COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho. – Animal Control officers with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department are investigating allegations of abuse and neglect at a local dog boarding and training facility, after a Hayden family reported their 13-year-old dog died from heat related issues after staying at the kennel.
Upon their investigation, Animal Control officers found many concerning issues inside Faithful K9 Trainer in Coeur d’Alene, and were considered for the animals’ welfare, according to CDAPD.
Tiffaney Price-Eddington and her family are sounding the alarm for others as they grieve the loss of their childhood dog, Bellatrix, who was boarded during the record-breaking heat wave in mid-July.
“I want everyone to spread the word that you just have to take care of those animals in the hot weather, that’s the biggest thing I want people to take from anything is just take care of them,” Price-Eddington said.
On July 18, Price-Eddington and her family, including her husband and three sons, took Bellatrix and their two other dogs to Faithful K9 Trainer as they headed out of town to say goodbye to a dying family member.
The family had boarded the dogs at this facility before and expected no problems. However, on July 20 when they picked up their dogs, Price-Eddington knew something was terribly wrong. Two of them were panting and were hot to the touch, yet Bellatrix was in much worse shape.
“She was beyond panting, she was labored breathing, she could barely walk,” Price-Eddington said. “My husband had to put her in the car because she couldn’t make it.”
Not much later, the family’s loving, vibrant, happy dog they’ve had since rescuing her at seven months old, died.
“I worked hospice for bedside care for three years, I’m very familiar with the dying process and I just knew she was going, so we took her home and made her comfortable and a couple hours later she passed,” Price-Eddington said.
According to CDAPD, Animal Control officers responded to the kennel to inspect the facility’s conditions and check in with the remaining dogs there.
CDAPD said officers found several concerning issues and gave Faithful K9 Trainer staff time to remedy the problem, but they didn’t. The city revoked the facility’s license. NonStop Local reached out to the owner for comment but he didn’t reply.
Price-Eddington said the business never contacted her during Bellatrix’s stay, even as her condition worsened.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t call, because we could have had someone go and pick her up and take her to the vet,” she said.
But it was too late. Anyone who has lost a pet knows the heartbreak that comes with that loss, and Price-Eddington and her family are stunned, unprepared for this sudden goodbye.
“You always hear dogs are more than just dogs, they’re family, and I don’t know if it’s cliche to say that but it’s so true,” Price-Eddington said. “She was very much a part of the family. When we wake up, she’s there in the morning, treat time and dinner time, it’s hard.”
According to CDAPD, Animal Control officers are continuing their investigation which may result in criminal charges. Any animal owner with information about neglect or abuse regarding Faithful K9 Trainer is encouraged to contact Coeur d’Alene Police Department Animal Control.
