LEOMINSTER — Both sides agree that Dec. 15 was a traumatic day for Gibson, a 2-year-old German shepherd-chow mix, and the Petopia Doggie Daycare, where he was spending the day.

“When I got there, Gibson was in a separate room,” said Leominster resident Ashley Seuss, Gibson’s owner. “There was blood everywhere. I could see his bones.”

Three weeks later, Ashley and her husband Billy, still dealing with the emotional trauma and financial strain of caring for Gibson, who was struck by a car after a gate latch failed at Petopia, and its owner, Frank Allen is dealing with the fallout after the incident was posted on Facebook.

It all started at around 10 a.m. that Thursday, when Ashley received a call that Gibson and several other dogs had gotten out of the daycare facility at 34 Mead St., and Gibson had been injured after being hit by a car.

The dog was taken to VCA Lancaster Animal Hospital, but his wounds required emergency surgery so Ashley and Billy rushed Gibson to Westford Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center.

“On his left leg, he had ripped open his muscles and tendons,” said Ashley. “His kneecap had been half dragged off. His right leg, where the bandage is now, that wound is still completely open.”

Allen, who has operated the dog daycare for the last five years, said there is no dispute about the injury the dog suffered, but he said there is now a “witch hunt” after him. The Seusses say Allen told them he didn’t have insurance for the dogs his business is responsible for and that he has not helped them with medical costs.

That is not true, Allen said. The business is insured, he said, and they will be paid.

“No one is disputing that this is a horrific incident that happened on our watch,” said Allen, also disputing that he hasn’t helped with covering the cost of care for Gibson.

Allen paid for the initial visit to VCA Lancaster Animal Hospital, which cost $800.17, and the down payment on Gibson’s surgery in Westford, which cost $2,935.

The Seusses, who had been taking Gibson to Petopia weekly for the last year, claim Allen told them he would continue to pay for the medical costs, including the $2,333 cost of the initial surgery, but the couple has yet to receive a payment.

They said Allen told them he ran out of money, but Allen said he was gathering the funds to pay for the surgery, when he was told the Seuss’ paid and discharged Gibson from the hospital themselves.

Allen said he expects the “insurance company will be paying the medical bills in full.”

“Despite what is being said, we are not morons,” he said. “We have insurance for the dogs.”

More than three weeks after the incident, Gibson walks lethargically around the Seuss’ home. His left hind leg has healed, but there is still concern his right leg may need to be amputated. He gets skittish as an 18-wheeler or tractor trailer drives by the home. It is a two-person operation to get Gibson to use the bathroom.

But the Seusses are willing to do that for the dog they adopted from a Sterling shelter and who was the ring bearer in their October weeding.

However, Gibson’s injuries and what they believe was neglect by Allen has placed a burden on them financially and emotionally. It has caused them to miss some work time because Gibson must be treated in Westford every other day.

Even with insurance for their dog, which covers 90 percent of most medical bills, there are outside medical costs, like the $64.50 it costs each time the family visits Westford to have the bandage changed on Gibson’s right leg. Ashley has documented the money her and Billy have lost due to missing work and paying for gas going to Westford, totaling more than $1,200 in three weeks.

The Sentinel and Enterprise requested records to document Allen has insurance on the dogs. In response, Allen sent an email conversation from Dec. 19 with an adjuster from Hanover Insurance Group about the incident. Multiple attempts to reach the adjuster were unsuccessful.

Ashley said she heard from the insurance company on Dec. 19 when they asked what happened, but she has not heard from them since.

Allen is also upset because Ashley posted about the incident on Facebook Wednesday attaching graphic photos of Gibson’s legs after the incident, saying this “was not an accident, this is pure animal negligence.”

By Thursday night, the post had 420 shares and nearly 150 comments.

Allen said this was not neglect. He said multiple dogs escaped because the “gate latch failed when a large dog hit it while playing.” Allen said the dog hit it hard enough to spin the entire latch to the side, “thus opening the gate regardless of there being a lock on it.” He said the insurance company is conducting an investigation.

“I call it the Facebook Social Justice League,” Allen said of the outrage on social media. “Especially when you are dealing with women and dogs.”

“I am basically being accused of shooting Kennedy,” he continued.

Seuss said she posted about the incident not for attention or money, but because she doesn’t want this to happen to another family’s dog.

Since, yesterday, former employees have reached out to her talking about their experience working at Petopia.

April-Lynn Forest, who worked at Petopia from April 2012 to June 2014, said in a phone interview Thursday she left the job on good terms, but said she feared “this day was going to come.”

Forest said she was often the only person on site and responsible for up to 15 dogs at a time. Allen said on Dec. 15, he was the only one working and there were 14 dogs at the day care that day.

“I loved my job because of the dogs, but that is the one thing that made me uncomfortable,” Forest said. “You can’t watch all those dogs. It is not possible.”

Ashley Seuss said it has been a “draining” experience for her and Billy.

“I feel really upset because it could have been avoided,” she said. “It would have been different if this was an accident.”

“He was clearly not watching, like we paid him to do,” Seuss said.