Woman Issues Warning After Dog Dies In PetSmart Grooming

A former dog mom is issuing a warning to pet parents everywhere after her dog died on PetSmart’s grooming table.

According to a video interview from the animal rights organization PETA, Ashley Ross took her dog, Kobe, to a PetSmart store in Pittsburgh for a routine nail trimming when the unthinkable happened.

Ross shared in the interview that because of COVID protocols, she wasn’t allowed to stay with Kobe while his nails were being trimmed, but the employees assured her it would only take around 10 minutes.

With just a few minutes to kill, Ross waited outside the grooming area but began to worry when she heard an announcement calling for a manager to the grooming room. Not waiting to find out what happened, Ross entered the grooming room herself and found her dog, lifeless on the table.

“Everybody was just standing around doing absolutely nothing, and Kobe was [lying] there lifeless,” Ross recalled.

Without answers or help from the employees, Ross grabbed Kobe’s lifeless body and ran to the police for help. After getting the police involved, PetSmart was forced to release video footage of the incident and Ross was heartbroken at what she saw.

Ross shared footage of the incident on TikTok in hopes of warning other pet parents.

You can watch the video below, but note a trigger warning for disturbing footage and animal death:

@kobe_ross_ ****WARNING****This video is extremely difficult to watch, but PetSmart must be exposed for their egregious systemic pattern of negligence and abuse at their grooming centers. My dog Kobe went in for a simple nail trim and in less than 10 minutes he was dead! When I came back to pick him up, the groomers told me “he just passed out” but this video shows what really happened! Pet owners beware!!! #PetSmart #dogs #dogsoftiktok #toypoodle #Kobe ♬ original sound – Kobe Ross

In the surveillance footage, you can see two groomers working to trim Kobe’s nails while he struggles, seemingly suspended by two leashes wrapped around his neck. Moments later, he goes limp and lifeless and the employees can be seen standing around, waiting for management to come to check on the dog.

According to PETA, PetSmart stated that it had launched its own internal investigation and “found unintended failure to adhere to our pet safety processes” and that it was subject to an external investigation. The company allegedly terminated the employee it described as “responsible” for the incident.

You can watch PETA’s interview below:

Unfortunately, Kobe isn’t an isolated case. According to CBS News, 47 dogs died after grooming incidents at PetSmart over the past decade. Hopefully by bringing attention to the issue, something can be done to protect future dogs that go in for grooming.