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Woman Picks Up Dog From Boarding Facility & Finds Him Near Death

Written by: Molly Weinfurter
Molly Weinfurter is a writer for iHeartDogs, and she’s passionate about helping animals in need. She volunteers for Bailing Out Benji and a local dog rescue.Read more
| Published on June 1, 2022

Before a Memorial Day weekend trip, Brittany Martin dropped her dog and her mom’s dog at Nose to Nub doggy daycare in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Martin’s dog named Mikah has been her best friend for the past four years, so she thought she was taking the dogs somewhere they’d be happy and well cared for.

But when Martin returned after her trip, she was faced with every dog parent’s worst nightmare. Both dogs were in rough shape, and Mikah was on the brink of death. The boarding business hadn’t mentioned anything to Martin before the pickup, so she’s blaming them for her beloved dog’s passing.

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Holiday Weekend Turns Into Nightmare

Martin could tell something was wrong as soon as she saw the dogs. Both Mikah and her mom’s dog were visibly ill. Martin said Mikah was unconscious, unresponsive, and limp in a bush in the yard. He wasn’t his normal self, and he kept going in and out of consciousness.

“He didn’t even look at me when I got there. His mouth was really dry. His gums were all bloody, and he was showing obvious signs of heat exhaustion,” Martin said.

Dog begging for food
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The dog sitter told Martin that Mikah hadn’t been eating for a few days, but they hadn’t mentioned it to her at any point before the pickup date. Martin was devastated, so she rushed the dogs to the Portsmouth Veterinary Hospital. But sadly, Mikah didn’t make it there. Martin said she could tell that her furry friend passed away during the drive.

“I was like two minutes away at a red light, and I turned around and he had stopped breathing,” Martin said.

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Mikah Deserves Justice

Martin brought her deceased dog to the vet and explained the situation to them. The vet said that heat stroke was likely a big factor in Mikah’s death. Vets are now performing a necropsy to get detailed information about his passing.

“This shouldn’t have happened. It was preventable,” Martin said. “She could have called me and told me something was wrong with him, and she didn’t.”

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RELATED: Two Dogs Die Of Dehydration And Starvation In Rover Sitter’s Care

Martin and her husband have filed a police report, but the boarding facility has been unreachable since then. They even took down their Facebook page. News sources talked to neighbors of the daycare facility. Some claimed the owner loves dogs and cares for them like children, while others said they’ve seen signs of neglect.

Mikah’s death was heartbreaking and sudden. The family is still in shock at what happened, but they’re determined to make sure their canine companion gets the justice he deserves.

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