Emily Gilbert has shared the warning signs of heatstroke after her pooch, Benny, tragically died. Her pooch was taken for a walk in the crippling heat by a doggy day care worker
A family were left heartbroken after a doggy day care worker dropped their dog home “barely alive” after they cooled him down the wrong way.
Emily Gilbert, 38, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, placed her French Bulldog, Benny, into the day care while she attended a wedding for 24 hours. But once she returned home, she discovered that Benny, 3, had collapsed after workers hosed him down with cold water in 30C heat.
The mum-of-three said she was waiting around for the worker to drop him home, but when he finally returned, he looked sick. Emily said his “tongue was hanging out his mouth”, and said he was left “drenched” in water. Benny was raced to the vets, but despite their best efforts, he had to be put to sleep after he experienced two seizures and suspected brain damage.
Speaking about the ordeal, Emily said: “It was horrendous seeing him like that. It is so hard to lose a dog as they’re your best friend and like a child. But Benny shouldn’t have died the way he did. His temperature had dropped dangerously low after being hosed down with cold water and the vets couldn’t get it to rise.
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“I was told he’d been panting due to the heat and he’d been hosed down to keep him cool. The vets have said that is what sent his body into shock due to the temperature change.” Emily and her partner Luke Cox, 44, have had Benny when he was 18 months old – delighting their children Reece, 16, Elsie, 14, and Rylee, 13.
Benny had separation anxiety and had previous spent afternoons at a local dog day care business. Emily and the family had been due to attend a wedding and Benny went overnight to be returned at 12pm on August 13. Emily, a carer, said: “We were all really excited to get him home.
“We’d got him chicken ready and his favourite treat. When she [dog day care] didn’t come and I thought she’d be held up a little bit. It got to 1pm and I thought this is odd because she’s never been late before. Something felt a bit off and I messaged her and she said running late, he’ll be back by one – but it was already one.”
Emily decided to ring and was told Benny was “really tired” but the signal was poor and she awaited his arrival. Benny arrived back with the dog day care attendant five minutes later but Emily was shocked by what she saw.
She said: “She told me he was having a lay down and opened the car door. Benny was in the footwell laying on his side and he was absolutely drenched in water. He looked like he’d been taken out the bath. His breathing was really fast and grunty – he didn’t move or make any indication he knew I was there. Benny’s tongue was hanging out his mouth and his eyes were fixed in a stare.”
Emily said she was screaming and crying in fear for her beloved pup but Benny just “flopped” in the dog day care attendant’s arms. She said it was suggested that he be laid on the cold floor and that they “always hose them down after a walk”. Emily, who does not drive, asked to be taken to the vets where Benny was taken to be seen immediately.
She said: “She said she’d taken him for a walk at 12pm in the ‘breeze’. It was a boiling hot day. It was 30 degrees. She said he’d been panting and she’d doused him in water with the hose. The vet told me the temperature change sent his body into shock. He was so cold they had to put heated blankets over him. He was given medication and was on a drip. But he wasn’t coming round and his temperature wasn’t rising.”
Emily added: “I’d like to think he might have known I was with him in his last minutes. She should have known to spot the signs of heatstroke and acted. But she neglected him when he was ill and that is disgusting. She brought him back to me and my children barely alive. She should have taken him to the vet.”
Emily is calling for people who care for dogs to recognise the signs of heatstroke and what to do. She said: “Without any doubt no matter how professional someone’s website looks or how friendly they seem, always check they’ve got a full licence. We didn’t do that and I regret it.
“Benny was a fit and healthy dog – the vets said he was the best type of bulldog, no breathing or posture problems. Look into how to treat heatstroke and recognise the symptoms. No matter what breed or how healthy they are, do not take them out in boiling hot weather whether its cloudy or there’s a breeze.”