The Alexandria Animal Welfare League is investigating the deaths of three dogs that died during or shortly after being checked into the PetSmart Pets Hotel in Potomac Yard. This comes after a series of disturbing incidents that have raised serious concerns among pet owners and animal welfare agencies.
One of the affected dogs is a seven-year-old Great Dane named Nova Reed. Nova’s owner, Sara Reed, who moved to DC three years ago, noticed changes in Nova’s health and behavior after she was first dropped off at the Potomac Yard PetSmart.
“For the past three years, everything has been fine, for the most part,” Reed said. “Other than that kennel cough, and then one time she came home with digestive issues.”
However, during Nova’s last flight from June 28 to July 7, her condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. “Not only was she coughing up blood the last time we picked her up, but she also had diarrhea,” Reed recounted, highlighting the severity of Nova’s symptoms upon her return.
Investigation underway after dog deaths at PetSmart Pets Hotel:
The investigation began on July 1 following the death of a three-year-old Aussie doodle named Clark. Alexandria’s animal control director confirmed to News4 that the agency began an investigation following Clark’s death. Clark’s owner reported the dog dead on arrival when a PetSmart employee dropped the dog off at the vet while he was being kept at the Pets Hotel. Clark’s body was sent for an autopsy, an animal necropsy, and the League is still awaiting results.
Since then, two other pet owners have come forward with similar allegations. Investigators report that the owners claimed their dogs became ill and died within a week of being placed at Pets Hotel. All three dogs were placed at Pets Hotel during the same time period, prompting the federation to conduct bi-day inspections of the facility.
In response to these incidents, PetSmart issued a statement to News4, emphasizing their commitment to pet care and safety: “The care and safety of pets is our top priority. As pet lovers, we are heartbroken when a pet passes away. We take this matter extremely seriously and have been in contact with all involved to offer our full support. Based on what we have learned, these three incidents all had separate causes, ranging from underlying medical conditions to old age – not the time spent in our care. Out of an abundance of caution, we are proactively conducting hands-on retraining with our associates at Potomac Yard.”
Despite these reassurances, Sara Reed still expressed concerns and called for stricter measures.
“I think this facility should be closed until the investigation is complete,” she said. “I feel like I’m a long-time customer at this point, and although some of the staff have been nice to my dog, my dog has gone home, and like I said, there have been a few instances where it’s gone home, and there have been issues.”
News4 crews observed animal care workers entering and leaving the PetSmart facility on Saturday. While the exact nature of their activities remains unclear, the federation said PetSmart has been fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
As the investigation continues, pet owners like Sara Reed hope that steps will be taken to ensure no other pets suffer the same fate. The findings of the autopsy and the Federation’s thorough examination will be crucial in determining the next steps and ensuring the safety of all pets kept at Pets Hotel.
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