P’que shuts down pet spa where ‘Tyler’ died

A pet grooming center which recently came under fire online after a 4-year-old Shih Tzu died in its care has been ordered shut by the Parañaque City government for lack of a business permit.

A closure order was issued on Dog Spa-BF Homes Parañaque branch last week for its failure to secure a barangay (village government) clearance, a requirement to have its permit renewed by City Hall, said Melanie Malaya, head of the Business Permits and Licenses Office (BPLO).

Nancy Balce, a BF Parañaque resident, earlier filed a complaint in the police, barangay government and the BPLO following the death of her pet dog Tyler on Jan. 8 at the spa, where the animal was accidentally hanged after it was left unattended by the groomer.

In a Facebook post, Balce later wrote about her loss and recounted how Tyler died. “After they groomed him, they put him on a leash (he was never ever on a leash, even in the house) and placed him on a table and left him there. For some reason he fell (or) jumped off the table and so he got hanged. They (the staff members) found out about it only when my mom got there 30 minutes after they had finished grooming him.”

In an interview Thursday, Malaya said the BPLO was already looking into the spa’s records even before Balce filed a complaint. The dog’s death, she said, was taken in consideration only later as added proof that the establishment kept operating despite lack of a permit.

The official noted that the spa was able to pay local taxes last year and that it could reopen once it completes the requirements.

On its own Facebook page, the spa’s management said it also mourned Tyler’s death, saying “we don’t have the words to express how heartbroken we are.’’

“We have reached out to the family of Tyler, to show our love and support, and provide comfort in their time of need. Not just as business owners, but as human beings who know what it is like to love and lose a dear furry friend,” the company said in a statement.

The groomer who left Tyler unattended had been fired, it added.

But Balce said she would still be suing for moral damages even after the spa had offered her “P10,000 and a puppy.’’