A Devastating Loss: Dog Owner’s Routine Grooming Visit Ends in Tragedy
When Kobe’s owner escorted him into PetSmart, she anticipated nothing more than a standard nail trimming session for her beloved 11-year-old poodle. Tragically, she couldn’t have foreseen that this would be their final goodbye.
“When I brought him in, I requested permission to remain by his side, because Kobe was the type of dog who always preferred to keep me within his sightline,” AJ Ross explained in her interview with PEOPLE. “They informed me that due to COVID protocols, I wasn’t permitted to stay in the grooming section.”
Upon returning to collect Kobe following his appointment, Ross immediately sensed something was amiss. A staff manager was called to escort her into the facility, where she discovered Kobe lying “motionless” on the grooming table. “He appeared completely lifeless,” Ross recounted to the publication. “I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing.”
PetSmart representatives claimed Kobe had merely lost consciousness temporarily, but Ross harbored suspicions of something far more concerning. Her instincts proved correct when she eventually obtained access to the store’s security footage. The recording revealed that Kobe’s death resulted from the employees’ improper restraint techniques, which left the helpless canine suspended and twisting between two leashes above the grooming table, unable to draw breath.
Find out more in the video below!
“He had no stability whatsoever, so he was essentially hanging by his neck, and you can see him start to writhe and twist in agony because he couldn’t breathe, while they completely ignored his distress,” Ross described to PEOPLE as she recalled the disturbing footage. “They simply continued with their tasks… It’s absolutely heart-wrenching to watch, and [after approximately a minute] his body goes limp,” she continued. “They never lowered his paws to the table until after he had already gone limp.”
The aftermath has resulted in animal cruelty charges being filed against all four PetSmart employees involved in Kobe’s death, according to PEOPLE. However, this small measure of accountability provides little comfort for the irreplaceable loss of her companion.
“Recounting my horrific experience at PetSmart publicly has been emotionally devastating,” Ross shared on her Instagram account. “But I genuinely hope that by sharing my story, it will catalyze improvements in grooming training protocols and foster greater transparency and oversight; ensuring no pet parent ever has to experience such devastating heartbreak.”
The incident serves as a sobering reminder about the importance of proper training and supervision in pet care settings, and raises questions about current practices in the pet grooming industry that many animal lovers are now calling to address.
Facebook Comments