply concerned about the incident. It was imperative to convey their genuine remorse in the statement. The incident prompted the business to conduct a thorough review of its security processes - another important and relevant message to get out to the public via the statement.
We then liaised with the journalist to secure corrections to the story and to include the statement from the business owner.
The Outcome
We remained in contact with the business owner but all media attention and social attention quickly died down once both sides of the story had been conveyed.
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