JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A stalemate tonight between a Southside business owner and two dog owners. Bob Ulbricht told Channel 4 that his two dogs were killed while they were staying at Rad Dogs, a local pet salon.
Ulbricht and his wife left their two Yorkshire Terriers at Rad Dogs for a few days during the Thanksgiving holiday, and during their stay two larger dogs chewed through their cages and attacked the Ulbricht's dogs, killing them.
"It almost killed me and her. I'm 77 and she's 75 and we don't need this in our life," said Ulbricht.
The Ulbricht's were devastated and spoke with the owner about replacing the dogs. The couple said early on the owner of Rad Dogs was very friendly, but that changed and now they claim that the owner has asked the couple to speak to her attorney.
"I got an email from her not to come by the salon anymore and not to call her, that my lawyer could talk to her lawyer," said Ulbricht.
When Channel 4 went to Rad Dogs on Wednesday night, the owner, who's concerned about the impact publicity will have on her business, asked Channel 4 not to show her face.
Christine Wells said she felt horrible about what happened to the Ulbricht's dogs.
"We've made a lot of changes to ensure safety of dogs," said Wells. "We're animal lovers. This is a tragic freak accident, we would never want this to happen to anyone."
Wells said she has spent more than $1,000 to make the situation right for the Ulbrichts. Wells said Rad Dogs even bought the couple new dogs, but the couple didn't want the dogs that she had purchased for them. Wells told Channel 4 that the Ulbrichts kept asking for more and eventually she was forced to hand the issue over to her attorney.
Jacksonville attorney Gene Nichols told Channel 4 that a judge will have to decide the matter in small claims court.
"Vet bills and dollar amount of the dog. The plaintiff in this case is going to have a tough time recovering anything else and the judge will have to take into account what the defendant has done in order to get the plaintiff as even as they possibly could," said Nichols.
Ulbricht said they have not hired an attorney yet, but plan to take the owner of the business to small claims court.