In what's being described as a "tragic accident," 17 dogs were found dead at a Gilbert, Arizona, pet-boarding facility over the weekend.
According to KNXV, "deputies say a dog chewed through an electrical wire that cut off the air [conditioning] to the dogs' room. The owners say the dogs were in that room for 6 1/2 hours Thursday night into Friday morning."
But that's where details start to get hazy. KPNX in Arizona reports the dogs were found dead Friday morning, but dogs' owners say they weren't informed until the next day, when they were told the dogs had run away.
"I thought, 'Well, I should just go over there.' ... I pulled up to two dead dogs in the driveway," said Kathy Harrington.
One woman said when she came to pick up her dog's body, it was brought out to her and dropped at her feet like "a piece of meat."
But it gets deeper. According to KSAZ, the kennel's owners weren't even home when the incident took place.
"They were out of town ... and left relatives in charge. Fox 10 has been able to confirm that those relatives are the owner's daughter and her husband, Austin Flake, son of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake," KSAZ reported.
Sen. Flake released a statement saying, "I learned of this tragic accident yesterday. I can't imagine the devastating loss these families are experiencing. My heart goes out to the owners who lost their beloved pets." (Via KSAZ)
So far there have not been any charges filed but the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says it will continue to investigate.
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