PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County woman is taking legal action against a West Palm Beach pet boarding facility, claiming her husky suffered injuries and neglect while in its care. The lawsuit comes as new animal protection laws take effect across Florida.
WATCH BELOW: 'It was devastating. It was terrible,' Ali Peltz tells WPTV's Kayla McDermott
Ali Peltz filed a small-claims lawsuit against Ohana Pet Resort after her dog Damon, allegedly returned home with serious health issues following two separate stays at the facility.
"It was devastating. It was terrible," Peltz said.
During Damon's first stay, Peltz said she trusted the facility with her pet's care but found him seriously ill upon pickup.
"I tried to go to the bathroom, was just screaming and crying in pain," she said.
Despite the initial problems, Peltz gave the resort another chance months later, which she now calls a mistake.
"He actually had cuts and scabs all over his testicles. It was an infection," Peltz said.
According to the lawsuit, Damon returned home with gastrointestinal distress, open and uncleaned wounds, and was covered in urine. The dog required veterinary treatment and medication.
"They said, because of the anxiety and the licking, it probably led to an infection from the urine," Peltz said.
Dennis Almendaris, Vice President of Ohana Pet Resort, disputes the allegations and says the facility has maintained a clean record throughout its decade in business.
"We've been in business for 10 years. We've never had a lawsuit," Almendaris said. "There is no correlation whatsoever to any kind of outbreak, illness. We can't control if a dog leaves our facility and starts licking himself."
The lawsuit comes as Florida implements new animal protection laws, including Dexter's Law, which creates a public database for convicted animal abusers and increases transparency requirements for pet care businesses.
Peltz's attorney Michael Vater believes these new protections will strengthen their case.
"There's a tremendous need to protect these pet owners from unscrupulous business practices," Vater said. "This is going to be very helpful for us as we proceed with this case to get justice for Damon."
The new laws can be applied retroactively to cases like this one, according to Vater, even though the incidents occurred before the legislation took effect.
Both sides are scheduled to appear before a judge in April. Peltz is seeking compensation for boarding fees, veterinary bills and legal costs totaling thousands of dollars.
"Let's just wait till it goes to court and see who prevails," Almendaris said.
For Peltz, the case represents more than financial compensation.
"I'd be more than thrilled. It's the least that he deserves," she said about the possibility of winning the case.
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