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A South Florida woman is grieving the loss of her entire fur-family – three dogs, a 15-year-old Shih Tzu named Sophie, a 10-year-old sheltie named Lancelot, and a 6-year-old mixed breed named Freeda, after the trio went for their bi-weekly trip to the groomer for baths and nail trims.
For the last three years, the pups have been picked up every other Friday by their groomer, Charliston Seixas, who took the pups to his grooming facility, The Pet Club.
On Friday, March 18, Seixas picked up the dogs, loaded them into his grooming van, and headed to the store. It would be the last time their owner, Danielle Trentin, would see them alive.
As the day wore on, Trentin became increasingly worried about her dogs. She hadn’t heard from the groomer and he hadn’t returned the dogs as usual. When she tried calling, no one answered the phone. She drove to The Pet Club and found the doors locked and the business closed. So, Trentin drove to Seixas’ home and demanded answers.
“I said, ‘Where are my dogs?’ He said, ‘Oh, I delivered them a long time ago.’ I said, ‘No, you didn’t,'” she said. “That’s when he said, ‘Oh, I forgot them at the store. Give me one minute. I’ll go there, pick them up and I’ll bring them back to you.'”
Trentin and her husband followed Seixas back to The Pet Club. The groomer went inside and immediately came back out crying. She ran inside and found nothing but empty cages.
That’s when Trentin’s husband discovered their beloved dogs inside the grooming van. All three were dead. Necropsies confirmed the family of dogs had died from heat exhaustion after being left for an unknown length of time inside the vehicle, parked just around the block from their home.
“You know what kills me? That I keep thinking, they were inside the car, asking for me. ‘Where is my mom? She is always here with us. Why is she not here saving us?'” she said. “And I just can’t sleep because of that. And I hope they can forgive me one day for not saving them.”
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. While Trentin doesn’t believe the groomer intentionally killed her dogs, she does believe he was negligent. He may face animal cruelty charges.
Mel
Jul 5, 2016 at 2:15 pm
We used to take our dog to a groomer but each time we left him,his behavior would get worse. The last time we took him instead of taking the usual 3 hours they had him for 6. A couple of days after this we heard on the news that a fur baby had died from this company by leaving him in the dryer to long. We had know idea that they used hair dryers.I won’t name the place because it is quite popular but after that we called a grooming company that comes to our house and grooms our fur baby. He still gets nervous but not near as bad as before.
Janet
Jun 6, 2016 at 11:15 pm
I would have been locked up because I would have probably killed the asshole! No excuse for negligence and the suffering of those beautiful animals! Sooo upset!
Carol
Jun 6, 2016 at 8:16 pm
How could he forget the dogs? WTH? He’s nuts! Needs to be prevented from being near anymore animals. I can’t imagine how horrible it was for a he dogs!!! Then their owner finds them! Dead! And, they lived a short distance from this business. I would go crazy knowing my furbabies were close by fighting for their lives in the heat and no air! Unbelievable! This guy ought to get the death penalty!!!! Seriously!!!
Erica
May 30, 2016 at 3:01 am
This guy should be charged! How does he just forget that he left dogs in a vehicle? Freaking idiot!
Rick
May 25, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Get a sniper, take out the groomer!
Willa
May 25, 2016 at 11:38 am
I understand everyone anger towards this person and how sad and tragic this is, I could not imagine how the owners feel! But please people don’t put all groomers in the same box as this guy. I have been a groomer for over 30 years and love my job! And not many people can actually say they live going to work every day but I can. I am not siding with this man and I agree that it is no different then leaving a child in a hot car and it should be treated as such but it’s almost like people are saying that we should punish all people who have children because their are some that have left their kids in the car. Well not all groomers should be punished because of stupid acts of a few bad apples. I really am asking everyone to NOT judge all groomers because things like this happen, most of us are very caring, loving animal lovers and take the up most precaution to insure that your pet is well taken care of. And I want to thank Tabitha Eades for offering such a great gift to this owner! WTG! I wish I could offer something to help their grief to represent groomers.
Anita Phillips
May 17, 2016 at 1:04 pm
He absolutely should face cruelty charges; if there’s a license involved, he should lose it. He never be allowed to own or be around animals ever again. I’m sorry, but there’s no excuse for this! None!
jenny
May 14, 2016 at 2:47 pm
This is no different in my eyes than leaving human children in the car. I would call it murder and sentence the person responsible as such!!
Tabitha Eades
May 14, 2016 at 10:45 am
My heart breaks for this poor family – such a tragic way to loose their furry family members. I can only imagine the devastation they must be feeling and I wish I could help them somehow.
I am an animal portrait artist, and would love to offer this family a painting (free) of their beloved furkids as a tribute to honour their memory. I am based in Adelaide,South Australia and would love to contact them to make this offer. I can be contacted through my facebook Page “A Brush with Magic”
I would truly appreciate it if my details could be passed on to them in the hopes of bringing them some comfort.
My love and heartfelt condolences to them. Xx Tabitha Eades
Tara Trainor
May 14, 2016 at 8:45 am
I hope this stupid, stupid POS gets everything he deserves!!!!! I would NEVER trust anyone with my dogs and people wonder why????? This guy KILLED HER WHOLE FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he has nightmares the rest of his miserable life!!!!! Stupid *ucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anna
May 14, 2016 at 12:02 am
Sickening! I am crying for this family. At the least he should be prosecuted!
Johanna Duffek-Kowal
May 13, 2016 at 10:01 am
This, at least, is a case of GROSS NEGLIGENCE – there is NO excuse for “forgetting” three dogs in some car! If you can’t handle the responsibility for living sentient beings, DON’T start a business dealing with them.
Tami Stodghill
May 12, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Heaven help ANY groomer who left my dogs in his van to die of heatstroke!!! Seriously!!! It is why we don’t kennel our dogs EVER and why I groom them. What a horrible and sad ending for these 3 dogs. This guy needs to be charged!!!
Penny LaPorta
May 12, 2016 at 3:52 pm
I am stunned that anybody could just forget they had three dogs in their car! How go did they not hear them crying? Jail time for murder!
Carol Dorr
May 12, 2016 at 3:28 pm
He should face charges, he almost killed another dog Brutus right before this, he left the dog in a heat dryer. He should never groom another animal again and both these are neglect!!
Fay
May 12, 2016 at 2:55 pm
These people should not be in business. You don’t “forget ” dogs are in the car.
Chris S
May 12, 2016 at 6:10 am
LIAR!!! Most likely high. You don’t forget you have three dogs to groom. Something fishy. And MAY face charges???? Sickening. Makes my heart break and I can’t even imagine the poor moms…..RIP angels
Terri
May 11, 2016 at 10:52 pm
So sorry for your loss of your three great buddies!! They are beautiful pets. No animal deserves this treatment. I am a groomer and can’t even imagine how these dogs were forgotten and left in the van.Lack of responsibility, concern and loyalty to you the customer. I hope justice is served. I know you can’t bring the back but cherish the great memories you have had. They will always be close to you heart. R.I.P.
Frances
May 11, 2016 at 5:27 pm
May face cruelty charges? I am sure they can find something under Florida General Statue 828.12 to charge him with. He lied that he had delivered the dogs.
Elsa Abran
May 11, 2016 at 4:15 pm
The store administration have to go to jail. So sad for the three angels and their mom.
carolyn pierce
May 11, 2016 at 2:59 pm
that groomer was definitely in the wrong, and needs to spend time in jail, and anybody who would leave their dog in a hot car all day while she worked needs imprisoned, these kind of people do not deserve to be around animals, much less own them , and they sure don’t need to ever have kids around them, they are definitely mentally disturbed real bad.
connie
May 11, 2016 at 1:27 pm
what is wrong with stupid people ,they need to use their head a little bit ,I can not believe you could forget three dogs in a van picked up to be groomed ,omg I would be so pissed off
Carolyn J Vogel
May 11, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Please people do not leave kids or any living animal in the car ESPECIALLY OUR Beloved FuR BABIES !!!!!!!!!!