Dog Sitters Face $1 Million Suit After Dog Dies in Their Care

Laura Garner and Robert Hardon entrusted their beloved French Bulldog Percy to the care of Doggie Love for just one night back in July of 2009. They are now suing the dag sitters, alleging mistreatment of Percy and that the caregivers left him in an empty apartment to die alone.

French Bulldogs have a difficult time regulating heat and breathing on hot days because they are flat faced dogs. One of the workers for Doggie Love is said to have driven Percy in the back of an enclosed van back to his owner's apartment. The ride in the van caused Percy to significantly overheat.

Even the doorman at the apartment building has chimed in on the abuse, stating to reporters that he asked the caregiver if he should get the dog a drink of water before he was taken into the apartment. The caregiver denied his offer.

Percy was found dead just a few hours later. The poor dog was splayed out in front of an air conditioner where it was quite obvious he had laid down in an attempt to cool himself down.

When veterinarians examined the dog's body, his temperature was found to be quite high. He had also suffered from seizures prior to his death.

Percy's owners made the following statement to the press.

"The emptiness that has been left by Percy's death and the anguish we suffered has not and will never be filled or go away," the couple said.

The couple claim that Doggie Love was initially very empathetic to them, but that not too long after adopted a callous attitude, telling them that "sometimes dogs just die."

Laura Garner and Robert Hardon filed papers in Queens Supreme Court on Tuesday and were asking for at least $1 million in damages.

I can't imagine the heartache this poor couple experienced, but even worse is the kind of needless death that Percy suffered. This sounds like abuse, plain and simple, to me. I do question, however, how the couple knows that Percy was transported in the back of an enclosed van without proper access to cool air. Maybe the doorman told them?

I'm not sure $1 million will be coming Laura Garner and Robert Hardon's way as a result of this lawsuit, but I do understand how no amount of money in the world could replace Percy.

What do you think?

Sources: FoxNews, RightPundits.com