A family from Gloucester have been left devastated after their beloved pet dog Banjo was found dead in the back of a car that was ‘as hot as a sauna’.
During Friday’s (17 June) heatwave, Andrea Brown’s two Bernese Mountain dogs, Banjo and Bisto, were left in the care of a dog walker she had used ‘several’ times before.
Before going away with her family, Andrea said she instructed the walker not to take the dogs out on a proper walk due to the heat and to only let them roam in and out of the garden.
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However, according to Andrea, both dogs were put in the back of the dog walker’s car and driven into town. Andrea and her family left their home at 4pm on Friday and by 8pm, Banjo was dead.
Andrea is determined to find out exactly what happened to Banjo and has urged anyone who saw two Bernese Mountain dogs being walked around the town of Kingsholm between 4pm and 8pm on Friday to come forward.
Andrea, who has owned the breed for years and knew they couldn’t be taken out on such a hot day, told Gloucestershire Live: “The dog sitter had called me all in a panic to say Banjo has collapsed. I asked where they were and I was told in town.
“I could not believe what I was hearing and asked why they walked the dogs into town and they said to me they had taken the dogs in a car into town. I heard nothing then until the vets called me to tell me my dog was dead.”
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She added: “The dog sitter was meant to come in around 8pm to let them out so I don't even know why they were out with my dogs in the first place.”
Andrea, who packed up her things and rushed back home after the call, insisted she had ‘never given permission’ for the walker to take her dogs out.
She also told the outlet: “The vets told us when they got to the car to get Banjo out, the car was like a sauna. He was dead when he got there."
Gloucestershire police are now working with the RSPCA to find out what happened.
Andrea had previously found the dog walker on pet care agency Rover, however on this occasion, contacted the dog walker without using Rover’s service.
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LADbible has approached the RSPCA and Rover for comment.
Rover told Gloucestershire Live: “As pet parents ourselves, our hearts go out to Andrea, and we are terribly sorry for her loss.
"While this service was not booked on the Rover platform, our 24/7 Trust and Safety team has begun an inquiry. To protect the safety of our community, we have removed this pet sitter from our platform and they will no longer be able to offer their services through Rover.”
Aisha Nozari