A Ventura, California, couple says a routine pickup from a dog daycare promoted as the “Disneyland for dogs” turned into a devastating ordeal after staff told them their 1-year-old English bulldog had drowned while under the facility’s supervision.
The dog’s death has triggered a police investigation and a public apology from Camp Canine, which admitted in a statement that it “failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe.”
Bruce, the English bulldog belonging to Chris and Ashley Merz of Ventura, died Thursday at the Santa Barbara boarding and daycare business.
The Santa Barbara Police Department told INC News that officers were called to the facility in the 800 block of East Montecito Street at about 4:45 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report that a dog had drowned.
As part of the initial inquiry, investigators spoke with Bruce’s owners and employees who were at the business when the incident took place.
“The Santa Barbara Police Department is committed to a thorough investigation into this matter,” the department said in a statement to INC News. “The case is actively being investigated by our Criminal Investigative Unit and Animal Control Team.”
Exterior of Camp Canine dog daycare in Santa Barbara, California (GoFundMe)
Ashley Merz’s mother, Alison Genet, told the local outlet Noozhawk that Bruce is believed to have drowned sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The family says they were not informed of his death and only learned what had happened when they arrived for pickup at around 3:30 p.m.
Genet told the outlet the family was instead informed of Bruce’s death when they arrived at Camp Canine.
Bruce had attended Camp Canine and trained there for about six months, according to Genet.
Bruce the English bulldog remembered by family after Camp Canine tragedy (GoFundMe)
She said English bulldogs are not natural swimmers and that Bruce was typically placed with small or medium-sized dogs because of his size. However, she said he somehow ended up in the large-dog yard, which contains two unfenced pools.
According to Genet, Camp Canine’s owners acknowledged Bruce was not supposed to be in that yard but were unable to explain how he ended up there.
A GoFundMe created by Ashley’s sister, Savannah, to help cover Bruce’s cremation, memorial expenses and legal costs alleges the family’s pain was compounded by how the incident was handled.
Bruce the English bulldog remembered by family after Camp Canine tragedy (GoFundMe)
“What was meant to be a normal day at Camp Canine turned into tragedy when their dog drowned while in the facility’s care,” the fundraiser states.
“The pain was compounded by the way the situation was handled—they were not contacted when the incident occurred, and only learned of their dog’s passing later that day when they arrived to pick him up.”
The fundraiser also alleges Bruce’s body was returned to his owners in “a storage container in the trunk of a vehicle” and says the family later learned he had not been transported to an emergency veterinary hospital before they were notified.
“My sister and brother-in-law are now left grieving the unimaginable loss of a beloved family member, while trying to understand exactly what happened that day,” Savannah wrote.
Camp Canine, which says it has served the Santa Barbara area for 40 years and describes itself on its website as the “Disneyland for dogs,” publicly apologized Saturday in a statement posted to Instagram.
“There are no words that can fully express the heartbreak we feel following the tragic loss of a beloved dog while in our care earlier this week,” General Manager Jayne Sigman wrote.
“A family entrusted us with a cherished member of their family, and they are now living with an unimaginable loss because we failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe.
Bruce the English bulldog cuddles with owner before tragic daycare drowning. (GoFundMe)
“We are profoundly sorry. Our hearts are with them as they grieve, and we know that no words can lessen the pain they are experiencing.”
The facility said it has temporarily suspended daycare operations while it reviews its facility, safety procedures and emergency response protocols.
“It is our responsibility to learn from this loss, to make meaningful changes, and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again,” the statement continued. “That work has already begun.”
INC News reached out to Camp Canine for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
