A 60-year-old dog groomer and the pet she was caring for were found dead Wednesday inside a mobile grooming van in San Antonio’s Davis Ranch community, after an autopsy determined the groomer died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Victoria Starr Ferraro, who worked for the business Dog Gone Clean, had picked up a customer’s 10-year-old dog, Oliver Oken, earlier that day. When hours passed with no word from her, Oliver’s owner asked a neighbor to help search. They found Ferraro and Oliver unresponsive inside the van.
Bexar County sheriff’s deputies and emergency medical personnel responded around 5 p.m. Wednesday but were unable to save either of them.
“Upon arrival, our deputies observed an unresponsive adult female and an unresponsive dog inside a grooming van,” the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said. “Our deputies and medical personnel provided life-saving measures. Victoria Starr Ferraro, a 60-year-old female, was later pronounced deceased. The dog was also pronounced deceased. No foul play was identified.”
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Ferraro died of carbon monoxide toxicity. The source of the gas had not been identified as of the latest reports.
Oliver’s family said in a written statement that they were devastated “not only for their sweet boy Oliver but also the groomer who was caring for him.” They emphasized that Ferraro “was a person with a family, loved ones and a life of her own” and said “this should have never happened.”
The family is now calling for stricter safety requirements for mobile dog grooming businesses, including carbon monoxide detectors, alarms and proper ventilation systems.
News of the deaths drew an outpouring of grief online. One commenter wrote, “Father in Heaven, please help us understand the sad deaths of a lovely dog-lover and a sweet little dog. This one really hurts.” Another said, “How devastating for two families!” while a third urged people to “buy a carbon monoxide detector for your vehicle.”
