ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) — In the wake of the deaths of three dogs at the Potomac Yard PetSmart PetsHotel, an independent necropsy report revealed Monday morning that one of the dogs, a 3-year-old Aussiedoodle named Clark, died due to a pre-existing medical condition.
On June 29, Alexandria, Virginia, resident Andrew Noles told 7News he dropped off his dog, Clark, at the PetsHotel. Two days later, the dog was found dead.
Noles claimed that Clark had recently passed his veterinary check-ups and was in good health before the visit.
“According to the vet, the employee dropped Clark off and said, ‘What can you do?’” Noles told 7News. “And the doctor was like, ‘What happened?’ The employee said she didn’t know. And the doctor was like, ‘Well you know that this dog is dead.’”
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All three dogs who died—Clark, Blu, and Lily—were staying at the PetSmart boarding facility at the same time, according to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA), which led an investigation into the incidents.
The AWLA has now released the full conclusion of their investigation.
“Of course animals can’t provide firsthand accounts, so we are reliant on forensic testing, information from the parties involved, veterinary records, care logs, video, and other evidence to form as clear of a picture as possible,” AWLA officials said.
The necropsy report on Clark revealed a pre-existing medical issue: bacterial pneumonia related to an E. Coli infection, with possible sepsis.
The infection had spread to several organs, including the lungs, liver, kidneys, and even the brain — AWAL said that indicated that the condition was severe and likely present before Clark’s stay at the facility.
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“While we do not believe the care provided at the PetsHotel during the time Clark, Blu, and Lily boarded was of an exceptional caliber due to the high number of animals in relation to care staff,” the AWLA stated in their report, “it was determined that since Clark had a pre-existing medical condition and that medical care was sought by PetSmart staff for Clark, there is insufficient evidence to charge PetSmart or any of its staff with a violation of the Virginia animal care codes.”
AWLA also stated they wereunable to perform a necropsy onBlu and Lily so they can’tdetermine what may have led to their death, however, AWLA said Lily’scause of death could be attributed to her advanced age.
In response to the report, the AWLA recommended that PetSmart’s PetsHotel consider increasing staff or limiting the number of animals in their care.
“Pet boarding industry standards recommend having an animal-to-staff ratio of one person to every 15 animals in order to provide the highest level of care,” the report added.
The organization also suggested that PetSmart have a licensed veterinary technician to monitor animal health and train staff to quickly recognize and respond to medical issues.
“Clark was my friend, and he was my child,” Noles told 7News last month. “He was just such a sweet, sweet, sweet dog. He was playful. And he was a healthy dog.”
For more details on AWLA’s final report, residents can submit a request referencing report number A24-017718 on the Alexandria city website.
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