A California couple has reported that their one-year-old English bulldog, Bruce, drowned at a Santa Barbara dog daycare facility, Camp Canine, and that they were not contacted about the incident until they arrived to pick him up. The owners, Chris and Ashley Merz of Ventura, were allegedly shown their dog's body in a plastic tub upon arrival Thursday afternoon.
Bruce had been attending Camp Canine for six months. According to his owner's mother, Alison Genet, English bulldogs are not natural swimmers. The facility separates dogs by size, with unfenced pools in the large-dog area. Bruce, who was typically placed in smaller or medium-sized dog yards due to his breed, was found to have drowned in the large-dog yard. Camp Canine owners reportedly told the family that Bruce was not supposed to be in that area but offered no explanation for how he ended up there.
The Santa Barbara Police Department responded to the incident at approximately 4:45 p.m. following a report of a dog drowning. The department's Criminal Investigative Unit and Animal Control Team are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Bruce's death. Police stated that the drowning occurred sometime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Camp Canine has temporarily suspended its daycare operations and is reviewing its safety procedures and emergency response protocols. In a statement, Camp Canine General Manager Jayne Sigman expressed heartbreak over the loss, stating, "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." The facility offered profound apologies to the family.
The family has expressed distress not only over the dog's death but also the manner in which the aftermath was handled. Genet stated that Bruce was a "sweetest, sweetest boy" and that the family is upset by the handling of the situation, particularly the lack of immediate notification. A GoFundMe has been established by Ashley's sister, Savannah, to help cover Bruce's cremation and memorial expenses.