Was this dog from the forum?
Submitted by Dgordon80 on April 11, 2012 - 3:24pmI thought for sure I remember reading a post sometime back about a bully that passed away at petsmart due to the collar they hook them on. Soo sad and I hope they change the way they handle bullies that come there..
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/04/10/lawsuit-petsmart-strangled-my-puppy?hpt=hp_t3
A California couple is suing PetSmart, claiming their puppy was strangled during a grooming session at the store, according to HLN affiliate KTLA.
Veronica Espinoza and John Benitez say they brought Rita, an "energetic, happy and high-spirited" English Bulldog to the PetSmart in Downey last May, KTLA reports, citing court documents.
About two hours later, Benitez allegedly got a call from PetSmart saying that the dog was vomiting blood and needed medical attention. When Benitez arrived at the store he saw the groomer cleaning Rita's ears, according to the lawsuit. "She was gasping for air and she was throwing up blood," Benitez told KTLA.
Rita died that morning.
In a statement obtained by HLN on Tuesday, PetSmart apologized for the puppy's death.
"The death of Rita, an English Bulldog puppy, is a tragic loss. Many of us at PetSmart are pet parents, and no words can express our deep sorrow for this family's loss."
The company said it disputes the events surrounding Rita's death as the lawyer describes them.
"We take very seriously the trust placed in us by pet parents who each day leave their pets in our care. Nothing is more important than looking after the safety and well-being of pets as if they were our own," according to the company.
The lawsuit describes a harrowing morning in which Benitez rushed Rita's body back and forth across the city searching for answers. A veterinarian told him "something had happened. He just didn't know what," KTLA quoted him as saying. Then Benitez hurried back to PetSmart, where employees took the dog to a pet hospital.
According to Benitez, PetSmart handled the results of the necropsy, which said Rita died of natural causes. But that's not what the couple found out after they obtained the report, their attorney Jill Ryther told KTLA.
"An independent vet looks at (the report) and says, (Rita) was strangled," Ryther told the TV station. The vet also said Rita had lacerations on her neck, Ryther said.
"The facts as represented … by an attorney are not what we believe to be true relative to this unfortunate situation. As a practice, however, PetSmart does not comment on pending litigation," PetSmart said in the statement to HLN.
I believe a very similar incident was told on the Medical board
But whether it was this puppy or not I can't say for certain. Sounds so familiar though.
Poor baby, and her mom and dad must have been horrified. My daughter worked at Petsmart and told horror stories about the "groomers" there. I would not be taking my pets to them any time soon. It may have just been her store they were so bad in, I don't want to say ALL groomers at Petsmart are untrained and incompetent. But the ones at my daughters place were, and it sounds like Rita got handled by one like that as well.
Amy and Sophia
I remember reading this but
I remember reading this but unfortunately this was another dog. Sounds like almost the exact same situation.
http://www.bulldogsworld.com/f/bulldog-medical-health/trip-groomers-resulted-death-my-sweet-hulk
We took Oliver to the groomer to get his nails clipped a month ago, we didn't know how he would do so made sure to be able to watch them in case anything looked bad. They didn't use the noose thing thank god, just had a helper hold him but we werent going to take our eyes off him for a second. Certainly sounds negligent on the groomers behalf but I would never ever leave my dog unattended with someone I didn't know.
we take Kippah there
and I demanded they not use the noose. I leave her harness on and they can clip onto that for security, then they have to have another person assist. They cooperated completely with me, but I imagine it is store by store. The only reason we take her there is for the socialization and getting used to people touching her feet etc, I can grind them myself, but as long as I trust my store I will still go there.
Loves and Smooches, Kippa and Mama (Annette)
we take Maybull to the petsmart but they never use the noose
Next time I go, though, I'll tell them not to do it.
Thanks for the warning!
I take Tuffy there to get his nails ground down (not grooming though) and I believe they use the noose. I never realized that it could provide a hazard. Guess I'll be searching for a new place for his nails.
What a sad story...
Its worth an ask
Mine will do it how I ask them to, which is with a second person, and the hook the safety hook onto her harness. It's certainly worth the ask if you are happy with your Petsmart store.
Loves and Smooches, Kippa and Mama (Annette)
Grooming Arm
and noose should be used only by experience groomers and on dogs that are trained to stand on the table and be noosed up. I use a noose all the time, but I don't strangle my dogs with it. It is simply there to keep there head in place so the don't turn around and if they sit and it's too tight you simply let it down. It's no different then having a collar and leash on them.
Used incorrectly or noosing a dog tight can cause serious damage.
In order to strangle a dog they had to have had this dog noosed tightly for a long time, or the dog jumped off the table noosed. They should never ever leave a dog on the table alone noosed.
I personally have heard so many horror stories about PetsMart groomers that I would never have a dog groomed there.
I won't let anyone else do my dogs nails. Many years ago I would have the groomers at my vet do Norberts nails and after a few times I could hardly do them myself. They had to have quicked him and he would scream bloody murder. I finally got him to let me drimmel them if he was on the grooming table.
The store in South Austin Texas
Hurt my Aunts tea cup poodle. She was being groom my aunt was really old I took the dog before it went to the pound. And they hurt the little dogs back leg she never walk right after that trip. I would not take my dig or any animal there. I let my vets clip my dogs nails when I don't do it. Your vet will do it sometimes even cheaper. Mine only charge 10.00 that us all not much at all. And they don't hurt the dogs either. I also get to go back there and hold them so they are not there.
Karonelaine