A family dropped their dog at Pups Paradise and got a call less than a day later that their dog had been found dead.
PERRYSBURG, Ohio —
A family dropping their dog at a Perrysburg boarding kennel for a stay quickly turned into their last goodbye.
Nala, a 12-year-old Chihuahua, was dropped off at Pups Paradise on June 5, when her owners, Raul Morello and Maria Arria, got a call the following day saying there was an emergency.
They only boarded her when necessary, which was just a handful of times.
“She always wanted to be held,” Morello said.
Her owners had left her at Pups Paradise before with no issues. Before this most recent stay, Nala had to go through a temperament test, which she passed.
Pups Paradise said dogs are grouped by temperament and play style, not just size.
Nala was dropped off, and the next day, Morello and Arria got the call that has disrupted their lives ever since.
Arria had just landed in Florida when she got the call, and she said her daughter got video from Pups Paradise of when Nala was found.
In the video, dozens of dogs can be seen walking around with two workers nearby. Once they start to clear, Nala is found on the ground by a worker, with bite marks on her neck.
“I presume that she died instantly because of fear or something,” Arria said.
Morello said he knew Nala was getting older and that she would pass at some point, but this unforeseen grief has been difficult to navigate.
Her owners said Nala has been the ruler of their house for the past 11 years.
“She was the queen of the house,” Arria said.
Nala weighed 5-and-a-half pounds, but her owners say that what she lacked in size, she made up for in personality and love.
“She used to lick my cheeks daily,” Morello said.
Her owners said they are hoping their story will be a warning to others.
“I didn’t say bye to her and she passed in a horrible, horrible way,” Morello said. “She was an angel.”
Pups Paradise has already changed how different-sized dogs are housed and sent WTOL 11 the following statement in response to the incident:
“Group play in dog daycare offers fun and enrichment, but it also carries inherent risks. All dogs that are in daycare at our facility pass a temperament evaluation, but even well-behaved dogs can react unpredictably. While many assume a dog’s size determines its risk in group settings, that’s not always the case—larger dogs can be calm and gentle, and smaller dogs can be more assertive or energetic. That’s why we group dogs by temperament and play style, not just size. However, moving forward, we’ve made the decision to no longer allow our smallest and most fragile guests to participate in pack play out of an abundance of caution.
This tragic incident has left our team heartbroken. Staff were physically present in the pack when the incident occurred, and within less than five seconds, a tragedy unfolded. Two team members were within 8-10 feet of the dogs and responded immediately. The family had approved group play as part of their dog’s care plan. An internal investigation was conducted over the days following the incident, and out of respect for the family’s grief, we emailed them a detailed summary of our investigation 24 hours before posting publicly, so they would receive all facts directly before hearing them elsewhere.
We remain devastated by this incident and are doing everything we can to ensure the safest environment possible. Our hearts go out to the family affected, and we share in their grief.“
Arria wishes something had been done before Nala died.
In a post on Facebook, Pups Paradise said it believes the dog responsible for the incident has been identified and will no longer be allowed at the facility.
Morrello and Arria filed a police report, but said they have no plans of suing.
“Not any money is going to bring her back,” Arria said. “We want things to change there.”
Morello and Arria cremated Nala on Tuesday and were able to say their final goodbyes. They said Pups Paradise paid for the cremation.
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