This story broke here in St. Louis this morning and I thought to myself, please don't let it be a handler. Later today with more details coming in my suspicions were right. I'm not sure if all the dogs in the van were hers, but this is absolutely terrible. They haven't release this woman's name only that she is 24 y/o and lives, apparently really close to me, because of the vet they mentioned in the news story is almost in my backyard.

Please take extra pre-caution with your dogs in the heat. This is a terrible tragedy. I have copied and pasted the story below.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - Heat appears to be the culprit in the death of seven dogs in Jefferson County. The dogs reportedly spent the night in a huge cargo trailer, though the owner claims several fans were pointed in their direction.

Neighbors of the dog owners believe what happened Monday was simply a big mistake.

Investigators say it was Monday when the owner returned from a dog show in Iowa City, Iowa with her eight dogs. They were left in a van with electric fans running to keep them cool. The dog handler is said to have checked on them twice during the night. It was the second check when they appeared to be dying.

The dogs were rushed to a veterinarian in House Springs, where seven of the eight died.

Here's the story from another news channel that states that these were client dogs, not her own dogs.


ARNOLD, Mo. (AP) -- An investigation continues following the deaths of seven St. Louis-area show dogs.

Jefferson County authorities were called Tuesday to a home in Arnold. Sheriff Glenn Boyer says the 24-year-old custodian of the dogs had returned home from a show in Iowa and planned to put the dogs in kennels in the garage.

But because of the heat, she decided to leave the dogs in portable kennels in a van. She says she placed six electric fans in the van, left a door open, and left windows partially open.

The custodian says she checked on the dogs at 4:05 a.m. and they appeared fine. But when she checked again at 6:30 a.m. they were in distress. She drove the dogs to a veterinarian.

The cause of death has not been determined.

The dogs had different owners. An eighth dog survived.

It's awful. The name was released in one story I read - here's the link (sorry it's so long)

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/191EDA28F711396D862575DF005870EC?OpenDocument

How completely tragic.

This story just gives me chills.
How does this happen??? Very scary.

it starts when people send their dogs out with handlers...

How careless and tragic.

What I dont get, is that she went out at 6:30am and noticed them in distress and then washed them down with cold water etc, and yet it took her 3 hours to get to the Vet?

I beg to differ, it doesn't start with handlers...it starts with a lack of common sense. Anyone can have common sense, how many use it? Handler or pet owner? In the summer, it's hot...take precautions, put the critter welfare first, skip a few minutes of sleep and put the crates and dogs in the air conditioned house. If you wouldn't sleep outside in the heat and humidity, don't expect the dogs too. Basics. I am so saddened by this preventable loss of life....all one has to do to prevent such a tragedy is use common sense. But didn't someone say, "If common sense was so common, why don't people use it?"
My deepest symapthy goes out to the owners of those dogs.
LM

How absolutely tragic. please don't place blame. I know from experience, that it can happen, very quickly (I was lucky). Did anyone catch the use of the word Custodian? In this situation, it may have been used correctly, but I see this as a warning sign of how we will be scrutinized as "guardians" and not owners...

Common sense is one thing. I am having a hard time imaging dogs in a van, with with windows and doors open, with fans, getting so hot they actually DIE.
Think about it. Many of us leave our show dogs in the van at hotels while traveling to shows. Those of us that travel with more than one or two dogs HAVE to.
Go to a hotel nearby a show site. You will see a parking lot FULL of vans with doors propped open, tarps and sun shades attached all night long.
So my question is HOW do dogs with adaquate ventilation DIE overnight in a show van?????
FYI for the jerk who made the comment about sending dogs with handlers, most handlers that take on others dogs have big rigs that have 24 hour built in AC.
At least that's the type of handler I personally use.
If I'm going to pay an expert, I'm going to someone who has a professional set up.

Rigs have caught fire and dogs have died when breakers pop and when roof top air conditioners stop putting out cold air. The alarm systems help as long as they wake the handler. The sheriff's office just lost a dog because the primary and back up systems failed and the alert didn't go off. From reading the story it looks like the Missouri handler overslept.

It's so scary. My bitch went with my handler for a three day show. I usually bring my dogs ringside. Her van has 110 roof top ac and it was plugged into motel electric and is equipped with an alarm system. I thought I'd lose my mind. I didn't sleep a wink and drove two hours to pick her up. The handler moved her into the motel room with her. I'm sure she hates having me for a client.

I'm sure you're right

That's why I pay early and often.

brdr...you addressed the gorilla in the room....how does something like this happen in the scenario described.Common sense should still say...not a good idea.

Good one!

Paranoid

That's why I pay early and often.

I'm sure mine does too....I am paranoid about the heat here in FL, but I won't back off about it. The safety and care of my boy are paramount.

You make a good point. I guess I took it for granted living in the northeast myself.
I'm also very saddened by this news.

I remember something happening similar to this at a show probably 20 years ago. This lady was a breeder/handler. She had BIS Siberian Huskies. She was down in south Tx, and she was watching Best in Show. She had the AC going in her trailer, and something happened....it came unplugged or it tripped a breaker..something like that. I think if I remember correctly, all the dogs died. She never really got back into showing. It was heartbreaking.

This is gross negligence. How very tragic for all involved. This handler comes from Alaskan Malamutes, she should have known better. Very sad.

yes, you're correct commonsense is the issue.

have you ever taken 8 dogs (or two dozen, as is non uncommon) to a dog show several hundred miles away in the summer in a van?

how hard was it to provide good care or just load the van?

how tired did you get?

how much dog caretaking did you sacrifice just to get the logistics of showing accomplished?

now imagine yourself with that many dogs in a van in the summer after dealing with the heat all day at the show in the van, showing all day in multiple breeds, and driving home at night after BIS is finished.

how tired did you get?

commonsense, indeed! regardless of how much you pay.

don't be silly.

it routinely gets that hot in the South with high humidity. day after day for months.

What struck me odd is her leaving all those dogs in her van sitting in the driveway with windows and doors open. Besides the face that it's questionable these dogs could have died of heat exhuastion with all the fans going on them with open van doors and windows opened up..something doesn't add up with her story and the timing of when she got to the vet in the morning. How about any thoughts on why a handler would leave an open van full of prized show dogs belonging to other people and risk someone stealing the dogs while she was in the house sleeping away ??

Where common sense needs to come into play is...these dogs don't belong to the handlers. The love and consideration we give our dogs may not be the same with a handler. Obviously, in this case, no consideration was given to the dogs. I feel bad for any dog being transported all over the countryside living in a crate. It's not what they would want, it's all about what the owners want. Trapped in a crate and suffocated by intense heat, I don't think it gets much worse than that.

You need to do some research... when it is hot outside it is twice as hot in the car even if you have windows down fans on. There is a study that I just heard on the news this week that if it is 80 degrees outside and all windows are down in a car the temp can still reach 130 degrees within an hour inside the car. Here is an idea how about when it is HOT outside that we don't leave our dogs in the van, car, crates period. Yes, we all need to use are common sense. This is tragic to say the least. I can't imagine these poor dogs the suffering they had to go to, because someone was to lazy to un-crate them and place them in better conditions. Regardless of the HEAT issue why are dogs sitting in crates for this long period of time anyway. That is dog abuse in itself. The "person" who did this should be held accountable. This is no mistake it is negligence.

For the sake of the dogs, maybe shows should not be held during the hot summer month. The last shows I participate are in April, and I don't go until late August and only because they are indoors. Too much at risk.
I'm sorry for the victims.

The indoor shows don't make any difference. There are lots of people who leave the dogs in vans during indoor shows. Again, it's hard to believe that the dogs would get that hot when the sun wasn't up and doors and windows were open. If she had the energy to get up during the night and check on them, she should have had the energy to bring them inside. Pretty sad.

I've learned that when traveling with my dogs in the summer, I hang a small round thermometer at the back of one of their crates. It gives me a real good visual read on just what's going on in their environment.

the thermometer is a great idea - thanks for the suggestion.

I am sick to my stomach thinking about what those poor, poor dogs must have gone through before they finally sucumbed ...
My dogs go NOWHERE unless they go with me ... many people snicker about it, but at least I know they are being looked after the way I want them to be. AND the minute they are finished showing they are back to the hotel and into the AC ...

I thought the very same thing..something doesn't add up. However, it still has the same tragic ending.

if something like this happened to anyone how horrible they would feel also. No it should have not happenened but I am sure it was not inteded at all. I am sure if she is as good as she seems to be she must love doing and love dogs. I found her website and sent her a short letter of some kinds word with all of the hate and judgment I guess it seems horrible to kick someone while they are this down.

Since I too have sent a dog to be campaigned in the early summer, and the heat was worse than I expected, I do see both sides of this horrible situation. The article I read , said fans on , windows cracked, and ONE door open. Given the amount of body heat that, that many large dogs would give off, common sense tells me , that is not nearly enough. They would have been better off in the garage, with fans on them, where at least their body heat would not have compounded the problem in such a small area. LIkey she was too tired to transfer them all, and break them all, to put them in crates in her garage.
If this was one of my show dogs, I think I would unleash the lawyers.

She didn't do her job, now seven dogs are dead. Kick someone when they're down?? Are you kidding???
I would sue. This was totally preventable.

The key is she did not do her job! Her lack of judgement killed the dogs she was in charge of. It was not an equipment malfunction it was a human malfunction. She choose to leave the dogs in the van.

24 years old, think when you were that age. 8 dogs showing all weekend, getting home in the middle of the night. She probably fell into bed out of exhaustion. She probably over slept. I am sure she is terribly devastated. She is more than likely finished in dogs. What a terrible mistake, but that is what it was. Her life will never be the same, such a terrible lesson learned the hardest way possible. Be careful judging someone else, your terrible mistake may be right around the corner.

there is an old cavalry motto: " Horse, saddle, man".
I follow that ... the animals come first no matter how tired and hot you are. They can't take care of themselves, they depend on you for that.

I'm sure she does feel awful... who wouldn't?.. but that does not negate the damage that's been done .

From her website: "While in my care, someone is always present to insure the comfort and safety of your dog. The well being of your dog is my number one priority."

I agree the dog is ALWAYS first. I don't care how tired you are, how hungry you are or what time of the night it is, those dogs should ALWAYS be your first priority. It's too bad she made such a terrible mistake and used such terrible lack of judgement for someone who has been in dogs since she was 6. She should have known better. Now 7 beautiful and loving dogs are dead and the 8th dog is in critical condition suffering from renal failure that may have to be put down soon. You can see them on her website as well under current dogs.

Will she work again? YOU BET! I've seen it time and again how handlers have killed dogs and yet for some reason months later they resurface in the ring again handling client dogs. Will she kill again? Hopefully she'll learn from her mistake, but others that have killed or lost dogs in the past continue to use the same poor judgement over and over again.

Too bad it's at the expense of the dogs

I hate to say it but I think the girl has lied to try to save her skin. The story doesn't add up, including the fact that rigor mortis had already set in with some of the dogs by the time she got them to the vet. I don't believe she went to bed and got up 3 hours later to check on them and found them fine. I don't believe alot of what she says happened.

It would be a rare 24 year old that I would trust with my beloved dogs.

after several bad experiences with handlers, I now don't trust anyone with my dogs. I can no longer turn a blind eye to what I have seen.

winning isn't worth taking risks with the well-being of my dogs.

When I was looking for a handler way back, I watched how they took care of their dogs at shows, and what kind of vehicle they drove, because that was going to be my dogs home on the road. I was worried in the summer months about the heat, even when they had AC in their modern box trucks/motor homes, because the AC could go out at any time and then it would be terrible if no one was around to take care of it. I certainly wouldn't let someone take my dogs on the road in the hot weather in a "cargo van". What were the owners of those beautiful dogs thinking? It is way too sad what happened.

I think what may have been at play here is the delay; the delay in the dogs showing signs of heat exhaustion and the delay in getting veterinary help. I have seen dogs come into the vet hospital that have been exposed to excessive heat, but don't look that bad, die 6-24 hours later. When they're severely overheated and in shock, they stop panting. The damage is already done. My guess is that they were exposed to extreme heat over a period of time during the day, and when it "cooled down" at night, they were already compensated and shocky without the "custodian" being aware of the medical signs. The brain fries and swells, LATER.
The lesson to learn from this tragedy is: ALWAYS SEEK VETERINARY HELP IN CASES OF OVEREXPOSURE TO HEAT! There is nothing you can do after the dog is already severly compensated (i.e., hosing down, offering water, using fans) that can help the dog bounce back from shock and profound metabolic changes.

this young woman was experienced and well-regarded; people who knew her cannot believe this happened.

sending dogs with handlers exposes them to risks that
you would not otherwise find acceptable for your dogs if you love them.

The International shows have been snickered at and ridiculed as not being a "real" CH., but one area they have it right is NO HANDLERS, which is the way it should be. Some breeders, and of course, the AKC, put money first and the dogs second. Whether the handler is one you can trust or one like this one where seven dogs are dead, this "big business" approach to dog showing should be stopped. It's way out of hand and look who picks up the tab, our innocent, loving, trusting, beautiful dogs. This should be a lesson for all.

Why would any one send dogs with some one that did not have good facilities when not on the road. She should have had runs in the garage at least. The garage should have been air conditioned. Folks demand
pictures of the property the dogs will be on while not
on the road. The van or RV may look great but the home not so much. No one will safe guard your dogs
like you, that is just the cold hard fact. I have been showing 30 years and have watched your top Lab handlers pull the dogs out of the truck twice a day
for a few minutes. The rest of the time they are cramped in crates in a dark box truck. Not a fun trip!

Get a grip!

Its IGNORANT people like this handler that throw fuel on the fire for states that are trying to pass strict LEGISLATION, and organizations like PETA only grow stronger with this kind of dog mistreatment. We will all suffer for this girl's stupidity and laziness. I look at my precious dogs, and I can't even imagine how I would have reacted to someone doing this to one of them, and to think that they paid her to do it.

The newspaper articles said the dogs were in a large cargo trailer. If that is correct, they were exposed to heat during the drive home as a doubt a cargo trailer had a/c. How sad for all involved and again it gives organizations like PETA more fuel for their fire.

There are multiple shows/trials held every weekend all over this country. Thousands of dogs are traveling, boarding and competing with professionals. Dog deaths are very rare. I think the last similar incident was 12-15 years ago. None of the transportation industries have such safety records! More dogs die in this country in ONE DAY from preventable heartworm disease than from all handler care deaths since our sport began.

You want a cause? How about stopping PETA's rescue vans from collecting and deliberately killing dogs. Get a grip is right.

Oh, here we go again with PETA. Let's get off track that negligence and laziness caused the death of seven caged dogs. There's talk about dogs being caged in Asian countries in zoos, yet we force them to live on the road, confined, being trapsed all over for AKC points and that's OK. Then to have posters remark, "Get a grip." It's pathetic.

She had what appeared to be a fairly new Sprinter. Not a box van. The news is reporting that there seems to be a problem with her time line. What I don't understand is why if she lives in Arnold, why would you drive over 40 minutes in the metropolitan St. Louis area where everything is so close.

My dogs didn't die in the bad experiences they had with handlers, but their well-being was certainly in jeopardy.

The first happened ten years ago and involved 3 well-known handlers. I didn't send another dog out with a handler for 8 years because of it.

But over time my good sense was co-opted by my desire to win.

My dogs had two more bad experiences (with three more well-known handlers, two lesser known ones, and some assistants in positions of responsibility for my dogs caretaking) before I made a promise to myself and my dogs that I would never put them in such jeopardy again.

To the person who called me a jerk for saying that the problem starts with the people who send their dogs out with handlers. You're right. I am a jerk. It took me ten years and three sets of bad experiences before I learned my lesson.

In fairness to me, I had done all the due diligence that others have suggested to prevent problems--and more. In fact, it was only because of my attempts to prevent problems that I learned of the problems and managed to avert more problems. I paid the big bucks. I chose professionals. I didn't send my dogs out for long periods of time; the longest was 3 weeks.

But, yes, I am a jerk for jeopardizing my dogs and for making excuses and for looking for someone to blame other than myself.

This situation shows one of the reasons that it is important that when we choose a handler, we need to consider using handlers that are AKC registered handlers, PHA handlers or one of the other professional associations. Handlers are no different than many other professions. If you choose a physician, you always look for one with the appropriate credentials. Why would we send our dogs out with someone who does not choose to participate in their professional organizations. This is not the first time that a "handler" has lost a van of dogs. There are many people who choose to show dogs, not all are professionals. Handlers who choose to earn the credentials must meet inspections of kennels, vehicles as well as references from other credentialed handlers. Professionals put the dogs first.
Just because you can show a dog does not make you a handler.She is a young girl who shows dogs for money. She did a fine job as a junior but we have way too many of these kinds of people assuming that taking a dog into the ring is "handling"
Just my thoughts on a very devastating situation.

Terrible! Should never have happened. Handler obviously was careless. And to lie for days afterwards. Feel bad for the owners of the dogs. The handler should be repremanded by AKC. Now, my handler is not an AKC handler but is well known and respected, so being and AKC handler is not always the answer. It is personal character and integrity. I know some AKC handlers I would never send my dog with. Again, it is about character and integrity. Why were the dogs not moved into the house or where ever she was staying. Too many things don't add up. I know of another handler who did the same thing--killed clients dogs. She has gotten a lot of bad mouthing but she's back handling. Some think she is great but they don't know what she did to the dogs left in her charge. Sad that the dogs have to suffer

No, all of them weren't PHA members, but the first
incident (and arguably most egregious one) in my case involved two PHA association members. No protection
whatsoever.

My prayers go out to all involved.
I've heard several stories since this story broke about well known handlers having this very thing happen to them "years ago".... and one handler "more than one time". Could it be? On one hand my heart breaks for this handler. After all, she she made a horrible mistake. A mistake with huge consequences. I cannot even imagine how terrible she must feel ... and how difficult it must have been for her to contact the owners of the dogs and tell them their poor dogs had died (much less ever face them). We've all made mistakes and even though most of us haven't made that particular one we each have things we've done that we wish we hadn't. And I bet this handler would take it all back if she could. At least I hope.

But then I hear of someone doing it MORE THAN ONCE! What? And that the handler is still in business?

The scariest thing of all is that IF the stories are true how would a person know or be able to find out about that before they decide to send a dog out with the handler? Yikes. That must be accountability. Accident because of negligence, ignorance or whatever the cause.

There are several WELL KNOWN handlers that have lost truck loads of client dogs to heat. In those particular cases the air conditioner had a malfunction of some sort.
You MUST do your research when choosing a professional handler! Ask around, ask other handlers, ask clients of the handler you are considering! Approach the handler as if it were a job interview, BECAUSE IN THE END IT IS if you choose to hire them!!!! Not all handlers are the same, they all care for the dogs differently and treat clients differently. Choose one that best suits YOU and your dog. It is a hard decision to send your dog with a handler, but do your precious dogs a favor and pick ones with care of the dogs being the highest possible priority.
There are A LOT of handler choices out there, but you also get what you pay for, as well.
This situation was COMPLETELY preventable and this poor girl will have to relive this tragedy for the rest of her life. In a small way I feel terrible for her. GODSPEED to those dogs that were lost

That because she really found them @ 8:30.

The van was totally closed. It's a fact!

That's just it. It doesn't make since. There is no way that she had the van open. She is lying. And the truth will come out.

Because her mom new this vet for 15 years.

It is really scary to think there are handlers out there WORKING that have killed dogs. On one hand I am really sad for this girl and I hope and pray she has learned and it will be a lesson of a lifetime. BUT I have to say that it is a little sad that there is no reliable way to research handlers besides the gossip vine. Sure would be nice if there was a way to rate them somehow and to be able to look up their track records (not for wins so much as care of the dogs). I know of only one handler that I trust with my dogs and I watched her with other people's dogs for years before we started using her. She only takes a few and they sleep in her hotel room - heck, most of them in the bed with her! Because our experience with handlers has been so wonderful I was shocked to hear this story but more shocking was the fact that it has happened over and over again to handlers. What an eye opener!

This is very so sad. For everyone involved.

Story given by handler to authorities makes no sense, Vet states that one dog was in rigor mortis when she arrived at the Vet clinic. End result will no doubt be animal abuse charges, if found guilty, will be suspended from AKC... little good that does for the animals or owners.

This was posted on the Akita Network
June 25 2009 at 5:19 PM Becky Bullard (Login BeckyBullard)
Akita Q & A Forum (Forum Members)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

from the breeder of Jersey...........

"
Dear All

Thank you for all the kind words and emails. The pain and disbelief is
overwhelming. What those poor dogs had to endure before they were finally
able to cross over and be at peace.

I am going to be very careful how I word this because this is a public form.

Please just know that everything you read in print is not complete truth.
The interview that was passed around yesterday was what Mary told the police
happened.

None of the time lines match up. Also please know a very young girl was
there as Mary's assistant, that very young girl lost her show dog, her
innocence in life and will be scarred for a very long time. She wanted to
put the dogs in the house but was told NO. My heart bleeds for what this
little girl has seen, tried to do to save Jersey and what she will forever
remember.

My thoughts are with all the families involved.

To give you an idea of the depth of the lies, Monica was informed late
Monday afternoon ( for the very first time) that Jersey was slightly
overheated and she would be fine. Tuesday Morning I was driving to the Vet
office to pick her up for Monica because Monica is out of State.

In route to the vet hospital I am called and told Jersey is dead. We never
knew Jersey was in the condition she was in. Remember we were told Mary was
walking a dog, Jersey was in a kennel and became overheated.

The extreme lie comes on Wednesday at noon when I hear on the local news
that a young lady in Arnold MO has lost 7 show dogs in a hot van. This is
when I figure out it was Mary the news was talking about and Jersey was one
of the 7 in the van. I am the one who had to call Monica her owner and tell
her the truth as it was playing out on the RADIO!!!!

We never knew til Wednesday and the police got involved. Mary had lied for 2
days. Telling us Jersey had simply become over heated.

So please pray for the dogs, the families, just don't believe all the things
you are reading in print.

This was a horrible thing and to lie as Mary did for 2 days is unforgivable.

Cindy

www.mystikakitas.com

I have never been a sue happy person and always despised those looking to make a buck that way but I hope every single owner sues the butt off of that handler and she is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and then some!!She needs to be made an example of.This is NOT the first time handlers have lost dogs this way or had their box trucks burn up loaded with dogs.And it just amazes me that people continue to hire them.No Championship is worth the life of my dog!!Yes,accidents do happen but this WAS preventable.So preventable

I don't know this breeder. But I do know that her story is accurate. I am a family member of one of the dog owners. Mary Wild's story is not accurate at all. From the time line. To the fact that she keeps the dogs in the garage. She doesn't she keeps them in her basement. The van was closed. And yes she told a young girl to leave them in the van. So it hard to judge this story on what you read. Because for the most part you are reading Mary's lies of what happen. But it will come out. The police are onto her. They are investigating this and finding the truth out. Not going to say more of the facts due to the investigation.