A Duncanville, Texas, man says his family’s Yorkie died after being groomed at a Cedar Hill, Texas, PetSmart.
According to KTVT, a 13-year-old Yorkie named Teddy was groomed with no issues, but his owner, Tim Daffin, said he noticed the dog appeared weak when he picked him up.
“In the process of bringing him home, I could hear him (breathing heavily), so I stopped the truck and kind of checked on him and was like, ‘Are you having trouble breathing?’” Daffin said.
Daffin said the dog died a couple of hours later. He said his teenage daughter took the loss hard.
"Just to see her tear up caused me to tear up," he told KTVT. "Now it's like, being here throughout the day and looking in that corner that he used to sit in… it's like there's nothing there. It's empty."
Related: 47 dogs died after PetSmart grooming, investigation says
Staff at the PetSmart where Teddy was groomed said the dog seemed fine, according to Daffin.
The news comes after an investigation found that nearly 50 dogs died during or after grooming appointments at PetSmart salons across the country.
In response to that investigative report, the company said in part in a statement, "PetSmart works every day to be the trusted partner to pet parents. If an accident or policy violation occurs while a pet is in our care, we take immediate action and full responsibility. We maintain the highest standards in the industry, but by no means are we perfect. That's why we're always exploring enhancements to those standards. Our stylists complete at least 800 hours of hands-on instruction and safety certification, working with at least 200 dogs of all breeds and size."
There were no medical and health concerns noted on Teddy's grooming report, KTVT reported.
KTVT reached out to PetSmart but did not hear back.
About the Author
