Woman Says Dog Died After Grooming Table at PetSmart Crushed Pup to Death
A Nevada woman is grieving the loss of her 2-year-old bulldog which she says was crushed to death during a grooming appointment at PetSmart.
Vikki Seifert, 64, has yet to receive a direct answer as to exactly how her bulldog, Minni, ended up dead just 13 minutes after Seifert dropped her off for a nail trim and a bath at a Las Vegas PetSmart.
Seifert told KVVU that the confusing and tragic event happened just days after Christmas. Seifert said she was was browsing through the store while waiting for Minni to be groomed when she noticed store employees urgently rushing toward the grooming room.
When Seifert went to investigate, she saw Minni underneath a table, not moving.
“I ran in there,” Seifert said through tears. “When I went in, she was crushed under a grooming table. They said that they had listened for her heartbeat and she was gone.”
“They told me my dog was dead by 6:43 p.m.,” Vikki Seifert said. “I dropped her off at 6:30 p.m.”https://t.co/aIAAnzs888
— FOX5 Las Vegas (@FOX5Vegas) January 13, 2020
According to the Reno Gazette Journal, a man waiting to reschedule an appointment rushed in and tried to lift the electric table off of Minni.
“He kept saying, ‘It’s unplugged, it’s unplugged,’” Seifert said. “The two groomers were just standing there. I ran over and plugged it in, and we raised the table.”
Seifert was left confused and shocked by the sudden turn of events, wondering how Minni possibly could have died with two groomers in the room.
“They told me my dog was dead by 6:43 p.m.,” Seifert said to KVVU. “I dropped her off at 6:30 p.m.”
Seifert said that none of the employees could explain how her dog ended up pinned inside the electric grooming table, which would not reopen since it was unplugged.
“I don’t believe it was the weight of the table,” Seifert said. “It was the fact that it was electric and it had crushed her to the point that the table was closed all the way on her. And then with it being unplugged, there was no way to raise it.”
In the midst of her grief, Seifert wants answers as to what happened during the 13 minutes Minni was alone in the room with the two PetSmart employees.
“What were these two groomers doing? Why did no one notice where the dog was at? Why was she under a table? How does a dog go in for a bath and get crushed within 13 minutes?” she asked.
Seifert plans to view the video surveillance footage before deciding whether or not to take legal action.
“Minni from the age of eight weeks old has been at my side,” Seifert said to the Reno Gazette Journal. “I came in from work, and that dog was right at the door waiting for me with a green squeaky frog in her mouth. I just want to know what happened to my dog.”
In a statement to KVVU, PetSmart said it is committed to thoroughly investigating the incident.
“A tragic accident occurred in our grooming salon, which led to the heartbreaking loss of Minni. There’s nothing more important than the safety of the pets in our care, and we immediately launched a comprehensive investigation into how this type of unprecedented event could have possibly happened,” the statement read.
“We have been in constant contact with the pet parent since this occurred and will continue to do everything we can to help support her during this difficult time.”
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