Nicola Peltz Beckham files lawsuit over pet dog's death

Nicola Peltz Beckham files a lawsuit following the sudden death of her chihuahua, Nala, after a grooming session.

Nicola Peltz Beckham has filed a lawsuit following the sudden death of her chihuahua, Nala, after a grooming session. Last month, Nicola shared her grief on Instagram, describing how Nala was “perfectly healthy when she went to the groomers but came out hyperventilating and couldn’t catch her breath” before passing away two hours later.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by 𝓃𝒾𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶 (@nicolaannepeltzbeckham)

The lawsuit, filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester, names HoundSpa LLC, its owner Deborah "Deb" Gittleman, and groomer Jony Ceballos. According to documents obtained by People, Nicola claims Ceballos's "intentional and malicious abuse of dogs" caused Nala's death. She also accuses Gittleman and HoundSpa of "reckless and malicious conduct" for retaining Ceballos despite alleged complaints of animal mistreatment.

Nicola’s post detailed the distressing events, stating, “We rushed her to the vet and she passed hours later. I’m sharing this in hopes that it might prevent this from happening to other dogs.” She warned followers to be cautious of whom they send their pets to for grooming.

In her legal filing, Nicola alleges that Nala returned from the mobile grooming van in severe distress, "breathing heavily and wheezing, with her chest pulsating." The vet later found "Nala’s tongue was blue, she had fluid in her lungs, and she suffered neurological damage."

The lawsuit highlights the emotional distress Nicola experienced, noting that she witnessed her dog suffer. In a statement to People, Nicola expressed her ongoing shock and pain, stating, "I posted the experience on my Instagram to bring awareness, and was heartbroken to hear the horrifying stories from so many others who have experienced the same tragedy."