American actress Nicola Peltz Beckham has taken legal action against a dog grooming company she claims is responsible for the death of her beloved chihuahua, Nala, and is now demanding access to client records to determine whether other pets suffered similar harm.
Legal Battle Over Pet's Tragic Death
In court documents filed last week and obtained by the Daily Mail, the 30-year-old actress alleges that her healthy, happy dog returned from a grooming session at Westchester-based HoundSpa in severe physical distress and died just hours later. The tragic incident occurred last year at the mobile dog groomer's van in Bedford, New York.
Veterinary records revealed that eight-year-old Nala suffered from multiple serious conditions before her untimely death, including fluid in her lungs, neurological issues, and a dangerously rapid heart rate. Peltz Beckham, who is married to British photographer Brooklyn Beckham, claims the dog's death resulted from intentional and malicious abuse.
Pattern of Abuse Allegations
The new legal filing reveals that both parties have reached an impasse after HoundSpa failed to comply with initial requests for information and a meeting to resolve the matter outside of court in October. Lawyers for Peltz Beckham are now demanding the company hand over its customer list, arguing they have good faith basis to believe other dogs were similarly injured.
In the court documents, attorneys Alicia Talbe and Daniella Vincent stated: "Several other HoundSpa customers have reported that their dogs, like Plaintiff's dog, were injured by defendants. Plaintiff, therefore, has a good faith basis to believe that HoundSpa's customer list includes other customers, who are yet to be identified and whose dogs were similarly injured."
Mixed Reviews and Customer Complaints
While the filing doesn't mention specific customers by name, HoundSpa's online reputation reveals several concerning patterns. The company maintains only a three-star rating out of five on Google reviews, with multiple customers reporting negative experiences.
In a review from seven months ago, customer Lauren Krasne awarded one star and wrote: "Hound Spa was by far the worst grooming job my dogs have ever gotten. My younger dog came back to me with cuts from the razor on her chest and stomach."
Another customer, Carmen Santos, delivered an even more scathing assessment that was liked by 37 people: "DO NOT USE HOUND SPA if you love your animals." Santos described getting a "bad vibe" from groomer Jonny Ceballos and claimed owner Deborah Gittleman would "brush over" her concerns.
Additional complaints include Gigi Perry's account of her dog being left "traumatized" and developing diarrhea from stress after every grooming session. Perry alleged that during one visit, Ceballos "mishandled the puppy in such a horrific manner the pup peed as he grabbed them."
The original lawsuit was filed in 2024 against HoundSpa, its owner Deborah Gittleman, and dog groomer Jonny Ceballos. Following a conference between lawyers on November 18th, the parties acknowledged they were at a standstill and asked the judge to intervene.
Tony Siano, lawyer for Gittleman, dismissed the recent filing as merely an "argument" from Nicola's side and stated: "My client and I will conduct this litigation in court, not by social media posts."
The case continues as Peltz Beckham seeks justice for Nala and attempts to determine whether her beloved pet's death represents part of a wider pattern of alleged abuse by the grooming company.
