Nicola Peltz is accusing groomers who ‘killed’ her beloved chihuahua Nala of hiding trail of abuse against other dogs
Nicola Peltz Beckham has accused the groomers who allegedly killed her beloved chihuahua of potentially harming “several” other pets and demanded the business hand over its customer records.
In court documents filed last week and obtained by the Daily Mail, the 30-year-old actor seeks to uncover whether the death of his dog Nala was part of a wider pattern of abuse by Westchester-based HoundSpa, which he claims now refuses to provide its client list.
Peltz’s lawyers said both parties were at an “impasse” after the company failed to comply with Peltz’s initial request and they met to resolve the matter out of court in October.
Nicola, who is married to 26-year-old British-born Brooklyn Beckham, filed her first lawsuit against HoundSpa, its owner Deborah Gittleman and dog walker Jonny Ceballos in 2024.
The Bates Motel star claimed ‘healthy, happy dog’ Nala returned from a mobile dog grooming session in ‘serious physical distress’ and died hours later.
Nicola Peltz claims her beloved chihuahua, Nala, was injured and suffered serious physical distress following routine maintenance on HoundSpa’s mobile van in Bedford, New York, last year
Chihuahua fell ill after a mobile grooming session in New York. She later died after being taken to the emergency vet (Nicola and Brooklyn are pictured at Nala’s grave)
Veterinary records revealed the eight-year-old dog suffered from fluid in his lungs, neurological problems and a dangerously fast heartbeat before his untimely death.
Nicola was left distressed by the incident and claimed Nala’s death was caused by ‘deliberate and malicious harassment’.
In the new filing, Nicola’s lawyers, Alicia Talbe and Daniella Vincent, said HoundSpa refused to provide its client list, claiming the request was too broad.
‘Many other HoundSpa customers reported that their dogs, like Plaintiff’s dog, were injured by the defendants,’ the documents state.
‘Therefore, the plaintiff has a bona fide basis to believe that HoundSpa’s customer list includes other customers who have not yet been identified and whose dogs were similarly injured.
‘The client list could lead to the discovery of other people whose dogs were injured by the defendants; This relates to the plaintiff’s allegations regarding the defendants’ intent and knowledge.’
Peltz, 30, is now demanding the dog groomers turn over client records to determine whether Nala’s death is part of a broader pattern of abuse by the company
HoundSpa, located in Bedford, New York, has mixed Google reviews with some customers complaining about mistreatment of their animals
The file states that following a conference between lawyers on November 18, the parties were at an “impasse” and therefore asked the judge to resolve this situation.
No customers are named in the document, but HoundSpa mixes Google reviews with some customers complaining about mistreatment of their animals.
Overall the company has a three out of five star rating.
In a review seven months ago, Lauren Krasne gave the company one star out of five and wrote: ‘Hound Spa was the worst grooming business my dogs have ever received.
‘My little dog came back to me with razor cuts on his chest and belly and the groomer said nothing about it. ‘Do not put or use your dogs in a dangerous situation’.
Carmen Santos also gave it one star rating and wrote an even harsher review; This review was liked by 37 people.
Dog owner Lauren Krasne, who used HoundSpa’s services, claims it was ‘the worst grooming job my dogs have ever received’ and they came back crippled
He wrote: ‘If you love your animals DO NOT USE HOUND SPA’.
Santos said he got the German Shepherd and Shiba/Husky mix from Ceballos, but he had a “bad vibe” because he was “not friendly.”
Santos claimed that when he tried to talk to Gittleman, Gittleman would ‘brush aside’ his concerns.
Another woman, Gigi Perry, gave it one star in her review and said she had a ‘terrible experience’ at HoundSpa.
He claimed that his dog was ‘traumatized’ and that after every grooming, his dog had diarrhea due to stress.
Perry wrote: ‘This last visit… Jonny came home, treated the puppy so horribly (in front of several witnesses) that the puppy peed while he was grabbing it!
The couple was seen hugging the cute dog in photos shared on social media.
‘LAST TIME. NEVER AGAIN!’
HoundSpa’s website promotes its mobile dog grooming service, a ‘crate-free/stress-free’ way to groom your pet where they never leave home.
But even the Facebook page where she posts pictures of well-groomed dogs has been marked by comments from Nicola’s supporters.
Next to a photo of a woman standing outside a maintenance van, one user wrote: ‘We need cameras inside the van. Rip Nala’.
Gittleman’s lawyer, Tony Siano, said in an email: ‘My client and I will pursue this case in court, not through social media posts.’
He treated the application as a mere ‘argument’ from Nicola.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Ceballos’ lawyer and a representative for Nicola for comment.
