In an investigation update issued on Friday evening, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) said a third dog owner has come forward and said their pet died shortly after a stay at the Potomac Yard PetSmart boarding facility.
The investigation started with an investigation into a three-year-old Aussiedoodle — with no history of health problems and a clean check-up just weeks earlier — who was dropped off dead at a veterinarian’s office after being boarded at PetSmart’s PetsHotel.
The owner, who had left just a couple days earlier on a trip to New York, said the veterinarian said the dog may have had a seizure, possibly brought on by dehydration, being underfed and being overheated. The AWLA said the body was sent for a necropsy (an animal autopsy) on July 2 and the city is awaiting the final results.
After the initial complaint, another person came forward and said their dog died unexpectedly shortly after a stay at the PetsHotel. Now the AWLA said a third person has come forward with a similar experience.
“Since the initial complaint, there have been two additional individuals who have come forward with similar claims,” the AWLA said. “In both cases, the two dogs experienced illnesses and subsequently died within a week of being boarded at the PetsHotel. However, the dog’s bodies have been cremated, so we are unable to have necropsies performed. All three dogs boarded at the PetsHotel during the same timeframe.”
The AWLA said it’s stepped up regular inspections of the Potomac Yard PetsHotel.
“Since the complaint, our Animal Services team members have been visiting and inspecting the PetsHotel every two days,” the AWLA said. “Our team has also requested numerous records from PetSmart and are interviewing employees. PetSmart has been cooperating with the investigation.”
The AWLA said the complaint filed on July 1 after the first reported dog death was the first to be investigated by the AWLA at this location, though the AWLA also noted that animal boarding facilities are not subject to annual inspections.
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