A California family says a $10,000 (approximately £7,500) dog training programme ended with the death of their Bernese Mountain Dog, prompting Los Angeles Animal Services to investigate and at least seven families to come forward with allegations involving the same training business.
The claims centre on Smart Dogs Training Academy and its owner, Jeff Todd, but the reported circumstances surrounding the other dogs have not been independently established.
Andrew Fedyk and Madeleine White enrolled their two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dunkin and Poutine, in a four-week board-and-train programme after welcoming another baby in June. According to reporting reviewed by Slate and CBS Los Angeles, Dunkin died roughly two days after entering the programme while in the company's care.
Fedyk said Todd told the family that Dunkin had overheated after being taken to a park during a Los Angeles heatwave. The precise circumstances and cause of death remain important to the ongoing investigation.
Los Angeles Animal Services has opened an investigation after receiving a complaint from a dog owner. No criminal charges against Todd were identified in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Seven Families Raise Allegations About Smart Dogs
Dunkin's death was followed by accounts from other pet owners who said they had concerns about dogs placed with the business.
Slate reported allegations involving a 10-month-old golden retriever being trained as a service dog that reportedly died after being left in a hot vehicle. Another owner, whose dog was named Leo, alleged that the animal was returned severely malnourished and died three days later.
A further owner alleged that a pet named Dobie was euthanised without permission.
These are serious claims, but they remain claims. The reporting does not establish that Smart Dogs or Todd caused those deaths, nor does it establish that the incidents resulted from the same circumstances.
Slate reported that at least seven families had come forward with allegations involving dogs connected to the business. That figure should not be read as seven confirmed deaths caused by Smart Dogs.
Fedyk also said he later came to regard certain details as warning signs. He told Slate that AirTags on the dogs had been disabled and alleged that Todd had been unwilling to show clients where their dogs were being boarded.
Those accounts are also disputed or unverified. They are being reported as statements from the owners rather than established findings by investigators.
Todd's own website says he has more than 25 years of experience and has trained more than 25,000 dogs. In a television appearance cited in the reporting, he described safety as a central part of the company's work.
'At my company Smart Dogs, what we try to do is make sure that every dog comes in, number one, we make sure it's safe,' Todd said. 'If we're just going to train the dog or board the dog, we have to keep the dog safe.'
That statement provides Todd's own position as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.
Owners Call for Investigation
The investigation could ultimately help determine what happened to Dunkin and whether any other allegations warrant further action. For now, the available reporting leaves important questions unanswered, including the precise circumstances of the dog's death and whether the accounts from other owners can be independently corroborated.
Fedyk, White and other owners have sought answers as Los Angeles Animal Services examines the case. Authorities, rather than the families or the training business, will ultimately determine whether evidence supports any enforcement or criminal action.
The legal position for pet owners can also be more complicated than a simple distinction between animals and property. California law allows owners in some circumstances to recover reasonable expenses associated with treating an injured animal, while the availability of other damages depends on the circumstances and the legal claim being pursued.
David Rosengard, managing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, told Slate that conduct involving extreme heat could potentially lead to animal-cruelty charges depending on the circumstances. Law enforcement and prosecutors would decide whether any criminal charges are appropriate.
Regulatory questions also surround the pet-training industry. Dog training itself is not subject to a statewide professional licensing requirement in California, although local rules can apply to businesses and boarding facilities. Los Angeles has licensing and permitting requirements for kennel and boarding operations.
For owners considering a board-and-train programme, dog training expert Tom Davis advised prospective customers to inspect where their pets would stay and ask direct questions about temperature control and safety procedures.
'It's an interview process,' Davis told Slate. 'It's kind of a dating scenario. Like if you're uncomfortable and it's not your vibe, then you go somewhere else.'
For the families now seeking answers, the most consequential part of the story is still unresolved. Other owners have described allegations that investigators may now have to assess against evidence rather than accounts alone.
