Pet shop workers suspended after puppy death

Two pet shop employees have been suspended after a Shih Tzu puppy died when it visited the store for grooming, it emerged today.

The six-month-old pedigree puppy, named Daisy, was taken by owner Travis Melton, 15, to Pets at Home in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to have her fur cut, washed and dried.

The teenager and his mother Sarah, 33, returned after 90 minutes to collect their pet only to be told she had died in an accident at the parlour.

A spokesman for Pets at Home said he could not comment on whether the death of the dog had been caused by a prolonged amount of time spent in a drying cage and said an investigation had been launched into the circumstances.

Dominic Jordan, from Pets at Home, said: "We were deeply saddened by the death of this dog during a grooming appointment.

"We immediately suspended the two groomers involved and are conducting a full investigation to find out what happened.

"Everyone at Pets at Home is passionate about pets and for our colleagues in-store the welfare of animals is their number one priority.

"We have given our condolences to the family and done everything we can to comfort them at this difficult time."