A couple from California was devastated after discovering their beloved one-year-old English bulldog, Bruce, had drowned while at daycare. They received this tragic news when they arrived at Camp Canine in Santa Barbara to pick him up, as mentioned by Ashley’s mother, Alison Junet.
To their shock, Chris Mertz was informed that Bruce had drowned, and they were shown his body in a plastic bathtub. Camp Canine had described itself online as a “Disneyland for dogs,” which makes the situation even more unsettling.
This horrifying event was reportedly captured on video by another person at the daycare. According to police, Bruce drowned sometime between 1 and 2 p.m. Unfortunately, by the time they retrieved him from the pool, rigor mortis had already set in, and he was not taken to an emergency vet, as Junet has claimed.
Junet pointed out that English bulldogs are not natural swimmers. Bruce had been attending Camp Canine for training for six months before this incident took place. The facility has separate areas for different dog sizes and two unfenced pools in the large dog section. Typically, due to his size, Bruce was kept with smaller dogs, yet somehow ended up in a yard designated for larger dogs, leading to his tragic drowning.
The management at Camp Canine explained to the family that Bruce wasn’t supposed to be in that area, but they did not clarify how he ended up there. Santa Barbara police were notified around 4:45 p.m. and initiated an investigation, including interviews with the facility’s employees to gather more information.
Following Bruce’s death, Camp Canine has put daycare operations on hold while they review safety measures and emergency protocols. The general manager, Jayne Sigman, expressed deep sorrow in a statement, acknowledging the family’s unimaginable loss and the responsibility they failed to uphold in keeping Bruce safe.
Meanwhile, Junet’s daughter, Ashley, has been inconsolable, and the family feels not just the weight of Bruce’s death but also frustration over how his remains were handled. Junet described Bruce as a sweet dog and expressed their anger regarding the treatment he received post-tragedy.
Although the family is uncertain if the police investigation will yield any results, they aim to raise awareness about what transpired. To cover Bruce’s cremation and memorial expenses, Ashley’s sister, Savannah, has started a fundraiser.
