Nicola Peltz-Beckham is officially suing a New York grooming company following the sudden death of her chihuahua, Nala, back in June.
The 29-year-old actress and animal rights activist is taking aim at Bedford-based company HoundSpa, specifically one employee named Jony Ceballos, who she claims has a history of mistreating dogs, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ.
Peltz alleges that a routine grooming session in HoundSpa’s mobile van left her dog injured and in a severe condition that ultimately led to her death.
It’s unclear what exactly happened to Nala in the grooming van, but Peltz claims she “came out hyperventilating and couldn’t catch her breath,” and died just hours later. Sources previously told TMZ that vet records showed the dog had fluid in her lungs, neurological issues and a rapid heart rate prior to her passing.
The lawsuit claims Ceballos has a history of “intentional and malicious abuse of dogs,” and blames HoundSpa’s owner, Deborah Gittleman, for keeping Ceballos on staff despite past complaints about his behavior.
Peltz and her husband, Brooklyn Beckham, had reportedly used the grooming service without incident in the past, but this particular visit turned out to be devastating.
She says her other dog, Angel, has been suffering from severe anxiety since the visit, shaking and screaming when left alone.
Peltz is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in the lawsuit, but has expressed her intention to donate any money received to a dog rescue organization.
In a previous Instagram post, Peltz claimed HoundSpa had stopped cooperating with her legal team, and vowed to do everything she could in the hopes of making sure “this never happens to another family, because the pain is unbearable.”
