SPCA Investigating Dog’s Death at Middletown Pet Care Facility

The Monmouth County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is investigating the sudden death of a six-year-old French Bulldog under the care of Dogs On The Farm, a pet daycare and boarding facility in Middletown.

Monmouth County SPCA Chief Buddy Amato must now determine whether or not neglect played a part in the death of a Bugsy, a six-year-old French Bulldog, who collapsed after spending about an hour and a half playing outside in the heat.

“[The investigation] is still ongoing,” Amato said Monday. “I will decide within 24 hours or not whether to file charges.”

The SPCA is able to file both criminal and civil charges, Amato said. According to his investigation so far, he believes any charges filed would likely be civil ones. Civil charges are generally accompanied with a fine, he explained.

“In my opinion, it wasn't criminality. Just maybe some bad decisions and the heat,” he said.

Middletown residents Danielle and Andrew Collins said they got Bugsy as a puppy, before they were married. Andrew described the French Bulldog as lovable, playful and great with their young children. The pair received the news of his death Friday afternoon over the phone.

“They said he was out about an hour and a half, outside playing. I asked why he was outside,” Andrew said, noting that temperatures Friday climbed high into the 90s. “They didn’t have much of an explanation.”

Bugsy’s body was brought to his regular veterinarian at Bayshore Veterinary Hospital in Holmdel.

“The vet said he overheated,” said Andrew.

The outside area of Dogs On The Farm features a variety of ways to cool dogs down on hot days, explained Jason Leipzig, an employee of Dogs On The Farm and the son of owner Karen Leipzig. There are industrial fans with misting hoses, pools and shade in the supervised outdoor area, according to Leipzig.

The pet daycare and boarding facility opened in 2002 and has never had an incident like this before, Leipzig said.

“It was the first heat-related issue we've had in the 11 years we've been open,” he said.

As a precaution, Dogs On The Farm has now installed small tents with portable air conditioners outside. They will also now require owners of small dogs to give specific permission to allow their pet to play outside in temperatures above 85 degrees. Otherwise, they will spend their day in the air conditioned kennel and be taken for walks as needed, Leipzig explained.

He noted that the whole company is saddened by the loss of Bugsy.

“Everybody’s upset. No one wants to see anything happen to any of the dogs. Our primary concern is the general health and safety of the dogs,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the Collins family. They've bordered their dog Bugsy with us a number of times over the last three years.”

For now, both Dogs On The Farm and the Collins’ will have to await the results of an autopsy and for the conclusion of Amato’s investigation.

The Collins’ hope that telling their story to Patch and other media outlets will help prevent other animals from injury.

“Today it was my dog,” Andrew said. “I just want to make sure it’s nobody else’s dog in the future.”