Lazy Dog Crazy Dog kennel closes permanently after threats over dog’s death

The Lazy Dog Crazy Dog kennel in Ballard announced on Sunday that it will close its doors for good following an employee allegedly beating a dog to death.

In an email sent from the company, customers were notified that the closure would be effective as of Sunday at 6:00 p.m., due to threatening messages the company had received, according to KIRO 7.

“Over the past two weeks, we have received hundreds of menacing messages and threats of violence directed at our employees and our business,” Lazy Dog Crazy Dog stated in its email.

Lazy Dog Crazy Dog receives threats after alleged animal abuse incident

The company cited the safety of its employees and the massive number of threats it had received as the cause for the closure.

Threatening messages were received across multiple platforms, including social media, email, phone calls, and in-person.

“The safety of our employees, the dogs in our care, and our customers are paramount — we simply cannot continue to safely offer our services under these conditions,” the company stated. “We will deeply miss caring for your dogs and being part of the Ballard community.”

Customers who have prepaid credit with Lazy Dog Crazy Dog are urged to contact the company at play@lazycrazydog.com for a refund.

Previous animal abuse incident at Lazy Dog Crazy Dog

On Aug. 3, an employee of Lazy Dog Crazy Dog fatally injured a black lab named Mitch after the dog knocked something over while at the facility. The employee allegedly “lost control” and kicked the dog multiple times.

“His response was to brutally kick Mitch and continued to punch and kick, and unfortunately, it resulted in the death of this poor pet,” said Douglas Wagoner with the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

Mitch suffered from internal bleeding after the attack. According to the police report, Mitch was unable to stand once he was brought to a veterinary clinic. Vet staff attempted five rounds of CPR, but ultimately declared that the dog had died.

Mitch’s abdomen was full of blood, the veterinarians told SPD. The emergency vet clinic also stated Mitch’s kidneys may have been ruptured during the assault.

“We are heartbroken and outraged by what happened,” Lazy Dog Crazy Dog said in a prepared statement. “The actions of this former employee are in complete violation of our values, our mission, and the standard of care we’ve upheld for over 16 years while serving tens of thousands of dogs. We continue to support law enforcement and hope that justice is served for the dog.”

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

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