Pet resort apologizes for dog mix-up

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Prince the Maltese wagged his tail as he left the New Tampa Pet Resort and Spa, this time under the arm of his real owner.

“I was excited and he was excited. He recognized me on voice and sight,” said owner Santoria Nesbit.

But that’s not what happened when Nesbit went to pick up Prince on Sunday after a trip out of town.  Somehow there was a mix-up at the kennel and she was given the wrong dog.

Despite her protests, she says, an employee was adamant it was Prince.

“She really made me feel like I could possibly not know my dog, that’s weird to say but every pushback I had she had some sort of justification,” she said.

She took care of the dog overnight, but wondered -- where was her Prince?

“As a pet mom, I didn’t protect my dog, I went through a lot of emotions I didn’t know would be there,” she said.

In a statement, New Tampa Pet Resort and Spa apologized for the mix-up saying they are going to review their pet-release policies and ensure every dog is given a tab with their name and room number on it.

The kennel also comped Prince’s stay and gave him some extra treats.

Still, Nesbit says she may look elsewhere next time she travels.