A woman is facing animal cruelty charges after many canines died “mysteriously” while in her care at a Florida boarding and training facility.
Nikki Camerlengo, the owner of Pawsitively Paradise in Palm City, has been the focus of a months-long investigation into “suspicious and untimely deaths” of dogs left with her for boarding, training, or grooming, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook. Camerlengo was arrested on Wednesday on charges of animal cruelty in connection with the death of Beau, a 2-year-old Cavapoo puppy, according to the agency. More charges are expected to be made against Camerlengo as the investigation progresses.
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The investigation began after Beau and another dog, 15-year-old Goldendoodle Flurie, died “without explanation” after receiving care from Camerlengo. Both were in good health before visiting Pawsitively Paradise approximately a month apart.
Mako, a 2-year-old Flat Coat Retriever, was also cared for at the institution until his sad death in 2022.
Martin County Sheriff Detective Christine Polizzi spent weeks piecing together what happened to these pets, collaborating with ASPCA forensic experts at labs in Florida and Texas. Both Beau and Flurie’s corpses were transported to the labs for testing. According to the sheriff’s office, both labs’ necropsies confirmed that the dogs died as a consequence of blunt force trauma.
According to the report, Beau had serious injuries, including blows to the neck, chest, belly, and private parts. The trauma creates hemorrhage in his brain. Flurie also died of severe brain hemorrhage.
Mako allegedly drowned in his vomit when he died in 2022, according to a private necropsy performed by his family following his death. The sheriff’s office indicated that his remains could not be sent for forensic examination to establish why he aspirated and died.
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Experts were able to establish that the dogs “did not die quickly,” but rather died gradually and painfully.
After word of the sheriff’s office inquiry into Camerlengo spread, many stories emerged of healthy canines, the majority of them were under the age of four, unexpectedly dying or being gravely damaged while in Camerlengo’s care. Some reports go back several years. However, the sheriff’s office stated that detectives were unable to include those deaths in their inquiry due to a lack of medical documents, either because the dogs were cremated or their deaths went unreported.
Camerlengo was arrested in Fort Pierce on Wednesday by St. Lucie County officers, according to the WTSP. Detectives claimed she recently relocated her dog training and boarding business from Palm City to Ft. Pierce after the criminal investigation began.
Camerlengo is allegedly out on bond, but a Martin County judge has ordered her not to own or care for any animals until further direction from the court. While she is now charged with one felony of animal cruelty in Beau’s death, the sheriff’s office stated that additional charges are inevitable.