Florida Pet Grooming Salon Owner Arrested for Animal Cruelty After Emaciated Dog Found at Establishment
The owner of a pet grooming salon in Florida has been arrested for animal cruelty.
Officials have identified the owner as Aja Zukas of Paws Paradise in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Port St. Lucie Police were called to the establishment in September after someone claimed that a dog had been left inside for more than 24 hours. That’s where they found Boo, a 9-year-old Terrier mix who appeared emaciated.
A press release stated that the dog was “found to have cachexia (not having/no minimal muscle mass), pressure sores, small wounds along the edges of his ears, and pale gums possibly indicating anemia.”
However, his owner, Zukas has stated that this is not true.
“He was not left there for more than 24 hours, the longest he’d ever been alone there was five hours,” Zukas told me.
Boo was believed to have behavioral issues and would frequently eat fabric, which she feels contributed to his low weight.
“He was underweight and he was skinny and I had fought a battle for ten years to keep weight on him,” Zukas told me.
Zukas feels the complaints are false, and claims she has never mistreated a dog in her 14 years as a groomer. She stated that she had decided to step down from her business.
“It is just the most shocking and overwhelming thing I can imagine going through,” Zukas told me. “There’s nothing anyone can be concerned about because I’ve decided to resign.”
Boo is claimed to be in good health and recovering.
