Owners and schools are at odds over compensation for pet dog deaths during training. A pet dog has reportedly died while “going to school” at a dog training facility, sparking a conflict between the owner and the school over compensation.
The owner paid for training, and the dog never came back alive. Ms. Ye, a Fuzhou native, was attracted by a dog training video released by Fuzhou Baylor Dog Training School on the Douyin platform in November 2024. Intrigued by the variety of actions the dogs do, such as sitting, lying down, shaking hands and even going to the toilet and skateboarding, she decided to send her two pet dogs, Dudu and Dian Dian, to school on November 20. The training program runs from November 20 to December 20.
However, on the morning of December 9, Ms Ye received tragic news: 19-month-old Dudu had died. When she and her family arrived at the dog training school, they found there was no surveillance on site. At the hospital, after a B-ultrasound examination and a manual examination by the doctor, no trauma was found on Dudu’s body, and the specific cause of death remains elusive. As the dissection required shaving the dog’s entire body and surgery, Ms Ye could not bear it and chose to have the dog cremated at the school’s expense.
The training contract for the two dogs shows that the total tuition fee is 6,500 yuan, of which “Dian Dian” is used for primary training and “Dudu” is used for skateboarding training. It also states that if a pet is lost or dies accidentally (non-illness) during training, the school should pay an amount equal to the value of the pet. Ms Ye asked for a full refund of the 6,500 yuan tuition fee for the two dogs, but the school only offered to give Dudu a replacement dog of the same kind and refund Dudu’s 3,000 yuan tuition fee. Ms. Ye also claimed that after nearly a month of training, “Dian Dian” only learned to “lie” and made little progress overall.
The school claims to have fulfilled its duty. On January 10, when the reporter visited the Fuzhou Baylor Dog Training School in Qingfu Village, Cangshan District, he found that the school gate had been demolished, and there were only a few dogs in the school. He contacted Mr. Fan, the head of the school, and said that the base had recently moved to Niu Village in Huanxi Town. But from the business license he provided, the business address is in Lingtou Village, Shoushan Township, Jin ‘an District.
Regarding Dudu’s death, Fan said the school has a wechat group that sends videos of training and daily activities to parents almost every day. The night before Dudu died, they had a live broadcast with Dudu and nothing seemed wrong. On the morning of December 9, when the staff checked Dudu and Dian Dian, they found Dudu dead. Mr. Fan said there were no signs of trauma on Dudu’s body, and there was no vomit at the scene, only normal feces. After determining that Dudu had no chance of survival, they immediately informed Dudu’s parents and offered to take the dog to the hospital for further treatment
Examination, but the parents refused the autopsy. Mr Fan further said the school was willing to compensate, but as Ms Yip could not provide a valid receipt to prove Dudu’s value, they could only provide a bichon Frise of the same breed as Dudu and refund Dudu’s tuition fees. They found it difficult to accept Ms Ye’s demand for a full refund of the two dogs’ school fees and are considering legal action.
Legal perspective: The school may be in breach of contract. For the accidental death of dogs, dog training schools should bear what responsibility, the reporter consulted Fujian lawyer Haidu public welfare group Fujian Minti. According to lawyers, the dog training school may simply be in breach of the contract and pet owners are entitled to compensation. The ongoing dispute between Ms Ye and the dog training school remains a bone of contention and shows no sign of being resolved.
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