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Nicola Peltz Beckham Files Lawsuit Following Death of Dog Nala

Nicola Peltz Beckham has initiated legal proceedings against the groomer responsible for her late chihuahua, Nala, which tragically passed away shortly after a grooming session.

The actress has lodged her complaint against Jony Ceballos, Deborah “Deb” Gittleman, and their establishment, HoundSpa LLC, in the Supreme Court of New York, located in Westchester County. The lawsuit was officially filed on Tuesday, July 30.

Documents reviewed by PEOPLE reveal that the 29-year-old contends that the untimely death of Nala, which she publicly shared on Instagram alongside her husband, Brooklyn Beckham, was a direct result of Ceballos’s alleged “intentional and malicious abuse of dogs.”

Peltz Beckham has claimed that HoundSpa and Gittleman displayed “reckless and malicious conduct” by retaining Ceballos as an employee, despite a “history of complaints” regarding his recurrent mistreatment of animals.

According to the legal filing, Nala “passed away a mere two hours” after being groomed by Ceballos, who operated a mobile grooming service parked outside the celebrity couple’s residence on June 15. The lawsuit describes her condition as resulting from “injuries” sustained during the grooming process.

The complaint asserts, “Nala went into the grooming van, a happy, healthy dog, but returned injured and in severe physical distress—breathing heavily and wheezing, with her chest pulsating.”

Following the grooming, Peltz Beckham reportedly rushed Nala to a veterinary clinic just 15 minutes away, where veterinarians noted that “Nala’s tongue was blue, she had fluid in her lungs, and she suffered neurological damage.”

The desperate situation led to Nala being placed on oxygen, while Nicola endured the harrowing experience of witnessing her dog’s suffering.

Notably, Peltz Beckham expressed that Nala’s passing has left her with significant “damages and emotional distress.” The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of holding accountable those who inflict harm on animals and highlights the inadequacies in the current protections for pet owners and their beloved pets.

In response to the legal action, PEOPLE has reached out to HoundSpa for their comments on the situation.

Sharing her emotional state post-filing, Nicola expressed to PEOPLE her ongoing “shock and pain” surrounding Nala’s unexpected death, which followed what was meant to be a routine grooming appointment.

She elaborated, “I posted about my experience on Instagram to raise awareness, and I was heartbroken to hear the horrifying stories from so many others who have gone through similar tragedies. I can’t bear it. I’m outraged to learn how frequently events like Nala’s occur.”

As a passionate advocate for animal welfare, Nicola Peltz Beckham has pledged to fight for legislative changes that ensure no other family has to endure similar heartbreak. She stated, “I’ve dedicated most of my life to saving dogs, and I cannot, in good conscience, allow such a horrifying act to happen to more families.”

Source
people.com