A routine pickup at a Santa Barbara dog daycare turned tragic when a 1‑year‑old English bulldog named Bruce drowned while under the facility’s care.
Police responded to the boarding center around 4:45 p.m. following a report of a dog drowning. Officers interviewed the pet’s owners, Chris and Ashley Merz, and staff present at the time of the incident.
The Merz family said they were not notified of Bruce’s death until they arrived to collect him at approximately 3:30 p.m. They believe the dog died between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and was placed in a large‑dog yard that contained two unfenced pools, despite being575 typically housed with smaller dogs.
The daycare issued a public apology, acknowledging a failure to keep the dog safe and announcing a temporary suspension of operations while it reviews safety procedures and emergency protocols.
The family has established a fundraiser to cover cremation, memorial expenses and legal costs, describing the loss as an unimaginable tragedy compounded by the handling of the incident.
