A California couple is organizing a protest and demanding accountability after their one-year-old English bulldog, Bruce, allegedly drowned while in the care of Camp Canine, a Santa Barbara doggy daycare facility. The protest is scheduled to take place outside the daycare on Wednesday.
The gathering aims to honor Bruce and support his family as they seek answers following the incident. Organizers have requested that attendees not bring their dogs due to anticipated heat and crowds. The event also encourages community members to advocate for transparency, accountability, and the safety of all dogs in such facilities.
Bruce's owners, Chris and Ashley Merz, stated that they were informed of his death only upon arriving to pick him up. They reported that they were shown Bruce's body in a plastic tub and later told he had ended up in the large-dog yard, which contains two unfenced pools. Employees reportedly acknowledged that Bruce was not supposed to be in that area.
The devastating moment Chris Merz learned of Bruce's death was reportedly captured on video by another patron of the daycare. Bruce had been attending training sessions at Camp Canine for approximately six months.
The Santa Barbara Police Department is investigating the circumstances of the drowning. The department's Criminal Investigative Unit and Animal Control Team are involved in the probe. Following the incident, Camp Canine temporarily suspended its daycare operations to review its facility, safety procedures, and emergency response protocols.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the general manager of Camp Canine apologized to the family, admitting the facility had "failed in our responsibility to keep their dog safe" and offered condolences for their loss. The Merz family expressed their ongoing devastation not only by Bruce's death but also by the aftermath, hoping that sharing their story will prevent similar tragedies.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established by a family member to help cover cremation and memorial expenses for Bruce.