A Deerfield family is demanding answers after their 6-year-old black Labrador, Miller, died after his owners say he was left inside a Waggles Pet Resort transport van for hours during a day of dangerous heat in the Chicago suburbs.
Steve Serota said Miller was picked up from the family’s Deerfield home at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, as he had been several times a week for years. The dog was a regular at the Wheeling pet resort, where he went for daycare and socialization.
The day took a devastating turn when Serota received a call shortly after 4 p.m. telling him Miller had died.
According to Serota, staff told him the dog had been left inside the van throughout the day. When he arrived at the facility, he said Miller was still inside a crate in the vehicle.
Miller weighed about 110 pounds and had been part of the Serota family since he was a puppy. Serota described him as a friendly, energetic and affectionate dog who was especially loved by the family’s children.
The timing of the incident added to the family’s concern. The National Weather Service had issued a heat advisory for parts of the Chicago area on Wednesday, with temperatures in the lower 90s and heat index values reaching around 105 degrees in parts of northern Illinois.
Serota said Miller had regularly used Waggles’ transportation service without previous problems. The family had trusted the company to pick Miller up from their home and bring him back after daycare.
Now, Serota wants to know how a dog could remain inside a company vehicle for hours without being noticed.
“He’s loud. He’s big, he’s right at your eye level,” Serota said. “It does not make sense how something like this could happen.”
Waggles Pet Resort has acknowledged the incident and said the company is grieving with Miller’s family.
“We are devastated about the incident involving a dog on one of our buses,” the company said in a statement. Waggles also said it is contacting customers who use its bus service individually to discuss what happened and ask whether they are comfortable continuing to use the service.
The company’s website describes its chauffeur service as a temperature-controlled transportation option for dogs traveling between their homes and the resort.
Serota said the family has filed a police report and is seeking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Miller’s death. He said his main concern is making sure safeguards are put in place so another family does not experience the same loss.
For the Serotas, the incident is about more than the loss of a longtime pet. Miller had become part of their daily family life and was known by people throughout the community.
“He was the definition of a good boy,” Serota said. “He loved everybody.”
The family is now waiting for answers about what happened inside the Waggles vehicle that day and what steps will be taken afterward.
