SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Dozens of protesters gathered outside Camp Canine in Santa Barbara Wednesday morning, calling for accountability and stronger safety measures following the drowning death of a 1-year-old English bulldog at the dog daycare.
Holding signs reading "Justice for Bruce" and "Our Dogs Deserve Better," community members lined Montecito Street to support Bruce's family and push for greater transparency as the investigation continues.
"The people want answers. The people want accountability," said Santa Barbara resident Rex Stephens. "What a tragedy to happen in our community."
The protest comes less than a week after Bruce drowned while in Camp Canine's care.
According to the Santa Barbara Police Department, officers responded to the business around 4:45 p.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a dog drowning. Investigators interviewed employees and Bruce's owners, Ashley and Chris Merz. The case remains under investigation by the Santa Barbara Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division and Santa Barbara County Animal Services.
Bruce's family has criticized how the incident was handled and says they are seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding their dog's death. The family says they were not notified when the incident occurred and only learned Bruce had died when they arrived to pick him up later that day.
"We are here for justice and to keep eyeballs on this case," one family member told News Channel. "We are here so this doesn't happen to anyone else. Bruce and all dogs deserve more from a caregiver."
Many protesters said they attended to support the Merz family and advocate for stronger safety practices at dog daycare facilities.
"This is somebody's baby," said Santa Barbara resident Melina Milan. "Seeing this woman — she's broken and she wants her baby, and there's no going back. It's sad."
Some attendees questioned the level of supervision at the facility and criticized Camp Canine's response following the incident.
Others urged pet owners to ask more questions before leaving their animals in someone else's care.
"Ask more questions when you're dropping your dog off," said Asha Portugal. "How many workers are there per dog? How big is the space? Has there been any incidents before? Just ask more questions rather than giving your baby away to a stranger."
Not everyone at the protest believed the incident reflected the business as a whole.
Charlotte Haskell, who said she has trusted Camp Canine with her own dog in the past, described the drowning as a tragedy.
"Multiple times I've left my dog with Camp Canine and never, ever felt like I needed to worry," Haskell said. "This was a tragedy of errors."
In a statement provided to News Channel, Camp Canine said:
"This has been devastating for us all. We are rethinking and reevaluating everything, with the safety of the dogs in our care being our top priority. Exact changes have not been determined but will be soon.”
The business has temporarily suspended daycare operations while it reviews its safety and emergency response protocols. Boarding services remain available.
As the investigation continues, protesters said they hope Bruce's death leads to meaningful changes in pet care safety.
"It's a tragedy that can probably be avoided in the future," Stephens said. "I hope Camp Canine and this community can come together."
The investigation remains ongoing, and no determination has been made regarding whether any criminal wrongdoing or negligence occurred.
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