In Texas, a dog was mauled to death at a boarding facility by a bigger dog after being left for the weekend.
Dog owner receives devastating news
Last weekend, Heather Heflin left her 20-pound Brindle–Terrier mix at Smart Dog Dallas, a boarding facility based in its namesake city. Originally, Heflin rescued Drake as a puppy and left him at the facility for the weekend while she went to a bachelorette party in New York. As her plane prepared for takeoff, the facility called Heflin, informing her that Drake was dead. Disturbingly, Heflin had never left Drake at a boarding facility before.
“It was grueling, and it was agony,” Heflin told WFAA. “The one time he stays at a boarding facility, he gets brutally killed in the worst death imaginable.”
While Heflin was flying, her sister drove from Louisiana to better understand the situation. Soon after, Heflin arrived and found Drake wrapped in a bloody towel. Apparently, a Boxer also at the boarding facility attacked Drake while they were both in an enclosed area.
“When the Boxer finally released Drake, he was dead,” she said.
Dog mauled to death, questions still remain
WFAA received photos of Drake’s injuries and a video of Heflin confronting the staff at the facility. Reporters also reached out to Smart Dog Dallas, seeking a more detailed explanation. Unfortunately, no one returned their emails. Additionally, when they attempted to call the facility, someone at the facility answered but said they would forward a request for comment to the manager/owner.
On their Facebook page, Smart Dog Dallas said it is investigating the incident and working with all authorities involved. Furthermore, they also expressed condolences to the family and affirmed their staff’s commitment to pet safety. However, Heflin has unanswered questions. Additionally, she believes the facility isn’t being completely transparent with her.
“My immediate reaction was, how did this happen? Why wasn’t an emergency vet notified? Explain more. Smart Dog Dallas has been unable to do so,” Heflin said. “It feels like a piece of my heart’s missing.”
Continuing, she said, “Based on what I’ve heard from some employees that texted me, there wasn’t anyone watching that enclosure at the time. That’s not good enough, and I don’t understand the lack of accountability and ownership,” Heflin said. For the moment, she is consulting with an attorney to see what she can do next. Ultimately, Heflin wants the public to know what happened.
For dog owners, this is a stark reminder to choose boarding kennels carefully and to always err on the cautious side when leaving your dog’s life in somebody else’s hands.
