WASHINGTON — A woman whose dog died while in the care of a Maryland kennel says she has not received a full account of what happened to her pet, and she is demanding answers.
Kayla Roman says that Axiom Pet Resort, in Clinton, “killed my family member. … They honestly took away my baby.”
Roman’s 1-year-old Italian mastiff, Hugo, was found dead on the side of the road May 23, 12 miles from Axiom.
“This is a terrible incident that we take full responsibility for,” Axiom said in a statement.
The kennel says the dog escaped from an outdoor area sometime after being fed on the evening of May 22. An employee who broke protocol by leaving Hugo in that area rather than taking him inside has been fired, according to the kennel.
“We ask people not to judge us based on the poor decisions of a single employee who knew the protocols and regulations, and chose not to follow them,” the Axiom statement reads. “We are deeply saddened by this event as we fully understand that dogs really are members of our family.”
But Roman is skeptical about the sequence of events presented by the kennel, and she still does not know exactly how her dog died.
“I don’t really believe anything they have to say,” she told WTOP. “I feel like they are all lying to me.”
Roman is awaiting the results of a necropsy and says she has not yet decided whether she will take legal action.
Following the incident, Axiom Pet Resort was investigated and cleared by the Prince George’s County Animal Management Division.
“We believe it’s just human error,” said division chief Rodney Taylor. “At this point it’s a civil matter between the owner of the dog and the owner of the boarding facility.”
