Nicola Peltz Beckham filed a lawsuit against the groomer who had been taking care of her chihuahua, Nala, just before she passed away. On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the actress filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester, against Jony Ceballos, Deborah “Deb” Gittleman, and HoundSpa LLC.
The 29-year-old, who along with her husband, Brooklyn Beckham, announced Nala’s death on Instagram, claims in a lawsuit that groomer Ceballos’ alleged “intentional and malicious abuse of dogs” was the reason behind Nala’s passing.
Lawsuit Filed Against the Groomer
Nicola Peltz Beckham accused Gittleman, the owner of the grooming business HoundSpa, and his staff of “reckless and malicious conduct” for having kept Ceballos on staff despite a purported “history of complaints” about him “repeatedly” mistreating and torturing animals.
Nala “passed away a mere two hours” on June 15, the lawsuit claims, after being attended to by Ceballos in a mobile grooming van outside of Nicola’s house because of her “injuries and severe condition.”
“Nala went into the grooming van, a happy, healthy dog, but returned injured and in severe physical distress, breathing heavily and wheezing, with her chest pulsating,” according to the lawsuit.
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After a 15-minute trip, Nicola Peltz Beckham is said to have hurried Nala to the veterinarian, noting that “Nala’s tongue was blue, she had fluid in her lungs, and she suffered neurological damage.”
The complaint further claimed that “Nala was put on oxygen and cared for as Nicola distressingly and emotionally witnessed her dog suffer.”
Nicola Peltz Beckham Lawsuit
Nicola Peltz Beckham’s lawsuit says she suffered “damages and emotional distress” following Nala’s death. “This case is about holding responsible those who abuse animals in their care and shedding light on the lack of protections for pet owners and their beloved dogs and pets,” the lawsuit states.
The model claims that the defendants’ “severe and outrageous conduct has caused damages and emotional distress to Nicola Peltz Beckham, who witnessed her beloved dog suffer and die.”
Where Did Nicola Peltz Beckham File the Lawsuit?
Nicola filed the lawsuit in Westchester County Court in New York. She claims that the owner of the business disregarded the groomer’s history of mistreatment and abuse of animals, knowing that he had repeatedly mistreated and abused them.
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“Nala entered a HoundSpa mobile grooming van on June 15 for a routine grooming as a happy and healthy dog,” said Nicola Peltz Beckham, an animal activist and avid dog lover who also operates a dog rescue organization called Yogi’s House.
“Only to emerge a short time later in obvious serious physical distress with her lungs full of water, chest pulsating and hyperventilating.”
How Long Has Nicola Peltz Beckham Been Grooming Her Dogs?
Nicola Peltz Beckham and her family had been grooming their dogs at different times using HoundSpa’s mobile grooming services while residing in New York for several years. She testified in court documents that she had a very bad experience with the groomer in the summer of 2022.
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She also claimed she had complained to the owner about how the groomer had treated her brother’s and his girlfriend’s dogs.
She further stated that the owner “received and knew of many other complaints alleging the groomer’s abuse and mistreatment of dogs.” Also, Nicola believed that upon receiving such complaints, the owner would not send the same groomer to her family,
However, Nicola says that’s not what happened when the same groomer turned up on June 15.
Nicola Feels Pain Over Her Dog’s Death
“I am honestly still in so much shock and pain over my daughter Nala suddenly passing last month following what should have been a routine grooming appointment,” Nicola Peltz Beckham said.
“I uploaded the story on my Instagram to promote awareness and was heartbroken to read about the horrible experiences of so many people who had experienced the same tragedy. It’s too much for me.”
Furthermore, the pet lover expressed how she has dedicated her life to rescuing dogs. “The family we have chosen is our pets,” she said. “I’ve devoted the majority of my life to dog rescue, and I can’t morally allow more families to be victims of this terrible atrocity.”
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