A Los Angeles man is seeking answers after his 2-year-old Bernese Mountain dog died just two days after being placed in a Studio City-area boarding and training program.
Andrew Fedyk and his wife had recently welcomed a baby and were looking for help training their two dogs as their family adjusted to the change. After researching trainers, Fedyk said the couple chose a Studio City trainer whose boarding facility appeared to have favorable reviews online.
The couple met with the trainer several times before leaving their dogs in his care. They paid $10,000 for the two Bernese Mountain dogs to participate in a roughly four-week “board and train” program.
According to Fedyk, he received an unexpected call about 48 hours after dropping off the dogs. Staff told him that Dunkin, his 2-year-old dog, had died.
Fedyk told that the dogs had apparently been taken to a park earlier that day. Because of the heat, he said, staff decided to take the dogs to another kennel in Hollywood. He said he was not informed about that change in plans.
During the drive, Fedyk said he was told that Dunkin suddenly died inside the vehicle.
The circumstances surrounding the dog’s death remain unclear. Fedyk said staff told him Dunkin was not taken to a veterinarian during the incident, leaving him with questions about what happened and whether anything could have been done.
“I was shocked,” Fedyk said, describing Dunkin as his best friend and an exceptionally friendly dog.
Fedyk said he plans to have an autopsy performed in an effort to determine what caused Dunkin’s death. Until those findings are available, the exact cause of death has not been established.
The loss has been particularly difficult for the family, which had entrusted both dogs to the facility while preparing for life with their new baby.
Fedyk is now urging other pet owners to carefully research trainers, boarding facilities and the people responsible for caring for their animals before leaving their pets in someone else’s care.
As of the latest information available, the Studio City boarding facility has not been publicly identified. Reported that it was awaiting a response from the company’s owners regarding the incident.
The circumstances surrounding Dunkin’s death remain under investigation by the family, with an autopsy expected to provide more information about what happened.
