An investigation is underway by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria in Virginia following reports that three dogs fell sick and passed away after being boarded at a PetSmart facility.
The animal services team was alerted to a dog’s death at the PetsHotel on Richmond Highway in Alexandria. Since then, two more cases have surfaced where dogs also fell ill and died within a week of boarding at the same facility.
An update shared on the Animal Welfare League’s Facebook page mentioned that a necropsy was conducted on the deceased dog to determine the cause of death. The other two dogs had already been cremated before the investigation began.
The Animal Services team has been inspecting the PetsHotel every other day and gathering records from PetSmart while interviewing employees. PetSmart has been cooperative throughout the investigation.
The update cautions pet owners that unlike animal shelters, animal boarding facilities like PetsHotel aren’t routinely inspected by the state. Inspections usually only occur in response to a filed complaint.
This recent complaint sparked the first investigation at this location and underscores the importance of thorough research before selecting any pet boarding or sitting services.
