Police are investigating the death of a dog at a Florida grooming, training and boarding facility after at least two other animals were reported to have died at the Palm City establishment.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the death of a labradoodle puppy while it was under the care of Pawsitively Paradise dog boarding and day care center and its owner Nikki Camerlengo, according to a Facebook press release from the sheriff’s office.
Third person says pet died at Palm City dog training facility amid ongoing investigation https://t.co/K1UFBBdOII
— WPTV (@WPTV) March 8, 2024
The dog’s death is one of three that have been reported to police at the facility, and the MSCO is awaiting the results of necropsies on two of the animals before deciding on whether to press charges, the release noted.
According to the press release, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office’s Animal Services division has written the business six citations for improper care in the past 12 months. (RELATED: Woman Who Stabbed Dog To Death And Bit Two People During Home Invasion Gets 12 Years)
ANOTHER DOG DEATH | The third reported death of a dog linked to Pawsitively Paradise has the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) concerned there may be even more.https://t.co/45hmy2YOyn
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) March 28, 2024
Local outlet WPTV broke the story of the investigation in Nov. 2022 after dog owners Dan and Adelle Csontos claimed that their healthy flat-coated retriever passed away at the groomer.
According to MCSO Chief Deputy John Budensiek, Camerlengo has been uncooperative and has refused to answer her phone or door. “It’s incumbent upon us as a sheriff’s office while we’re trying to make a criminal case to tell the public … there’s an issue at Pawsitively Paradise. You need to be extremely careful before you take your pet out there,” he told the outlet.
Nikki Camerlengo has not responded to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.