Dog Daycare Closes Temporarily After Tragic Drowning at Camp Canine

A sad and shocking event happened at a dog daycare in Santa Barbara. A dog drowned while staying there, and now the police are looking into what happened. The dog’s family is heartbroken, and the daycare has paused part of its services. Let’s break it all down in a simple way.

What Happened?

• A dog named Bruce, a 1-year-old English Bulldog, drowned at a place called Camp Canine on Thursday afternoon.
• Camp Canine is a dog daycare and boarding facility (a place where dogs stay and play when their owners are busy) located at 803 E. Montecito Street.
• The Santa Barbara Police Department got a call about the drowning at around 4:45 p.m. on July 16.
• Police talked to Bruce’s owners and the employees who were there when it happened.
• The police’s Criminal Investigative Unit (the team that solves crimes) and Animal Control Team (the team that handles animal safety) are actively investigating.

Important: The police have not shared exactly how the drowning happened yet. They are still investigating.

Family Learns of Dog’s Death Upon Arrival for Pickup

According to a GoFundMe page made to help Bruce’s family:

• Bruce’s owners are Chris and Ashley Merz.
• The family was not told when the drowning happened.
• They only found out when they went to pick Bruce up later that day.
• The fundraiser (organized by Ashley’s sister Savannah) says the family was given Bruce’s body in a storage container in the trunk of a car.
• Bruce was not taken to an emergency vet (animal hospital) before the family was notified.
• The family is now grieving and trying to understand what happened.

The GoFundMe is raising money for:

1. Cremation (a respectful way to handle Bruce’s remains)
2. Memorial costs (a way to remember him)
3. Legal counsel (a lawyer to help them understand their rights and get answers)

A video on social media shows a man outside Camp Canine who is very upset, saying the facility “killed his dog” and that no one called him.

Camp Canine Issues Apology, Suspends Daycare Operations

The general manager and co-owner, Jayne Sigman, posted a statement on social media Saturday afternoon.

What she said:

• “There are no words that can fully express the heartbreak we feel…”
• The family trusted them with a loved one, and they failed to keep the dog safe.
• They are “profoundly sorry.”

Changes at the facility:

• Daycare is temporarily paused (dogs can’t come play during the day for now).
• They are reviewing their facility, safety rules, and emergency response steps.
• They are making immediate operational changes to prevent this from happening again.
• Boarding continues (dogs staying overnight are still there), and they are talking directly with those families.

Important: Boarding is still open, but daycare is stopped while they investigate and improve safety.

Four Decades in Business

• Camp Canine has been open since 1984 (that’s over 40 years!).
• It calls itself Santa Barbara’s “Premier Pet Resort & Spa.”
• Services include: daycare, boarding, grooming (cleaning and styling), and training.
• They say staff watch “active playgroups” matched to each dog’s personality.
• It’s on the east side of Santa Barbara and even offers rides from nearby towns like Montecito and Goleta.

Investigation Ongoing

• The police promise a thorough investigation.
• No new details about how the drowning happened have been shared.
• If you know something, you can contact the Santa Barbara Police Department.

Summary

A young dog named Bruce drowned at Camp Canine, a long-running dog daycare in Santa Barbara. His family wasn’t notified until pickup and is now grieving. The police are investigating, and the daycare has apologized, paused daycare services, and promised safety changes. Boarding continues for now. A fundraiser is helping the family with memorial and legal costs.

FAQ

1. What is Camp Canine?
Camp Canine is a dog daycare and boarding facility in Santa Barbara that has been open since 1984. They offer daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, and training.

2. Why is daycare closed but boarding open?
After the drowning, the owners paused daycare to review safety. Boarding is still running, and they are personally contacting those families.

3. How can I help Bruce’s family?
You can donate to their GoFundMe, which helps with cremation, memorial, and legal costs.

4. Is the police investigation finished?
No. The police are still looking into what happened and ask anyone with information to contact them.