CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Two former Petco employees charged in connection to the death of a Chesterfield dog were found guilty of Animal Neglect in a Chesterfield courtroom Tuesday and will each have to pay a fine of $150.
Thirty-one-year-old Suzanne Jensen and 28-year-old Rebecca Witherspoon were both charged with animal neglect for the death of 2-year-old Colby, who was groomed at the Westchester Commons Petco in Midlothian on May 29.
Allison Marks had dropped off her golden retriever and when she returned to pick him up, she says she was told that Colby had died from a heat stroke. Marks believes that after Colby was groomed, he was left in a drying cage.
“It’s like losing a child,” Marks said. “If it can keep it from happening to somebody else’s dog, that’s a big plus.”
Petco has maintained no heat was used to dry Colby, but did accept responsibility for his death. The company also changed its policy, removing the type of kennel dryer Colby was housed from service in all Petco stores.
