A Tampa couple left their puppy in the care of a boarder while they went on vacation, but while they were gone they were informed their dog had died.
Anthony Ifasi and his wife, who are in Las Vegas, said they got a call on Tuesday from the owner of the New Tampa Pet Resort, who said they found the dog dead, floating in the pool.
Ifasi said he left on the trip last Friday and left the dog, a Scottish terrier named Batman, in the care of the pet resort in Lutz.
"We're still on the plane, we contact them and they said, 'Look we're sorry. Your dog drowned in our pool,'" he said.
Pet resort owner Lisa Golicher said they found the dog floating in the pool. However, Golicher's attorney Tom Scarritt said they won't know if Batman drowned or if he died from other causes until a necropsy is complete.
"We understand from talking to veterinarians that dogs that unfortunately expire by drowning do not float," he said. "That they sink."
Ifasi said his dog was only six months old, was in good health and that he knew how to swim. He contends Batman should have been better supervised, but Golicher said he was. She said this was the first time they have had a dog die in their care since they opened four years ago.
"I offer up whatever we can as a pet resort and as a family," she said. "Our condolences go out to the family and whatever we can do. We'll miss Batman, trust me, he is family."
Ifasi said he just wants to make people aware of what happened to Batman.
"This is the worst possible thing that could've happened and we just need to make everybody aware of this," he said.
Golicher said she is going to provide a private cremation for Batman, and that she will pay for the necropsy at the University of Florida. She said he turned down two requests for a necropsy but finally accepted a third one on Wednesday.
She also offered to replace Batman. However, Ifasi said there is nothing she can do to make it better. He said the couple has no children and Batman was like a child to them.