The owner of Wanderlust Dogs, a dog daycare facility in Delray Beach, has been embroiled in allegations of aggravated animal cruelty after a miniature poodle puppy named Cosmo sustained severe injuries under his care. According to CBS12, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confirmed that after an investigation spurred by multiple employee complaints, Jason Hershman was detained yesterday.
These complaints, which WPBF 25 News reported originated from Hershman's own staff, detailed a disturbing pattern of the daycare owner striking dogs. The incident on May 8 with Cosmo seemed to exemplify this behavior when employees purported to find the puppy in a dire state after having been left alone with Hershman. They report to have heard a loud cry and discovered Cosmo bleeding from the mouth, visibly shaking and unable to stand up straight.
A subsequent veterinary examination of poor Cosmo uncovered a fractured premolar and a serious mandibular fracture. With both injuries attributed to significant blunt force trauma, the palm-sized poodle was now facing multiple surgeries, as told by WPBF 25 News. The barbarity of the act, as evidenced by the injuries, paints a grim picture of the happenings inside Wanderlust Dogs, challenging the trust that pet owners place in such establishments.
Concerns have extended beyond the welfare of Cosmo. Caitlin Dowling, an erstwhile patron of the daycare, noticed a change in her own dog's behavior following attendance there. "He’ll never go back to a daycare ever, no chance," she avowed in a CBS12 interview. Moreover, she aired her suspicion over the lack of camera access to dog owners, stating, "I would like to know if there’s cameras inside the building. Because obviously me noticing behaviors of him changing, I would like to know that and see that because I know other facilities in the area do have cameras everywhere but I don’t know why they don’t or why they don’t give you access to it."
