I am writing this review to warn others to be extremely cautious before purchasing a pet from Petholicks.
I purchased a puppy for AED 6,300 and took him home. Unfortunately, within 4 hours, my wife developed an allergic reaction that made it medically impossible for us to keep the dog. This was not a change of mind — it was an unexpected medical issue.
Yes, I am fully aware that their contract clearly states that in cases of allergies, pets will not be accepted or refunded. However, considering that I returned the puppy within only 4 hours, in perfect condition, and explained the medical situation, I strongly believe some leeway and basic human understanding should have been applied. I was not asking for a full refund — I asked for half of what I paid, which was immediately refused.
Initially, they offered a credit note, which I explained I did not need since I would no longer be getting a pet. After arguing and trying to resolve the situation, I eventually agreed to the credit note — only for them to change their position again and refuse to give me anything at all. No refund. No credit note.
I then spoke to the manager, Khadija, who unfortunately did not assist or help in resolving the situation in any way. There was no attempt to de-escalate, no empathy, and no effort to find a fair solution.
The situation became even worse when I dealt with someone named Shasad, who claimed to be a manager. He was extremely disrespectful, dismissive, and unprofessional, and his attitude was the main reason this situation escalated instead of being resolved.
To be fair, the other staff members were polite and helpful, and I have nothing negative to say about them. Unfortunately, poor management completely overshadowed their efforts.
They eventually agreed to keep the puppy for 48 hours, but only after making me sign a paper stating that if I did not pick him up within that time, the puppy would become theirs permanently and I would lose all rights.
Today, I picked up the puppy and placed him with a foster home that will ensure he finds a loving and responsible family. I am relieved for the puppy, but deeply disappointed that I had to lose a significant amount of money and receive zero support or compassion in such a distressing situation.
Policies exist, but how a business handles exceptional circumstances shows its true values. In this case, there was no empathy, no flexibility, and very poor management conduct.
I will be raising a formal complaint with Dubai Consumer Rights regarding this matter.
I do not recommend Petholicks, and I strongly advise anyone considering getting a pet from this shop to be extremely careful and fully aware of how they treat customers when problems arise — because when something goes wrong, you will be on your own.