Dunkin was a 2-year-old Bernese Mountain dog known for being friendly with everyone he met. Two days after his owner, DJ Andrew Fedyk, dropped him off at Smart Dogs Training Academy in Studio City for a month of training,
Dunkin was dead.Sign the petition demanding justice for Dunkin. LA Animal Services and the LAPD must fully investigate Smart Dogs Training Academy and its owner, Jeff Todd -- and shut down his deadly business.Fedyk and his wife trusted Jeff Todd and his staff to train and care for Dunkin and their other Bernese Mountain dog, Poutine, as they adjusted to life with a new baby in the house. Videos and photos shared by Fedyk and his wife online show Dunkin as he truly was -- a sweet, friendly dog who was either exuberantly playing or calmly cuddled up near his new baby sibling.
Two days after Jeff Todd took Dunkin, staff called to say the poor dog had died.
It is hard to imagine the shock, confusion, and grief that Dunkin's family must have felt.Fedyk
later learned both Dunkin and Poutine had been taken to a park during a scorching heat wave in Los Angeles, then loaded into a car to be driven to a different kennel because it was too hot. Dunkin died somewhere along the way. Staff never told Fedyk the dogs were being moved to a different boarding facility,
didn't mentioned the death until hours after it happened, and never took Dunkin to a vet, not even after he died. Fedyk believes the dogs may have been kept outside during the heat wave the entire time.
After Fedyk shared what happened to Dunkin publicly,
seven other families came forward with the same story: their dogs had also died while in the care of Smart Dogs Training Academy, under circumstances no one has ever explained.
Numerous dogs are now dead, and even more reports of neglect, injury, and abuse are coming from Todd's past clients. Meanwhile, his facility is still open, still profiting from unsuspecting pet owners, and still potentially endangering more innocent animals.
It is also alleged that
Todd and his staff are deleting or hiding negative reviews, including mentions of these deaths or injuries, so that people will continue to patronize his business. Fedyk and his family never would have sent Dunkin and Poutine to this nightmare man if they had seen those negative reviews -- Todd basically entrapped them in this way.
Jeff Todd must answer for the horrific deaths of numerous dogs in his 'care' and never be allowed near another animal again.A thorough investigation would determine what really happened inside this facility and whether its conditions are safe for any animal -- and it could also provide the evidence needed to
arrest, charge, and lock up Jeff Todd. Until then, Smart Dogs Training Academy can just keep operating exactly as it has, and more families could lose a dog the same way Fedyk and his family lost Dunkin.
Los Angeles Animal Services and the LAPD have the authority to investigate this pattern of deaths, arrest Jeff Todd, revoke the facility's ability to operate. They must do just that.
Sign the petition and demand LA Animal Services and the LAPD hold Smart Dogs Training Academy owner Jeff Todd accountable before another dog dies in his care!