The death of a beloved pet is a horrible experience. It’s even more heart-rending when that pet dies while in the care of someone else while you’re away. So it’s not surprising that a Texas couple is upset that they couldn’t get information about what may have caused their 3-year-old dog to pass away while staying at a PetSmart Hotel.

The couple tells CBS Dallas/Fort Worth that they had boarded their pair of miniature poodles, Max and Rex, at a PetSmart Hotel operation in the area while they were out of town on a cruise.

Only a few days into their vacation, PetSmart began contacting them with worrying updates about Max.

“They said he threw up clear bile,” recalls the couple. “They watched him through the day and then sometime during the night he passed away.”

The couple say that Max had a clean bill of health before being left at the PetSmart, and they have been trying to get an explanation from the company as to what happened.

But they tell CBS that the store won’t have over any documentation or provide any answers.

When reporters got involved, employees at the PetSmart said they needed to contact company HQ in Arizona for comment.

“We care greatly about the health and safety of the pets entrusted in our care, and we are truly saddened by the loss of Max in our PetsHotel,” reads a statement from the company. “This incident is still under investigation, and at this time, we’re waiting on test results and will work with the pet parent to convey those results.”

The couple were then able to get the results of an autopsy (or, more accurately, a necropsy) commissioned by PetSmart, but were saddened to find that the results were inconclusive.

PetSmart is now telling the couple that more tests are needed to determine the cause of Max’s death.

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