Dogs

“TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) - What began as a routine appointment to get a dog groomed ended in tragedy and criminal charges against two employees. An English bulldog named Walter was brought to the Sabino Canyon Pet Resort to be groomed, but he didn't leave alive.

County investigators are disturbed after seeing the video showing Walter in distress at the grooming facility. Then, seconds later, seeing him dead.

Pima Animal Care Center launched an investigation after Walter's owner reached out to them. Now, two employees are facing animal cruelty charges for the Nov. 18 incident.

In video obtained by News 4 Tucson Investigators, you can see Walter finishing a bath. He was then moved to a grooming table to get his nails clipped when suddenly he appears in distress. Two employees are by his side where Walter can be seen wearing a muzzle.

The video stops for about 30 seconds – then resumes at which point the recording shows Walter lifeless. He died on that table. But exactly how or why remained unknown.

"We observed Walter on a grooming table with what's called a grooming loop around his neck, a grooming band which is under his abdomen area and a muzzle on. We also observed some restraints that we felt was excessive," said Danielle Hinte with the Pima Animal Care Center.

Remember the 30 seconds of missing video? Sabino Canyon Pet Resort told PACC investigators the 30 seconds of missing video was due to the cameras stopping the recording for “unknown reasons.”

Investigators turned their attention to bather Rosa Cardenas and groomer Susan Arnold, who had retired by the time the investigation began. In April, PACC interviewed Arnold who laughed and said Walter “just went bye bye."

The PACC investigator asked if Walter had a muzzle on, which was seen in the video, to which Arnold replied: “No, because those kinds of dogs you can't really put a muzzle on and I was holding him in a way he didn't need a muzzle on."

Cardenas told investigators that while bathing Walter, he was freaking out. After the bath, she said he threw up food and yellow bile so she placed him in a kennel dryer for 30-45 minutes.

After that, Cardenas said she brought Walter to the grooming table and placed a muzzle on him “to prevent him from biting,” even though Cardenas stated Walter wasn't trying to bite. Cardenas said once on the grooming table, Walter urinated, took two breaths and then died.

Meanwhile, multiple sources on grooming practices warn not to leave dogs in heated kennel dryers for more than 15 minutes. Pawsitivity Pet Spa published an article stating it can be “deadly, especially for dogs that are brachycephalic like bulldogs,” which means they have a short skull making it difficult to breath and hard to cool themselves. Cardenas told investigators the dryers they used blew cool air.

Walter received a necropsy from Valley Animal Hospital where the examiner concluded Walter likely died “due to being muzzled and facing a stressful event.”

In Arizona, pet groomers do not require a license or special training. There is also no board overseeing their performance.

After watching the video and getting conflicting statements from the women, PACC investigators charged both women with misdemeanor animal cruelty counts.

In June, Arnold had an arraignment in Tucson City Court where her case is ongoing. News 4 Tucson approached her outside of the courthouse, asking if she had anything to say about the charges. Arnold called the charges “ridiculous” adding she's been grooming for 50 years and “that's all I'm going to say."

Cardenas had an appearance in court last month.

Both women are now waiting to learn their fate following not guilty pleas. PACC says they each face up to a $2,500 fine and no more than 6 months in jail if found guilty.

News 4 Tucson repeatedly reached out to Sabino Canyon Pet Resort for comment, but never heard back.

Susan Arnold retired; it's unclear the employment status of Rosa Cardenas.

Walter became a notable pup across Southern Arizona, helping with multiple charities and events for years. He was also a comfort for many children in need.

Walter's family continues to grieve and fight for answers and justice for their beloved pet.

Stay with News 4 Tucson as we learn more.“