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A woman who found her dog lifeless on a foster table in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood in November said: “Kobe was a very loving and energetic dog,” AJ Ross tells Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. Ross brought Kobe, a miniature poodle, to PetSmart on Center Avenue in East Liberty for a routine nail cut last November. Ross was told she would not be allowed to be with Kobe during the appointment due to COVID-19 rules. Ross did a quick errand, and when she returned, Kobe was lifeless on the nursing table. ‘I picked it up. And I ran out of the store and I was blown away when I left the store at the moment because I thought if I could just take it outside and get it some fresh air and I would love to shake it, maybe it would start again to breathe. And he was just lifeless in my arms, “Ross said. She took Kobe to a nearby vet who tried to resuscitate him but was unsuccessful. Ross called Humane Animal Rescue after seeing the video two weeks after Kobe’s death Ross says, and the criminal complaint confirms, that Kobe put two ropes around his neck from opposite sides to effectively choke him. Ross says the video shows he also had no feet on the nursing table. “It stretches his Neck and choke him and all four paws are hung up. So it’s almost like paddling a dog, he couldn’t keep his feet on the ground for a minute enough to breathe, “said Ross. According to the criminal complaint, PetSmart officials allege that the dog passed out and limp, but police say that video footage showed the dog hanging on two leashes. Four women are charged in connection with the dog’s death. Heather Rowe, Elizabeth Doty, Julie Miller and Shaphan Stonge have all been charged with cruelty to animals. A former lawyer for Rowe testified by PetSmart moved to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. PetSmart posted the following statement: “Losing Kobe was heartbreaking and we’re really sorry. After that terrible accident, we opened an internal investigation and determined that it wasn’t. “We kept to an outside investigation, fired the staff in charge and performed an autopsy to provide answers.” Ross says she speaks out because she wants stricter rules and regulations for zookeepers in Pennsylvania, so what happened Kobe doesn’t happen to other dogs. “I don’t want this to happen again,” said Ross. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to Humane Animal Rescue for no comment on this case. Give the following suggestions to owners as they decide where to groom their pets: 1. May I see your facility? What does she look like? How does it smell You should see a well-ventilated salon, clean workspaces, sturdy tables and tubs, and pet-friendly products. Are you wondering, is this a place I like to leave my dog? 2. What services do you offer besides brushing, shampoo and haircut? You would like to know which services a piste or grooming salon offers. Snow groomers have the right tools and skills to remove mats, trim nails, and clean ears. Professional snow groomers can alert you to ear infections, tooth decay and skin infections. “3. Can I stay and watch while you groom my dog? (This may not be possible with COVID restrictions.) Your own nerves can make your dog more anxious, but it is not inappropriate to want to observe, at least the first time. It is also a great opportunity to observe your dog’s behavior for future visits. Do you have experience with my dog’s breed? Some breeds have special grooming needs. You may want to find a dog groomer who is experienced with your particular breed. Ask if he or she knows the breed standard and if he or she can perform the correct haircut for your breed. What kind of training do you have? The training can vary. Some snow groomers learn on the job through apprenticeships or mentoring programs. Others attend classes at an animal care school. You want to get a feel for the experience, training and knowledge of the snow groomer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about grooming your dog. 6. What kind of products do you use? Gentle, high-quality washing and care products with a minimum of aggressive chemicals are preferred here. 7. What type of credentials / certifications does the company have? Dealing with low stress and reluctance or fearless certification or other voluntary training programs are a good sign that the groomer is committed to providing the best and safest service. 8. How will my dog be accommodated? Your dog’s safety out of your care is a major concern. You want to know how your dog will be housed when it is not on the grooming table. Pets that are not cared for must be secured in a crate or secure play area (with the owner’s consent). Your dog should have a crate to himself, with clean upholstery, plenty of air, and in view of the salon staff. What is your contingency procedure? Do the staff have basic medical and first aid experience? Of course, you hope it isn’t needed. You want to know whether an employee who is familiar with first aid is always present. The groomer should ask you about your dog’s health and conditions such as skin problems, allergies, arthritis, or other illnesses. This will help determine how they are handling your dog, what products they are using, and whether your dog has any physical limitations.
PITTSBURGH –
A woman who found her dog lifeless on a grooming table in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood in November speaks out.
“Kobe was a very affectionate and energetic dog,” AJ Ross tells Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Ross took Kobe, a miniature poodle, to PetSmart on Center Avenue in East Liberty last November for a routine nail clip.
Ross was told she would not be allowed to be with Kobe during the appointment because of COVID-19 rules. Ross did a quick errand, and when she returned, Kobe was lifeless on the nursing table.
“I picked it up. And I ran out of the store and was overwhelmed when I left the store at the moment because I thought I could just take it outside and get some fresh air and I would love to shake it.” Maybe he would start breathing again. And he was just lifeless in my arms, “said Ross.
She took Kobe to a nearby vet who tried to resuscitate him but was unsuccessful.
Ross called Humane Animal Rescue after watching the video that happened two weeks after Kobe’s death.
Ross says, and the criminal complaint confirms, Kobe put two leashes around his neck from opposite sides to effectively choke him.
Ross says the video shows he didn’t have feet on the grooming table either.
“It stretches his neck and chokes him and all four paws are hung up. So it’s almost like a dog paddle, he couldn’t keep his feet on the ground for a minute enough to get air,” Ross said.
According to the criminal complaint, PetSmart employees allege the dog passed out and went limp, but police say that video footage showed the dog hanging on two leashes.
Four women are charged in connection with the dog’s death.
Heather Rowe, Elizabeth Doty, Julie Miller and Shaphan Stonge have all been charged with animal cruelty.
A former Rowe attorney has deferred PetSmart’s testimony to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
PetSmart released the following statement:
“Losing Kobe was heartbreaking and we are really sorry. After that terrible accident, we opened an internal investigation and found that our pet safety procedures were inadvertently breached. We also worked with an outside investigation that responsible employee terminated and facilitated an autopsy to provide answers. “
Ross says she speaks out because she wants stricter rules and regulations for zookeepers in Pennsylvania so what happened to Kobe doesn’t happen to other dogs.
“I don’t want this to happen again,” said Ross.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to Humane Animal Rescue, which did not comment on the case.
However, they gave the following suggestions to the owners when making a decision about where to have their pets groomed:
1. Can I see your facility?
How does it look like? How does it smell You should see a well-ventilated salon, clean workspaces, sturdy tables and tubs, and pet-friendly products. Are you wondering, is there a place I like to leave my dog?
2. What services do you offer besides brushing, shampoo and haircut?
You would like to know which services a piste or grooming salon offers. Snow groomers have the right tools and skills to remove mats, trim nails, and clean ears. Professional snow groomers can alert you to ear infections, tooth decay and skin infections. “
3. Can I stay and watch while you groom my dog? ((This may not be possible with COVID restrictions.
Your own nerves can make your dog more anxious, but it is not inappropriate to want to observe, at least the first time. It’s also a great opportunity to observe your dog’s behavior on future visits.
4. Do you have any experience with the breed of my dog?
Some breeds have special grooming needs, so you should find a groomer that is experienced with your specific breed. Ask if he or she knows the breed standard and if he or she can perform the correct haircut for your breed.
5. What kind of training do you have?
The training can vary. Some snow groomers learn on the job through apprenticeships or mentoring programs. Others attend classes at an animal care school. You want to get a feel for the experience, training and knowledge of the snow groomer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about grooming your dog.
6. What kind of products do you use?
Gentle, high-quality washing and care products with a minimum of aggressive chemicals are preferred here.
7. What type of credentials / certifications does the company have?
Dealing with low stress and reluctance or fearless certification or other voluntary training programs are a good sign that the groomer is committed to providing the best and safest service.
8. How will my dog be accommodated?
Your dog’s safety out of your care is a major concern. You want to know how your dog will be housed when it’s not on the grooming table. Pets that are not cared for must be secured in a crate or secure play area (with owner approval). Your dog should have a crate of its own, with clean padding, plenty of air, and in view of the salon staff.
9. What is your emergency procedure? Do the staff have basic medical and first aid experience?
Of course, you hope it isn’t needed. You want to know whether an employee who is familiar with first aid is always present. The groomer should ask you about your dog’s health and conditions such as skin problems, allergies, arthritis, or other illnesses. This will help determine how they are handling your dog, what products they are using, and whether your dog has any physical limitations.
