Family mourns dog's death at pet resort

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A family is furious and heartbroken after their dog died while staying at the "Always Unleashed" pet resort.

This is not the first time the pet resort has seen a pet death. In June 2017, FOX 10 Phoenix reported on a pet death incident at the same resort. Deanna and Matthew Spott said their bulldog, Matilda, wasn't even at the resort for two hours before the pet resort owner called with news that Matilda drowned.

"This wasn't an accident," said Deanna Spott at the time. "This was pure negligence."

At the time, FOX 10 Phoenix reported that the pet resort's owner said there was someone present at the pool when Matilda drowned, and that they are looking into the incident.

For the second time in nearly a year, FOX 10 Phoenix is back at Always Unleashed Pet Resort, looking for answers.

"I wanted to see if you had anything to say about Kendra Allbright's dog, Jelly Bean, who she said passed here last week," asked FOX 10's Stefania Okolie, at the resort.

"Jelly Bean came to, was coughing and sounding like little piggy, so I called her to ask if this is normal because it didn't sound like that last time, and she said yes it was normal, and she giggled and said that's our little piggy," said the resort's owner, Karen.

Allbright admits they did call.

"She spoke with my mother, yes," said Allbright, who went on to say they were clear in saying if it goes on too long to call them back.

"We never received another phone call, ever, from them since then," said Allbright.

Allbright says she noticed on the web cams the next morning that Jelly Bean just didn't look good, so she showed up to pick her up.

"No one was in the lobby no one was in the room with her, so I walked up to the window and I tapped," said Allbright.

Allbright says an employee showed up and shook Jelly Bean. To her devastating surprise, Jelly Bean was dead.

Allbright said the employee told her Jelly Bean was put in the room because she was struggling to breathe, but the resort's owner had a different story, saying instead that Jelly Bean was in there to eat, and then fell asleep.

"He let her sleep, and then she came within a half an hour, and she had passed away," said Karen.

Allbright has become the 2nd dog owner in a year to point blame at Always Unleashed for their dog's death.

"It's been the hardest week that I've ever experienced," said Allbright, who also said she took Jelly Bean to the vet just two weeks prior to the death, and the dog was given a clean bill of health.