Man Asks For Refund On Dog Food After Pet Passes Away—Company's Reply Was More Than Considerate

Jun 01, 2020 by apost team

Every pet owner must face the reality of someday saying a final goodbye to their best friend. The experience overwhelms many people. A loss of a beloved pet becomes even more profound when it happens unexpectedly. As one couple discovered, sometimes comfort after a loss like this comes from the most unusual places.

That's what happened to the family of Laura Waltenburg, whose sister and brother-in-law not only received a refund on pet food they had bought, after their two dogs passed away, but a heartfelt response from the dog food company Chewy. And their story is only one of many, with another dog owner, Joseph Inabnet also sharing his heartwarming experience online.

The heartwarming story of how a little kindness goes a long way comes from a woman named Laura Waltenburg, who discussed the matter in a Facebook post. Waltenburg told of a recent exchange that took place between her sister and brother-in-law and the online pet supply company, Chewy.

Pet parents to a pair of larger dogs, the couple had placed a big order with Chewy for pet food. Tragedy struck shortly after and Waltenburg's sister and husband lost both of their pups. A few days after the loss, the 40 pounds of dog food the couple ordered arrived at their door. The brother-in-law decided to email the company and see if they could return the food for a refund. The heartbroken man wished only for a refund on the cost of the food. He understood he would need to pay for the shipping costs.

apost.com

It did not take long for a Chewy representative to respond to the request, and the answer received came as a surprise. The company offered the couple a full refund, shipping included, and told the pair to not return the food. Instead, the representative asked that they give the food to a local pet shelter.

Shortly after the first email arrived, another email from Chewy came through. In this correspondence, the company asked the couple to send them a photo of the dogs. Chewy likes to show respect to their lost customers by placing the photos in a memorial book. The couple, as well as the sister-in-law, were amazed by the thoughtfulness. This, however, was not all Chewy had to offer. A few days later the couple also received a floral arrangement.

The Facebook post went viral and thousands of people heard about the kind acts. Many people reacted with surprise and words of praise for the company. Some of the responses also included the personal stories of how Chewy helped them after their loss. The posts included snapshots of a kindly worded conversation the pet owner had with the company discussing the death of a pet. Another person posted a photo of the custom artwork Chewy sent of her dog.

Respect means everything for pet owners when they lose a pet. It is heartwarming and comforting to know that others understand the depth of the pain. The responses from Chewy to people during a challenging time shows a sincere appreciation for their clients.

Joseph Inabnet was another such pet owner. He lost his dog Bailey, however his Facebook post allowed him to connect with an artist who painted a beautiful portrait of Bailey. Speaking to Apost, Joseph said: "I am in contact with the artist, whom I befriended because of the post. A friend of hers saw it and told her about it. Since then, I have had her do two more paintings for me, and I have referred her to many more people. It was amazing that the post did so well...Bailey was a very special dog. She was famous as a pup, and she was famous at the end as well. She and a dog named Beluga were on a radio show called Don and Mike when they were puppies."

The photos of Bailey are too adorable, and show her in all manner of poses. Joseph added: "Bailey was famous also for her sitting up like a little person. She was blind at the end, and I carried her around for three years. I finally got her a stroller the past year of her life, and she rode in it like a princess...She was my family."

What do you think about these responses to a simple refund request? Show this article to your friends and others to see if they have ever experienced any similar responses during their time of loss. Let us hear your opinion about this story.