A pet owner is speaking out after his family dog died from heatstroke after being left in a van for seven hours at a Chicago-area pet resort. Miller, a six-year-old black Labrador, was picked up by Waggles Pet Resort on the morning of September 2 for a day at daycare. Around 4 p.m. that day, the dog's owner, Steve Serota, received a call from the resort's owner, Ross Miehaus, informing him that Miller had died in one of the company's vans.
Serota told the Daily Mail that temperatures outside reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the incident, making it one of the hottest days of the year. Upon arriving at the facility, Serota stated that Miller's body was still inside a crate in the van. He described the dog as being in the first crate upon opening the van door, making his presence easily visible.
Waggles Pet Resort issued a statement expressing devastation over Miller's death, calling it a tragic loss and stating that "this should never have happened." The company confirmed that Miller died after being left in one of their chauffeur service vehicles and is currently pausing its transportation service for evaluation.
Ross Miehaus, the owner of Waggles Pet Resort, turned himself in to authorities on Thursday and was charged with cruel treatment of animals. The pet resort has remained open for business.
Serota, who has a background in healthcare, expressed bewilderment that a root cause analysis had not been immediately conducted to implement safeguards. Waggles stated that they are limited in public comments due to the pending legal matter but shared their sorrow and commitment to learning from the tragedy.
Serota characterized Miller as a beloved family member and expressed a desire to speak publicly to prevent similar incidents from occurring. He noted that the unexpected nature of his dog's death has been particularly difficult for his family to process.
