Boy's poodle 'fried to death' at dog groomer's

They considered him a member of the family, but now an Ohio woman has to find a new pet for her son. Narsina Jones' 12-month-old dog is dead after being left too long in a drying cage at the groomer. Jones said that the dog looked like it was "fried to death." The dog was "lying there on the table was this stiff, still image. Looked like he was fried," recounted Jones.

Last year Jones bought a toy poodle for her son Josh. Ever since then Josh and "Miles" have been inseparable. "Josh actually said he wanted [Miles] to have a mohawk, so we took him in for grooming," said Jones. On Friday afternoon Miles was dropped off at Pet's Choice in Parma, Ohio. Jones said when her niece arrived to pick up Miles employees appeared nervous. "They all went in the back room. No one came out for about 20 minutes," said Jones.

Finally one of the groomers came out to break the news that Miles was dead. The store's owner was not there at the time but he said that Miles was in a back room sitting in a cage that was attached to a blow dryer. "The groomer left the dog in the drying cage and left ... didn't tell anybody," explained Jim Detlich, owner of Pet's Choice.



Most dogs are only supposed to be under the blow dryer for 10 to 15 minutes, but Miles was there for almost an hour. "They should have known he was still in the cage cooking, it's not up to one person," said Jones. "I have a dog that looks just like her dog. I showed it to her. I said if you want it, it's yours," offered Detlich .

"I don't hate the store. I don't hate those people but I hate the pain I'm feeling, my family is feeling, and my son most of all," said an emotional Jones. She is left trying to explain to her son that his best friend will not be coming back. We told him, of course, we'll get him a new dog, but for him to accept it is really hard. And that's what hurts the most," said Jones. Investigators said an autopsy is being performed.

According to Detlich the groomer who left Miles in the cage has been fired. Parma police said that 22-year-old Ashley Weaver has been charged with animal cruelty and is expected to be in court sometime this week.

With news video.