‘They refuse to help me’: Georgia woman brings her dog to Pet Paradise groomer and daycare. Then her dog’s legs stop working

A woman on TikTok says she took her dog to Pet Paradise, a popular pet care provider, only to pick her up and realize her legs were no longer working.

In a video that has gone viral with over 11.6 million views, a distressed content creator based in Georgia who goes by Ak Roulette (@akroulette) describes what allegedly happened to her dog, Cynthia.

What’s Happening With Cynthia the Dog?

“I brought my dog to this place called Pet Paradise,” the TikToker says at the start of the clip. “In Atlanta, Georgia, the Snellville location. And now my dog’s legs are not working.”

She then lowers Cynthia to the floor, where the dog appears unable to stand on her own.

“Look at her legs,” the woman says. “And I brought her back, and they’re not helping me. They refuse to help me.”

As Cynthia remains on the floor, the woman becomes increasingly upset.

“She won’t even stand up,” she says. “Please.”

In the comments section, several viewers urged her to take Cynthia to an emergency vet as quickly as possible. Others suggested the dog could be experiencing something like IVDD, or intervertebral disc disease.

“Your dog is experiencing IVDD! Contact a vet, police and lawyers immediately! My dog is paralyzed trust me I knooooo your pain,” one commenter wrote.

For context, IVDD is a spinal condition that can cause pain, weakness, trouble walking, and, in severe cases, paralysis. According to Cornell University’s Riney Canine Health Center, severe disc disease can leave a dog “paralyzed, unable to get up or use their rear legs at all.”

Other commenters turned their anger toward Pet Paradise.

“Used to work at pet paradise. Will never recommend them to anyone. ever,” one person wrote.

“I would demand complete camera views and get an attorney,” another said.

A third urged the TikToker to document everything. “Call the police !!!!! Go to the vet ER! Contact an attorney and keep all documentation of her stay, the vet diagnosis and bills. Sue them!!!!!!”

The TikToker Says Cynthia Is Walking Again

In a follow-up video, she said Cynthia had started walking again, but still needed veterinary care.

“So first of all, I’m gonna give an update on Cynthia,” she says. “She is walking.”

According to the TikToker, she took Cynthia to an emergency vet after the incident.

“We did go to the vet, the emergency room, after the Pet Paradise decided that they didn’t want anything to do with Cynthia,” she says.

She claims the company did not apologize or offer support after she brought Cynthia back.

“They never apologized,” she says. “They never said, hey, I’m sorry that you’re going through this.”

At the emergency vet, the TikToker says she was told Cynthia may have a slipped disc. However, she says she could not afford every test the vet wanted to run at that moment.

“I already spent $500 just to get her seen and get the information I’m about to tell you guys,” she says.

For now, she says Cynthia is on steroids and several pain relievers. The TikToker also said she sent Pet Paradise the vet bill, but had not received a meaningful response.

“I did send them the vet bill,” she says. “Thank you for the invoice. Have not heard nothing.”

She thanked viewers who donated to a GoFundMe, saying Cynthia would be able to return for more care if she did not fully recover.

“Cynthia is gonna go back and go get the work that she needs to get done, especially if she does not recover fully,” she says.

How Did Pet Paradise Respond?

Pet Paradise did not appear to address the TikToker’s specific allegations on its social media accounts. Commenters, on the other hand, flooded the company’s unrelated posts with references to Cynthia the dog.

The TikToker also isn’t the only person to complain about the company’s care. In one Yelp review, a customer claimed they had “honestly terrible experiences” with Pet Paradise, adding that they only saw their dog taken out twice for 10 minutes.

The reviewer alleged they saw concerning behavior involving another dog.

“I caught on camera a man grabbing another dog aggressively by his scruff,” the reviewer wrote. “When I told the staff, they did not care. I dont trust them with my dog any longer. We will never come back.”

In response to that review, Pet Paradise said it takes animal abuse allegations seriously.

“We take allegations of animal abuse very seriously and assure you that the well-being and safety of all pets entrusted to us are our top priorities,” the company wrote.

Pet Paradise added that it has “strict protocols and standards” in place for animal care and encouraged the reviewer to contact the company directly so it could investigate.

“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of care and accountability in our facility,” the company wrote.

@akroulette I love my dog so much this is so devastating #petparadise #yorkie ♬ original sound – Ak Roulette

The Mary Sue has reached out to Pet Paradise and Ak Roulette via email for comment and additional information.

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