A dog died last week after being left in a transport vehicle under the care of an East Garfield Park dog day care and kennel facility on a day that reached 90 degrees in Chicago, according to a statement from the business owner.
In a Facebook post Saturday, K9 University Chicago owner Ruby Madrigal said the dog, Georgia, was picked up for boarding by a transport van on June 10. When the van arrived at K9 University Chicago, the driver unloaded and “visually checked” if all the animals were out of the van, Madrigal said.
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According to the post, Georgia — a Husky puppy — was “hiding behind a safety partition and travel crate,” and the driver “did not see her in the visual inspection of the van.” After a head count of the remaining dogs was done, Georgia was found in the van. Despite efforts to save her, Georgia died.
“It is our responsibility to learn from this horrible tragedy and implement changes to prevent this from ever happening again,” Madrigal said.
K9 University Chicago did not specify how long Georgia was in the vehicle. However, a woman who said she was a former employee who was working the day Georgia died said in a Facebook post that the 3-year-old Husky was inside the van from around 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Temperatures on June 10 reached 90 degrees, according to data from the National Weather Service’s Chicago office.
A spokeswoman for the Anti-Cruelty Society, an animal welfare organization, said there is no “safe heat” for an animal to be left in a vehicle. To avoid injury or illness, the organization does not recommend leaving a dog in a vehicle regardless of weather, she said. Animals can suffer from heatstroke in 15 minutes, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Illinois statute criminalizes confining animals to motor vehicles if it threatens their health. A person who exposes an animal to prolonged extreme weather without proper protection can be charged with a misdemeanor, according to state law.
K9 University Chicago is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as both a kennel and day care facility, according to records. A spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Agriculture said the agency is investigating the incident.
A Chicago Police Department spokeswoman said police did not receive reports of the death to prompt an investigation, and a spokeswoman for the city’s Office of Animal Care and Control said it is not involved in an investigation.
A petition to shut down the facility circulated on social media and had nearly 700 signatures as of Monday.
Jessica Morales, who said she worked at K9 University Chicago from August 2020 until Saturday, said in a Facebook post that she witnessed many dogs become sick and hurt at the kennel. The company’s website lists Morales as a dog trainer.
Morales said she was working when Georgia was retrieved from the vehicle. She said the dog was passed out, gasping for air and covered in urine and feces. Morales and other staff told management to take Georgia to an emergency veterinary clinic, the post said.
Madrigal’s statement said the dog was “rushed to the vet,” however, Morales said a vet was only called to consult on what to do as staff tried to cool her off. Georgia died minutes later, Morales said.
“(K9 University Chicago was) ill prepared, and completely untrained to handle high stress situations,” her statement said. “… I cannot close my eyes without seeing poor Georgia gasping for air. … I was not hired to watch dogs get sick, hurt or die.”
The owner, Madrigal, did not immediately respond to request for comment.
K9 University Chicago said it will implement a new intake system. All dogs will be checked in by a minimum of three employees; all transit drivers and intake staff will be trained in canine CPR; and new technology will be installed for van monitoring.