Nicola Peltz Beckham is taking a mobile dog grooming service to court, alleging the company is responsible for the death of her 8-year-old chihuahua, Nala.
The Lola star, 29, filed a complaint against groomer Jony Ceballos, owner Deborah “Deb” Gittleman, and HoundSpa LLC in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Westchester, on Tuesday, July 30.
The July 30 filing claimed that “upon information and belief, while grooming Nala, Ceballos not only failed to properly care for her, but also violently mistreated and/or intentionally abused the dog, with utter callous disregard for her safety, health, and well-being.”
The 2-pound chihuahua was said to have gone into a HoundSpa van for a routine grooming in June and came back “in obvious serious physical distress with her lungs full of water, chest pulsating, and hyperventilating.” Nala was rushed to the vet and died within hours, the complaint stated.
“The vet observed that Nala’s tongue was blue, she had fluid in her lungs, and she suffered neurological damage,” the lawsuit continued. “Nala was put on oxygen and cared for as Nicola distressingly and emotionally witnessed her dog suffer.”
After witnessing her beloved pet’s death, Nicola is said to have experienced “damages and emotional distress.”
“This case is about holding responsible those who abuse animals in their care and shedding light on the lack of protections for pet owners and their beloved dogs and pets,” the lawsuit added, accusing the grooming company of “reckless and malicious conduct” that led to her pet’s death.
The “reckless and malicious conduct” comment came after finding out that the company kept Ceballos employed despite a “history of complaints” about him “repeatedly” mistreating and abusing animals.
The actress said her brother and his girlfriend had a negative experience with Ceballos in 2022 after he groomed their dog and the pet allegedly returned “in distress” with red and irritated eyes.
Since the incident, The Last Airbender actress says HoundSpa has refused to give answers about what happened to her dog.
“With this lawsuit, Nicola strives to bring to light precisely what mistreatment and abuse was done to her beloved dog in that van,” the filing stated. “HoundSpa, its owner, and its groomer must be held accountable for their actions and pay for the life it ended.”
Peltz Beckham—married to Brooklyn Beckham since 2022—is seeking damages, which she says will be donated to dog rescue organizations. She also said she wants to shine a light on the issue of “unregulated, unlicensed, and abusive” groomers and push for legislation making video cameras mandatory in grooming vans.
