Call Kurtis Investigates: Dog Returned From Camp Bow Wow Boarding Facility With Toe Ripped Off

ELK GROVE (CBS13) — Curly the mutt no longer has all her toes on her right paw. Heidi Alto says she boarded the Rhodesian ridgeback German shepherd Mix at Camp Bow Wow in Elk Grove for a few days in June. She remembers the phone call saying Curly's toe somehow became caught in a kennel.

"Her toe was torn off," Alto said. "Imagine your finger...at the front joint is just torn off."

With Heidi's permission, Camp Bow Wow rushed Curly to the vet where they amputated her toe. She says Camp Bow Wow told her no one was watching Curly overnight.

"They said we didn't know how long she was like that."

Alto thinks Camp Bow Wow should cover the $1,864 in vet bills, but says the most they offered was $700, plus a refund for the stay.

"I was furious. My face was bright red."

Looking over the contract customers normally sign, it does state, "you fully accept and assume all risks and responsibility for all risks... including all losses, costs and damages... including veterinarian expenses.

RELATED: 23 Questions to ask before boarding your pet

So does that mean Heidi can't collect?

Sacramento attorney Jennifer Dauer with the law firm Diepenbrock Elkin looked over Camp Bow Wow's contract and says it's missing key language that could protect the kennel if it's negligent.

As a result I think it's open to potential challenge," she said.

We reached out to Camp Bow Wow's corporate offices which admitted pets are left alone between 7pm and 6:30am in their five by ten foot kennels. The company insists it doesn't have to cover full vet bills for this, "unfortunate and unforeseeable accident" because it was not "due to negligence."

The company said, "Camp Bow Wow Elk Grove's owner has remained firm on offering to help resolve the situation. Thus far, all offers from Camp Bow Wow Elk Grove to the pet owner have been declined or ignored. The offer to assist with half of the vet's bill remains open."

Alto is now considering her legal options, afraid Curly will never be the same.

"She used to run six to seven miles with my husband. Now after only two miles, she starts limping," Alto said.