SEATTLE — Nahla looks forward to her days at the park playing catch with her owners Kelsey and Jordan Marsh. The Marsh's cherish these moments because last summer, Nahla couldn't walk.
"They did think she was hit by a vehicle especially because her paw pads were ripped off," Kelsey Marsh said after an incident last July badly injured Nahla.
Marsh blames the daycare she took Nahla to, called The Dog Resort, and names the business in a new lawsuit recently filed in King County Superior Court.
"We dropped her off around 10:30 around that morning and we received a call at 4 saying she was missing," Marsh said.
Marsh was told by employees that Nahla was on a walk on Saturday, July 22, 2023 when her handler tripped and dropped the leash.
"I was hurt. I was angry and I didn't have any answers and I didn't understand the situation at all and I wanted to find my dog," Marsh said.
Marsh and employees of The Dog Resort searched throughout the night. Marsh said she searched for 28 hours straight. The next day, Marsh learned that Nahla was found alive, but badly hurt. She was brought to a shelter in Interbay where Marsh reunited with Nahla.
"She had been visibly injured. Had lacerations all along the side of her legs and her paw pads had been ripped off. She was in pretty bad shape," Marsh said.
Nahla was found at the top of Queen Anne, which is about 8 miles away from where she went missing at the facility in SODO.
"I could never imagine the fear in her in the 36 hours she was gone," Marsh said.
Marsh said she reached out to the owner of The Dog Resort to pay for Nahla's emergency vet costs. "She did put her card down for the initial costs," Marsh said.
Marsh said she asked to see surveillance video of Nahla leaving the facility and to get her personal belongings back. To this day she said she has not seen any video and she does not have her belongings.
Marsh has recently filed a lawsuit against the dog resort alleging the business was "negligent" and acted "reckless and outrageous" after discovering Nahla was missing.
KING 5 previously reported prior employees and clients of The Dog Resort lodged more than 20 complaints for overcrowding, animal cruelty and unsanitary conditions. The business has since closed after two separate fires at the two locations within months of each other.
The owner of The Dog Resort, Mona Elassiouti, denies negligent conduct in her answer to the complaint filed on behalf of Kelsey Marsh. Elassiouti states The Dog Resort compensated Marsh for the costs of veterinary care. Elassiouti also states The Dog Resort does not have any footage showing Nahla leaving the premises.
Elassiouti told KING 5 in a statement, when asked about the lawsuit, "since the lawsuit is currently pending, we have been instructed not to make any statements regarding this case."
Marsh is seeking damages for emotional distress and for Nahla's ongoing veterinary costs.
"I feel guilty for allowing that to happen to her. I am so grateful that we have her back but I'm tired of looking for silver linings in this situation," Marsh said. "I wish it never happened at all and I don't wish it on anybody else."