Dog dies at Warren groomer; owner wants business closed

Bethany Iiams called Daisy her star.

Her eight-year-old shih-tzu maltese mix was the oldest of her family’s three dogs and was friendly, happy and trusting. Last week, Daisy died after asphyxiating in the care of a Warren pet groomer. Ms. Iiams is inconsolable, wants the business closed and is considering pushing for legislation which would require the licensing and regulation of pet groomers in Rhode Island.

“I just hope that what happened to my dog will help other people from going through the same thing,” she said. “It’s horrible.”

Ms. Iiams bought Daisy when she was 10 weeks old. As she’d done five or six times in the past, she brought her last Wednesday, May 31 to Dirty Dog Pet Groomers at 12 Paquin Ave. in Warren. Dirty Dog advertises itself as a “crate free” groomer and uses a table and slip lead, which is placed around the pet’s neck and tethers it in place for grooming.

During the procedure the groomer, David Russell, stepped away for two to six minutes. Upon his return, he found Daisy hanging from the slip lead.

Though Ms. Iiams said she had always been happy with Dirty Dog’s work, she believes Mr. Russell’s actions were negligent and Daisy’s death could have been avoided.

“My biggest concern is that he’s still in business and there’s still pets going there,” she said. “I don’t think what he did was malicious. I don’t think he wanted this to happen. But when he walked away he knew that this could happen. I would like him closed.”

A voicemail left with Dirty Dog was not returned Wednesday.

One day after Daisy’s death, Ms. Iiams sent Mr. Russell a lengthy text message that she said was not returned. She also called the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and RISPCA investigator Joe Warzycha went to the business and later spoke to Warren police about the incident.

This Wednesday, Deputy Warren Police Chief Joseph Loiselle said that after speaking to Mr. Warzycha, police contacted Warren Town Solicitor Anthony DeSisto to ask his opinion on whether the groomer should be charged with violating Rhode Island General Law 4-1-3, “Unnecessary Cruelty to Animals.” That law requires the presences of maliciousness and recklessness to proceed.

“Our solicitor ruled there was insufficient evidence to charge,” Deputy Chief Loiselle wrote in an e-mail.

Though criminal charges will not proceed, Ms. Iiams said she has spoken to representatives from the Rhode Island Professional Grooming Association, as well as a West Bay legislator who has been working on legislation that would require regulation of pet groomers apart from the business license that most towns, like Warren, require.

“There’s no one checking on these groomers,” she said. “There is nobody regulating what anyone is doing and no accountability in any way.”

She said she will also likely contact local legislators to see if they would co-sign any possible legislation. The goal, she said, is to promote and require best practices, safety and common sense, as well as oversight. She misses Daisy terribly and hopes that one positive spot can be found in the wake of the tragedy.

“I just don’t want this to happen again.”