WHEELING, Ill. (WLS) — The owner of a dog daycare in Chicago’s north suburbs is facing an animal cruelty charge after police said a dog died in their car, allegedly after being left inside a hot vehicle.
Ross Niehaus, of Chicago, was arrested Thursday, according to Wheeling police. Niehaus was later released while awaiting a Saturday court appearance in Rolling Meadows.
Police said the case began Wednesday, when officers received a complaint that a dog being cared for by Waggles Pet Resort had died.
Steve Serota said his 6-year-old black Labrador retriever, Miller, was not just a pet but a beloved member of his family.
Serota said a driver picked Miller up at about 9 a.m. He said he received a call around 4 p.m. telling him the dog had died after apparently spending the day left in a hot vehicle.
“He was the definition of a good boy,” Serota said.
Serota said the family had sent Miller to Waggles Pet Resort dog daycare in Wheeling several times a week for the past five years. He said the daycare provided an opportunity for Miller to socialize with other dogs.
Serota said that after receiving the call, he immediately went to the facility and found Miller still locked in a cage inside a van. He said he could not understand how staff apparently forgot the 110-pound dog.
“It defies rationale. This was a happy loving member of our family who was left in a hot vehicle for hours. He didn’t deserve that,” Serota said.
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Serota described Miller’s death as an inexplicable mistake and said explaining what happened has been extremely difficult for the family.
Waggles, which describes itself as a premier resort for pets, released a statement addressing the incident.
“We are devastated about the incident involving a dog on one of our buses yesterday. As dog lovers, the thought of any dog harmed breaks our hearts, and today we are grieving with the family,” the statement said.
The family said it is speaking publicly in hopes of preventing similar incidents in the future.
The owner of Waggles said the company is reaching out to customers individually to discuss the situation.
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