FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The owner of a dog training facility in Martin County was arrested Wednesday after a series of dog deaths stretching back for years.
Nikki Camerlengo, the owner of Pawsitively Paradise, a dog training, grooming and pet-sitting business in Palm City, faces one count of felony animal cruelty.
She was arrested in Fort Pierce by Martin County deputies. The charge is related to the latest dog that died while in care at the facility in March.
WPTV has spoken to multiple owners of dogs who said their pets died or experienced health problems while at the facility.
Deputies told NewsChannel 5 earlier this year that a 2-year-old golden doodle died in late March after four hours in the care of Pawsitively Paradise and Camerlengo, launching the agency’s third investigation into the dog training and grooming facility.
Alexis Kaclik went to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office on April 1 to file a report on an incident involving the dog training company in 2018.
Kaclik was the sixth person WPTV has reported on who said they have had horrific experiences with the dog training facility.
Kaclik said she dropped off her dog for boarding at Pawsitively Paradise but came back to find her dog seeming to be extremely sick and having trouble breathing.
“I just, I knew from when I picked her up something was wrong, so I had brought her into the vet and she ended up having a partially collapsed trachea,” Kaclik said.
Her dog Oakley survived but still isn’t back to normal nearly six years later.
‘THERE’S NO EXPLANATION’
Palm City couple, Dan and Adelle Csontos, told NewsChannel 5 in November 2022 that one of their flat-coated retrievers, Mako, died while in the company’s care.
“There’s no explanation for that healthy dog to have died,” Adelle Csontos said in 2022.
Dan Csontos said he went to pick up Mako, but he was unresponsive with yellow fluid coming from his mouth. The couple rushed the Mako to Pet Emergency for treatment but their pet died.
The multiple allegations of dogs dying in the facility’s care go as far back as 2014.
Is Dog Training Industry Regulated?
One of the other issues WPTV has been tracking is a lack of checks and balances in the dog training industry.
Camerlengo has already been cited eight times for improper care of animals, and Martin County code enforcement told WPTV reporter Kate Hussey there is no limit to the number of citations she can get. Code enforcement doesn’t have the power to pull a business license.
WPTV also learned there are no specific standards required for dog training. There are no federal or state certifications required, and thus no one is holding dog trainers accountable or enforcing humane training procedures.
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