New information is surfacing into the deaths of 14 dogs at Playful Paws Pet Centre in Saskatoon overnight Friday.
On Sunday, an employee told Global News it was 37 C in the boarding room when the dogs were found dead Saturday morning. This was enough to warp paint on the walls, yet the air control unit said it was on “cool” setting, the employee said.
The employee added two fans were used to circulate air overnight, but the door to the room was closed as a safety precaution in case one of the dogs gets out of its kennel. This is always done according to the manager, Bonnie Clark.
Clark adds an investigation into why the sprinkler system didn’t go off will be done.
READ MORE: 14 dogs die of heat exhaustion in Saskatoon after heater in kennel malfunctions
Fred Glawishnig, a certified master trainer, was hired by the owner in January to look over the business and highlight some areas of concern. He was going to take a month to look over Playful Paws, but says he didn’t even need a week to see “glaring’ issues.”
“I was very concerned that the dogs were left on the weekend for more than 12 hours without anyone in the facility. I found that shocking and said it needed to change immediately,” explained Glawishnig.
On top of being left alone, other issues included poor air quality, lack of proof of vaccinations and not using proper disinfectants. Some of these issues have led to a history of serious kennel cough.
On day four, Glawishnig met with the owner and manager presenting his 12 “major points of concern,” but he says they weren’t well received.
“It was actually quite surprising, the attitude was arrogant and reckless. My points of concern were met with scoffs and at one point laughter,” he said.
At that meeting Glawishnig says he severed his job with Playful Paws and immediately took his investigation notes to the SPCA.
Glawishnig said he knows this won’t be the company’s first investigation. On day two, SPCA investigators were at the facility looking into animal cruelty reports.
Playful Paws informed Saskatoon Animal Control of the deaths on Saturday and they’re now investigating.