Sarah (28) from Utah had been so looking forward to her week-long California trip with her husband. Finally some time together as a couple, leaving everyday life behind. The dog owner felt confident: her two Australian Shepherds "Bear" and "Shadow" were in safe hands with her mother-in-law. After all, she knows the dogs well and has looked after them several times before.
But when she and her husband returned from their sunny break, a shock awaited them at home that would shake not only her heart, but the entire family dynamic.
The shocking homecoming
The moment of reunion with Bear brought no joy, only speechless horror. "I was just stunned. I could barely greet her," Sarah later said in an interview with Newsweek.
What had happened? Bear, her beloved Australian Shepherd, was unrecognisable. Her mother-in-law had completely shaved off his coat during the holiday without any discussion whatsoever.
What might sound like a harmless cosmetic decision to some has serious consequences for Sarah and her dog. Bear is an Australian Shepherd - a breed with a double coat that serves important functions. The outer coat protects against UV rays and injuries, whilst the undercoat regulates temperature and moisture.
The American Kennel Club even explicitly warns against shaving such breeds. The consequences can include overheating, sunburn and damaged coat structure - risks that Sarah's mother-in-law apparently didn't know about or underestimated.
The apology makes things even worse
When Sarah confronted her about what had happened, things didn't improve. The explanation: her mother-in-law had shaved the dog's rear end "for hygiene reasons" - but because it looked uneven afterwards, she eventually shaved the entire dog completely bald.
For Sarah, this was an affront. "I would never have made that decision or given permission to shave Bear. It hurt that this choice was simply taken away from me."
Her anger and frustration erupted a few days later in a TikTok video where she documented Bear's before-and-after condition. The video struck a nerve: within no time it reached 2.6 million views and over 200,000 likes.
Reactions ranged from grooming tips to comments like: "I'd never let her look after my pets again."
Whilst Bear's coat is now slowly regenerating, the family atmosphere remains frosty. The incident crossed a boundary that Sarah finds hard to forget.
She's now trying to minimise the damage to his coat with targeted care - but the emotional damage remains.
