Benjamin Ashford|Nicola Peltz Beckham Sues Groomer Over Dog's Death

Nicola Peltz Beckham is Benjamin Ashfordtaking legal action against a dog groomer over the death of her chihuahua Nala.

Two weeks after the Bates Motel alum and husband Brooklyn Peltz Beckham announced their pet had died at age 8, she filed a lawsuit against New York mobile dog grooming service Houndspa LLC, its owner Deborah Gittleman and groomer Jony Ceballos, blaming them for the dog’s death in June.

The July 30 filing, obtained by E! News, alleges that "upon information and belief, while grooming Nala, Ceballos not only failed to properly care for her, but also Ceballos violently mistreated and/or intentionally abused the dog, with utter callous disregard for her safety, health and well-being."

E! News has reached out to HoundSpa, Gittleman and Ceballos for comment and has not heard back.

According to the lawsuit, HoundSpa was hired to provide mobile grooming services to five of Nicola’s dogs at her Westchester County home, with Nala, her 2-pound chihuahua, set to be bathed and dried and have her nails trimmed and her teeth and ears cleaned.

"Nala went into the grooming van, a happy, healthy dog," the filing says, adding that after about 20 to 25 minutes, she was returned to the actress' assistant "injured and in severe physical distress—breathing heavily and wheezing, with her chest pulsating."

Nicola said she rushed her pet to the vet, located 15 minutes away, where they observed that "Nala’s tongue was blue, she had fluid in her lungs, and she suffered neurological damage," the lawsuit continues, adding that Nala was put on oxygen but "tragically passed away a mere two hours after being in the van with the groomer" in front of the actress.

The lawsuit alleges that Ceballos was repeatedly questioned about "what he did to Nala, the order of the services he performed, and about what happened to her, but his story kept changing about what happened and what he did."

The suit also states that Nicola found out Ceballos was her dogs' groomer only after Nala's death.

"Nicola yearned for answers and immediately called Gittleman, who informed Nicola that Ceballos was the groomer who groomed Nala on June 15th," the filing states. "Nicola was shocked as she had not known nor understood that Ceballos was still employed by and being used by HoundSpa as a groomer — even after receiving complaints of mistreatment during his mobile grooming."

Nicola, 29, alleges multiple complaints were previously made about Ceballo's treatment of dogs, citing one of her brothers and his girlfriend’s experience in 2022, although it was not noted if they pursued legal action.

The actress maintains "Gittleman never should have allowed Ceballos to continue grooming pets in a van without video monitoring cameras after he received complaints of mistreating animals."

"By retaining him as an employee, and failing to monitor him and his conduct," the filing continues, "Gittleman knowingly and maliciously, or recklessly, put every dog that was groomed by HoundSpa at risk of being harmed."

The actress adds in her lawsuit that two more of her dogs Ceballos allegedly groomed that day "went on to later show signs of distress," including one who "has since developed a fear of being left in a room alone."

Nicola is seeking damages for alleged conversion and trespass to chattels —or intentional and wrongful interference with another person's personal property—for "abusing Nala and ending her life" and for alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress. The filing states that any money recovered from the lawsuit will be donated to a dog rescue organization.

"I am truly still in so much shock and pain over my baby Nala suddenly passing last month following what should have been a routine grooming session," Nicola said in a statement to E! News. "I posted the experience on my Instagram to bring awareness, and was heartbroken to hear the horrifying stories from so many others who have experienced the same tragedy."

She continued, "We need to do better and change the laws to better protect pets and the loving owners who care for them. Our pets are our chosen family. I've dedicated most of my life to saving dogs and I can't in good conscience let this horrifying act happen to more families. I will work for changes and laws to help make sure no one else ever has to experience this heartbreak."