Woman Sues PetSmart After Slipping in Dog Pee

By ANDREA DAMEWOOD

A Washington County woman is suing PetSmart, saying she injured herself after slipping in a puddle of dog pee in one of the store's aisles.

The suit is an unusual twist on the typical injury cases filed, where shoppers at grocery stores or other chains will slip in spilled food or drink and go down. This time, Fido did it.

Lawyers for Leanna Gomez write in a Multnomah County Circuit Court suit that Gomez was shopping at the Hillsboro PetSmart on Aug. 5, when she "slipped on a slippery substance (dog urine) that had been allowed to remain in one of the aisles of the store."

The suit (PDF), filed Oct. 24, says PetSmart failed to clean the area or warn customers of the presence of the pee puddle.

Gomez, who is being represented by the Rayburn Law Office in Beaverton, says she suffered thoracic strain, lumbar strain and coccygeal (tailbone) pain. It asks for non-economic damages of $8,500, plus medical expenses of $1,365, plus damages.

A spokesman for PetSmart says the company does not comment on litigation.

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