Nicola Peltz Hires Lawyers Over Dog’s Death, Heartbroken Over Loss

Nicola Peltz-Beckham After the untimely death of his beloved Chihuahua Nala, he’s hired a lawyer… and is ready to fight tooth and nail against those responsible.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Nicola has hired a legal team and plans to take action against the upstate New York-based grooming company that worked on Nala’s puppies at the home she was living in before Nala suffered a medical emergency that turned fatal.

We’re told Nala had a check-up with her vet before making the trip to New York, and was found to be healthy and well … which is why her sudden passing is such a shock to Nicola.

Sources say Nicola and her husband, brooklyn beckham, I have been a customer of the grooming company, have never had any problems before… I use this groomer occasionally when in town with family.

This time, however, there were several red flags … Several of their dogs behaved strangely after the groomer’s services on June 14. We’re told the dogs were released one by one, as the groomer’s van was parked near the property. Sources say Nala was the last to be returned and was in very poor condition.

When Nala was gasping for breath with her blue tongue, Nicola rushed the Chihuahua to the emergency vet … where she died a few hours later. We’re told vet records show Nala had fluid in her lungs, her heart rate was very fast and she had neurological problems before she died.

Since Nala had no underlying health problems, there was no reason she should have died after being given a simple treatment… which is why Nicola is taking legal action. The actress’ legal retaliation has nothing to do with money… rather, she wants to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.

Nicola – who is a staunch animal rights activist – wants answers about Nala’s time with the vet, but we’re told there were no cameras in the vet van… which raises questions about what went on inside.

Sources say the groomer is no longer cooperating with Nicola’s legal team.