A heartbroken pet owner has initiated legal action against a Bronx dog boarding facility and its proprietors, seeking $3 million in damages following the alleged death of his cherished canine due to ingesting a portion of carpet while under their care. Kevin Gaines, a resident of the Bronx, entrusted his trio of Labrador retrievers, including the 6-year-old Kona, to Bronx Barx in Mott Haven before embarking on a four-day excursion to Florida to commemorate his birthday in March, as detailed in Bronx Supreme Court documents.
Upon preparing to return to New York City from Fort Lauderdale, Gaines purportedly received a distress call from Renzo Pereda, one of Bronx Barx’s owners, who was reportedly in a state of emotional turmoil at an animal emergency room in Manhattan, where Kona was unresponsive. Attorney Peggy Collen, representing Gaines, stated in court records that Pereda had contacted Gaines in a state of distress, relating the dire situation. Subsequently, a veterinarian conveyed the devastating news to Gaines that Kona had passed away.
Pereda allegedly informed Gaines that Kona had initially appeared fine after ingesting a blanket but had later exhibited symptoms such as vomiting blood and collapsing during a walk. The lawsuit asserts that Pereda and his partner, Steven Toledo, intentionally withheld information from the veterinarians, concealing the fact that Kona had consumed fabric hours before displaying symptoms, impeding the medical professionals’ ability to accurately diagnose and treat the canine.
A subsequent necropsy revealed that Kona had not consumed a blanket as originally claimed but had instead ingested a nearly twelve-inch piece of carpet, leading to an obstruction in his intestines, as detailed in the legal complaint.
Expressing his determination to hold Bronx Barx and similar pet care facilities accountable for their practices, Gaines emphasized the need for a change in their operations. “The daycare is still operating and functioning as if nothing happened,” he conveyed to The Post. “I’m ready to tell Kona’s story so this doesn’t happen again.”
Requests for comments from legal representatives of Bronx Barx and its owners went unanswered at the time of reporting.
