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On Mamba’s second day, one hour after being dropped off, Hammond and Carbajal got a call that they needed to go to an animal hospital because their puppy had died.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — It’s a pet owner’s worst fear — learning your beloved animal died while in the care of a facility you trusted.
That’s what happened to a family in northwest Harris County who are now mourning the loss of their puppy.
“Ultimately what I want I can’t get … my dog back … but it’s not going to happen,” Mark Hammond said.
Mamba was a 1-year-old mixed breed. His owners, Hammond and Cynthia Carbajal are still in disbelief over his unexpected death.
“This is so preventable. This is something that should have never happened,” Carbajal said.
They said they dropped Mamba off at Pawllywood Kingdom, a pet facility in Cypress, twice to be groomed before deciding to test it out as a doggy day care so their puppy could socialize and play during the day.
On Mamba’s second day, one hour after being dropped off, Hammond and Carbajal got a call that they needed to go to an animal hospital because Mamba had died from choking on his leash.
“I wish I would have just taken him to work, but I wanted him, you know, to play with other dogs,” Hammond said.
In a statement, the owner of Pawllywood Kingdon said they’re deeply heartbroken by the tragedy.
“In the moment, we believed we were acting in the dog’s best interest. He had been jumping over the fence and out of concern for his safety, we made the decision to temporarily tether him to the kennel door while cleaning the daycare area. We now realize that we lacked the foresight to fully anticipate the risk involved in that decision,” the statement said, in part.
Mamba’s owners are left with what-ifs … wishing they would have gotten a call before Mamba was leashed.
“It’s very traumatic. It’s very sad to think that he was a baby and he was the sweetest thing and he just died alone,” Carbajal said.
“I would like closure. I mean, I want to know what really happened,” Hammond said.
Aqsa Dhaniani is an animal enrichment and behavior associate at the Houston Humane Society. She said asking questions and providing information is key for dog owners.
“More information is better than telling less,” Dhaniani said. “Definitely ask for a tour of the facility just to see how the dogs that are already in the facility are being taken care of. I would ask if they can contact you, like, keep in contact with you while the dog is in there.”
Requesting ongoing communication and updates on your pet’s behavior can also help.
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