Cape Town - What should have been a normal two-week stay at a kennel turned tragic for English bulldog George, that died a few hours after being fetched at home.
Now, a top Durban advocate is planning to sue the Durban-based kennel owner after his beloved George died.
Speaking to IOL, Paul Jorgensen said he left his dog in the care of the kennel owner, based in Umhlanga.
Jorgensen said he was going to Cape Town for a two-week holiday and had entrusted both his dogs, George and Coco, a labrador, to her care.
Jorgensen said he has been dealing with the kennel owner since 2011/12 and while he initially did dog training sessions with her company, George would go for playdates.
Speaking to the day of the incident, Jorgensen said the owner fetched George and Coco on January 4, as his trip was planned for the next day.
Durban had been experiencing a heat wave and temperatures rose to 40 degrees Celsius.
"I told her beforehand that George battles in the heat."
Jorgensen said at around 2pm he received a message from the owner stating that George was battling with his breathing.
"I told her to take him to the vet if he needed it. Naturally, I would have paid for it."
Jorgensen said at 5pm, he received another message that George was not breathing.
"I phoned and asked: Is he dead? Take him to a vet."
Jorgensen said by this time both he and his wife raced to the vet closest to the kennel and found her car not there.
"I then went to her house and found her driving away."
Jorgensen said when they arrived at a vet in Umhlanga he saw the vet on duty racing to the car opening the door, and asking what happened to the dog.
He said the dog was not breathing, and his tongue had been out.
"I told the vet to ask her," he said.
"I was in complete shock. It was the most distressing thing. I couldn't believe this was happening. I was filled with a feeling of sadness and complete shock."
Jorgensen said both he and his wife said their goodbyes and he went to fetch Coco.
He said at the house he was met with rudeness.
The next day, Jorgensen said he received an email from the kennel owner claiming that she loved George as her own and put him in an air-conditioned room.
He said he was told that George had vomited twice on the day.
"I feel that they should have rushed him to a vet," Jorgensen said.
"They were negligent in not taking adequate steps to seek medical assistance. Nothing but cruel neglect on her part."
He said the post-mortem results revealed that George died of a heat stroke and he would be pursuing a legal claim against the kennel owner both in the civil and criminal courts.
He also planned on reporting the matter to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
"All the money from the proceeds would be donated to a dog shelter."
Jorgensen said George was part of their family and losing him had a devastating effect on their family.
When contacted by telephone for her right to reply to the allegations, the kennel owner said: "No comment."