Tragedy: Popular pet groomer and fiancé die in car crash on way back to New York

News of the death of a popular business owner continues to circulate in the neighborhoods she served, as clients share their shock and devastation at the loss of the local pet groomer. 

Kaitlyn McCready, owner of Kate’s Hair of the Dog in Northport, was killed in a car accident on her way home from Florida earlier last month. Her fiancé, Luis Rivera, also died in the crash.

After issues with their boarding passes delayed their travel back to New York, the couple rented a car to get to Orlando International Airport for an alternative flight, friends and family told the Journal. In the early hours of December 12, the couple’s rented Nissan Altima collided with the side of a semi-truck on Florida’s Turnpike before crashing with a barrier wall, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Rivera was 41 years old and McCready 36. 

Word of McCready’s death has trickled through the community, with many paying tribute to her kind and caring nature, to both humans and their pets. McCready had garnered a loyal following since opening Hair of the Dog on Church Street in March of 2015; clients described her as being patient, attentive and compassionate with a skill for taking care of older, timid pets and those with special needs. 

There was often a waitlist to get a new pet into the business for grooming, a testament to the work of McCready and her staff, including Rivera, who helped with the business. 

“Luis shared a profound bond” with McCready, “who always held a special place in his heart,” Rivera’s obituary read. Known for his easygoing nature and selflessness, the father of four embodied kindness and generosity, and was “always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.”

In addition to her love of animals (she gifted herself a bulldog for her 30th birthday), McCready owned and rode horses, a passion she developed when she was younger. She often went back to Florida to show her horses, including at HITS horse shows as recent as last year. 

Kate’s Hair of the Dog is currently operating on a limited basis. Family hope to keep the business fully open in McCready’s honor, though a formal announcement regarding the future of the business has not been made. Call 631-651-8060 for updates. 

Donations in memory of Kaitlyn McCready can be made here: http://www.longislandbulldogrescue.org.